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Lift Assist calls
Does any other department out there get calls for lift assist only? We have a couple people that think the 911 system is set up for them to call when they need to get their out of shape Butt up and take them to the bathroom, or pick them up off the floor cause they cant get up when they roll out of bed. If you do have people that do this, what is your protocall for people that abuse the system?
Do you call your Dept of Human Services or just let it go. If i have to go one more time to help someone change their diaper i am going to scream. We are not butt wipers/diaper changers and i need to find out what everyone else does.
Thanks
Do you call your Dept of Human Services or just let it go. If i have to go one more time to help someone change their diaper i am going to scream. We are not butt wipers/diaper changers and i need to find out what everyone else does.
Thanks
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cory on
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wow, I think you need to call adult protective services, and let them know what is going on. Its not your job to take people to the bathroom or wipe there butt, or change there diapers! Now if they fall off their bed then that is another story. But there is such a thing as 911 abuse. Now if they fall out of bed all the time and can't get up you should probably talk to them about getting some live in assistance or a nursing home, I know nobody wants to take that step but you have to do what you have to do sometimes. If I think of anything else I'll get back on and send it to you.
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Permalink Reply by Allen on
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We have contacted different agencys and they keep telling us there is nothing they can do, we keep telling them that they need to go to a home for assisted living and they refuse. The only one we have not contacted is the Sheriffs office for an ED and we do not want to do that but i think we are about to.
Thanks
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If someone can 't care for themselves and they don't have anyone there to do it for them then adult protective services should be able to do something for them that is weird.... But I guess I could be wrong, I'm not sure what else to do, I take it you have talked to your Chief about it, you shouldn't have to change there diapers or whip their butt. That would get old really fast, you can tell them to contact an ambulance transport service instead of calling 911 and give them a transport services number or tell them to look it up, I hate to put it off on another agency but its not right to tie up a emergency service when all they need is a diaper change. Call your medical director or hospital and talk to them about the situation if you haven't already. There has to be something that you can do to take care of the situation!
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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First off, the Fire Services in my home State (all three of them) don't do EMS work, 1st Responder, yes, but nothing more. That said, yes we do get calls to assist the paramedics with lifts. Not often, but some. Do we do anything about that? No. Does our Ambulance Service? No idea.
U can understand your dislike of this workk when you have repeat callers.
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Permalink Reply by Melissa on
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You could tell them that you will be calling their family (son, daughter, ect) when you have to go lift them. Maybe their family doesn't realize how much help they need. Usually once the family realizes what is going on, they will do something about it. If the family doesn't do anything, I would start calling the adult welfare place every time. They will get tired of you bothering them about it, and do something. I am in home health so I'm used to "butt wiping/diaper changing''. I agree that it is not the FD place to have to take care of that. They should have someone coming in, or have them in an assisted living.
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Permalink Reply by John on
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We do lift assists and if it happens to be a frquent flyer calling every day or so we first have the officer talk to them to see if they have someone who can help take care of them and if not our last resort is to file a report with human services. It is something that comes with the job, they call us and we come to assist them. But we will not help change thier depends or help them to the bathroom, if they fall coming or going to the bathroom then we get them up and see if they are okay but thats it.
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Permalink Reply by Kimberly A Bownas on
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I am a volunteer for my squad and I work for a paid EMS Service during the day. We do get calls for a person fallen and the dispatcher will say this may be a lift assist only. We go and we help the patient get up and then we check them out and get a set of vitals to see why the person has fallen. We don't just go and pick the person up and then leave. I don't have a problem with helping somebody like that. This is why we are here..... We are here to help people who need it. The other that you have stated of course then call for Social Services or have the local PD do it. You are right we are not here to change diapers and all but sometimes we are the only contact that these people have and you have to have a little compassion here. Some are all alone or the family doesn't even help or get the appropriate help for this family member. I will tell you I have picked a woman up off the floor and then helped her to the bathroom. I helped changer her out of her wet night gown and into a dry one. My partner and I made sure everything was alright and that she didn't get hurt and got our sign off and then we left. Was it not the glamorous job that some look for NO, but we helped a woman who needed it and she very much appreciated it. She was embarrassed as well, but she was very appreciative for us being there to help.
Have you talked to your superiors about this to see what they say or can do. That is the route you can go. We don't have a policy in my vollie department.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Brooks on
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We get them all the time. The worst ones are already in nursing homes. They are the laziest people on Earth. We have been know to call the person's physician and bother them, even at 3 in the morning if it is a problem. We have been known to be at a house three times in one day. Usually after the second time, we tell them if we come back, they are going to the hospital since there must be a problem. Sucks, but it is part of the job.
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Permalink Reply by PA Firefighter on
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We do lift assist calls but if it becomes repetitive we contact Human Services .
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You get calls like this from nursing homes? What do the people there think they're getting paid for?
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Permalink Reply by anne potter on
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Well my friend Allen you might want to think about getting into a different field.. This is what it is all about..The rush call and well the bull pockey calls.... That old person calling you needs you ... R U only in this for the Rush or to help.... Think about...Rush time,,,,,, back out and find something else... EMS means to help everybody.. I have had my fair share of bs calls.. from constipation to ear ache just to get that ride into town..... I dealt with it and went to the next call.. So don't go on the next call Screammmmmmmm...
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Its not just when i am on shift. The Chief knows about it and he and i are trying to get this person some help. She even has a son that lives about 3 miles from her and he will not come to help her. It really is a sad situation but when we get toned for a fall or lift we can not refuse it obviously so it takes locks our Rescue down or what ever truck receives that call. We have called numerous agencies and are not having any luck. It is just one of those deals that we will continue to look for her help.
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