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PPE for EMS Calls or shorts?
Our department requires that on call firefighters who are wearing shorts when responding to a medical must cover them with either Wildland Gear or Structural gear. Is this an uncommon requirement for the bloodborne pathogens? Or how many departments allow firefighters to wear shorts on alarms?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Please define what gear items are meant by "PPE".
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Looking professional means also having your F.D. logo printed on your thong. And possibly your name and rank if there's room...LOL
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There's no room for that...we have BIG badges. MLOL
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Permalink Reply by Sara Hall on
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no shorts for us...we learn in class cover up as much as possible because of BSI issues that you don't waanna deal with later
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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on
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I know that there are some guys who say that they would rather wear shorts because FDNY did a study on knee injuries and it was found that pants actualy restrict the flex of your knees and may cause injury while shorts allow more freedom of movement. also, some guys honestly believe that it is easier to clean your skin than it is your bunkers when you get blood, etc... on them. And of course, the heat stress issue where shorts are cooler than pants. Me personally, I do not care what the members wear around the firehouse, but on a call, at least put your bunkers on. I have been in some precarious positions where the call sounded different then what it really was and I want to be protected. Bunkers are definately hotter than station wear or shorts, but that's the job.
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Permalink Reply by Allen on
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Oh good point here, Esp the ones above wearing the Thongs!!:) I would be the second patient from laughing my butt off.
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"Shorts offer no BSI below the knees."
Neither do fabric uniform long pants, but that's what the vast majority of fire, EMS, and police personnel wear to medical calls.
Intact skin is defined as a barrier to bloodborne pathogens exposure.
MRSA - not bloodborne pathogens - is the big hazard when you're wearing shorts, unless you have non-intact skin below the waist.
Turnout pants aren't practical in desert (very high heat) or southern (high heat/high humidity) environments for most of the summer. I can't imagine our firefighters wearing turnout pants for a medical call on the beach in August...but I can imagine the lifeguards working the call with us while barefoot and wearing swim suits.
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Beach lifeguards, bike teams, and fire-EMS departments in very hot environments often wear shorts.
The best way to avoid bloodborne pathogens exposure is to avoid kneeling in other people's body fluids.
If in doubt, don't kneel down.
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Permalink Reply by John McDaniel on
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We have the same policy at our department that you need bunker pants or your station pants. I assume it is required because it provides a barrier to any skin that may not be intact. If you have a small cut or abrasion on your knee for example, at least pants or bunker gear would help keep blood or other infectious agents from entering the site.
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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I guess I will throw this out to be the devil's advocate. Everyone who said "no shorts" because of fluids and infection, are you all wearing tyvek suits?
Does your department make you wear long sleeve shirts on every call? If you are getting fluids on you in the first place, then that is a training issue, regardless of what you are wearing. Now I agree, the more we wear for coverage, the better off we are for layered protection, but come on, I see people start an IV on a patient, rest the patients arm on his or her thigh and watch it bleed all over those non-bsi protecting uniform pants... now, that is a training issue.
Do nurses and doctors wear gloves on every patient they touch? Absolutely not.
MRSA absolutely needs a route of entry, and intact skin is NOT a route... yes it may live on your skin and wait for an entry point, like the next time you skin your knee or knuckles, etc. but proper hand and body washing will effectively eliminate alot of that. Besides people who are colonized with MRSA, have it on them ALL THE TIME, live normal lives and work in all forms of industry everyday, they just be careful of causing or getting a cut, scrape or open wound...
Your ambulance carries protective garments to allow the responder to achieve the appropriate protection level when needed: tyvek suits, booties, glasses, goggles, splash shields, etc. Otherwise, we would all be donning hazmat suits with hepa masks for every single call.
Comfort, along with safety is key to having responders who provide great "personalized" patient care. For the most part, people do not care what the EMT or the firefighter is wearing for a uniform, as long as they come quick and take care of their emergency.
Bottom line is most Fire and EMS Chief's are worried about how their Bosses view our appearance... which shorts are viewed as "pleasure time" or for the bean counters to wear on their next round on the golf course.
Damn shanked it...... HEADS UP, FOUR!!! Hope that run away ball chases them off. LOL
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