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Words of wisdom to pass along
Just curious as to what little nuggets of wisdom someone passed onto you that would be nice to pass along to the "next generation"
Here's two of no particular importance that were told to me:
> for hard of hearing patients....place your stethoscope in your patients ears and talk into the bell. A really smart ER doc showed us that one with a patient we brought into the ER with no idea what was wrong because of a communication problem. My partner and I just stood there looking stupidly at each other as the doc got a detailed history from the patient.
>for front zipper boots - use zip ties instead of laces, cheaper and easier to replace. I now have boots and zip ties that have more time in an ambulance than some of my partners
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Don Catenacci on
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Here are a couple specifically for rookies:
You have 2 ears and one mouth, remember to use them in at least that ratio. I always thought the ratio was a bit skewed and it would be better to think that unless you were asking job related questions, as a new guy, the ratio should be listening 5 to 10 times more than you talk.
Another good piece of advice for rookies is be the first one up and working and the last one to sit down. The reputation you build in yur first yar will follow you through out your career. The last reputation you want is that of a slug, a work dodger, or the conveniently unavailable guy when there is house duties, or trucks to wash, or hose to reload.
Some general words of advice:
Memorize the equipment and its location on all the rigs in your station, and then start working on the rest in the department if they are not all standardized.
Keep the tools clean, free of rust, and blades sharpened.
Periodically check your own personal gear for those items you usually carry to make sure they are still there. You might have used something and not put it back, or someone may have "Borrowed" it and not returned it.
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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Train like your life depends on it...It does.
Amateurs train until they get it right.
Pros train until they can't get it wrong.
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Permalink Reply by Derek J Sinesi on
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Learn to slow down. You are no good to nobody if you never get there in the first place.
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Permalink Reply by Timothy John Dodson on
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Could not have said that any better myself.
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Permalink Reply by Moose on
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I think this is a "signature" in one of my many fire service web sites...hmmmm...
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Here is a nugget dropped on us when I was a junior firefighter and one of the others was acting like a "know-it-all" because his father was a firefighter as well, our advisor told us this at the particular drill...
"Id rather go into a burning building with someone who constantly tries to learn, rather than someone who thinks he/she knows it all."
or this one...
"Learn something new every day, otherwise its a wasted day"
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Moose as an instructor for the tech college I always tell my students at the beginning of a course that if I cdon't learn at least one thing from them I wasn't paying attention.
NEVER pass up an opportunity to learn.
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Permalink Reply by Ron King (Fire Chief) on
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Good one Norm!
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Exactly, the fire service is a dynamic thing, and we need to pay attention to the times and the changes we need to make on the fire ground. Not only do I come here to these firefighter forums to learn, but I also visit contractors web sites and lumber retailers and hardware stores to see about any new innovations in building construction or materials used. Even the salty old 30 year veteran ex-chief can be learning something new every day.
Stay safe and Happy Holidays to everyone!!
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Good point.
It should be a red flag when someone tells you his way to do something is the "best" way or, worse, the "only" way. There are usually many ways to get the job done. When teaching I always ask the members of the class for ideas or ask them what they would do in a given situation. Invariably there are many good solutions to one problem.
Our goal is to get the job done safely.
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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on
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Try not to screw up so badly they name the screw up after you.
A good reputation takes years to earn, a bad one only minutes.
It's not how smart you are, but how stupid you were.
People may forget the smart things you did but they'll never forget the stupid ones.
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Permalink Reply by J. D. Rinard on
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Stay trainable. Never think you know everything. Do not be afraid of change. Eyes and ears open, mouth shut unless it is to learn something. Remember who you are representing.
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