let me fess up, i'm not an EMT (please no rocks thrown in my general direction) but i want to get training and volunteer as one since i'm going to have a lot of free time next year with a few days off during the week. my question is, how would i go about doing this? i live in the NYC area, brooklyn to be exact, if that helps anybody. thanks in advance for any replies i may be getting.

find out if your local volunteer agency is offering a class soon---you may not have pay anything at all...just call them up or drop by...they can also refer to other places that have classes...

This is a true story...when I lived in Brooklyn (****r Heights) and Queens (Forest Hills), both places had EMS covered by volunteers. I never saw a FDNY bus at all in either neighborhood, ever.

Originally posted by Apollyon
This is a true story...when I lived in Brooklyn (****r Heights) and Queens (Forest Hills), both places had EMS covered by volunteers. I never saw a FDNY bus at all in either neighborhood, ever.

Apollyon, I have no idea why you'd say such a thing. There are FDNY buses in the area but Forest Hills main EMS coverage (both BLS and ALS) was covered by 911 hospital units (North Shore forest hills, and St. John's on the boulevard). How do I know.....? Because I worked 46 Young out of forest hills er for a good long time before transferring into the armpit of Queens known as Jamaica/Cambria Heights. The volleys and Hotzollah mostly did calls that either weren't too serious or pt's that called them direct. But don't get me wrong, I loved the volleys they were a really nice bunch and very helpful. Hotzollah....well that's another story entirely :)

Musiclink, check out laguardia community college, I believe they have an emt program and a medic program when your ready.

Why do FDNY paramedics use "buses?"

In Texas, we call them trucks. Makes more sense to me.

Originally posted by OSUdoc08
Why do FDNY paramedics use "buses?"

In Texas, we call them trucks. Makes more sense to me.

I did some ride time with them and I swear it felt like we were a bus for those that needed to be shipped from their apartments (usually some insane amounts of flights up) to the ED for a check up. UGH, made me realize I didn't want to do that forever. Gotta love the EMS system of free rides for the needy.

Originally posted by OSUdoc08
Why do FDNY paramedics use "buses?"

In Texas, we call them trucks. Makes more sense to me.

Trucks in Mississippi too............

Originally posted by niko327
Apollyon, I have no idea why you'd say such a thing.

You make it sound like an accusation! I had the Hatzolah heavy rescue one block away from my apartment. I said what I did because, in a year, I only saw the vollies (several times), and NEVER ONCE saw a FDNY bus or voluntary on the block. Ever.

in ca. we used to call the ambulances" the rig", don't ask me why.

In Upstate NY, it's "rigs" also... No idea why either...

Rigs in chicago. Better than am-bue-lance.

Originally posted by PluckyDuk8
Rigs in chicago. Better than am-bue-lance.

Hey Duk,

Depends on where. I've been in suburban Chicago fire based EMS for 10+ years now. In my experience the most common is "box" short for "bone box", but "rig" or "bus" are also common. Almost never "truck" as that is a different piece of fire apparatus.

BTW - "Rig" is usually any piece of fire apparatus. "Leave on the rig that brought you, not the bone box!"

- H

Originally posted by FoughtFyr
Hey Duk,

Depends on where. I've been in suburban Chicago fire based EMS for 10+ years now. In my experience the most common is "box" short for "bone box", but "rig" or "bus" are also common. Almost never "truck" as that is a different piece of fire apparatus.

- H

Makes sense. At my old company there were only 2 of what we called "box rigs" and the rest were the van types. I bet the city would probably call them boxes since that's what their rigs are ;)

nyc refers to ambulances as buses cause that's exactly what they do: bus ppl to the ER for their doctor's apointment with their luggage. "Trucks" or "rigs" in NYC are for the fire trucks usu. the ladder truck.

hey niko, ur on 54 or 53Young now? ;)

musiclink: depending on where you live, try looking into Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance or South Ozone Vollies.

Originally posted by PluckyDuk8
Rigs in chicago. Better than am-bue-lance.

Rig or ambo.

"Hey, we got a call, where did we park the ambo?"

rigs or truck in Michigan....just because, I guess

weren't they called "rigs" on Mother Juggs and Speed? Oh, they are "trucks" in Oklahoma.

Trucks in Virginia, although "taxi" might work just as well at times.

nyc refers to ambulances as buses cause that's exactly what they do: bus ppl to the ER for their doctor's apointment with their luggage. "Trucks" or "rigs" in NYC are for the fire trucks usu. the ladder truck.

hey niko, ur on 54 or 53Young now? ;)

musiclink: depending on where you live, try looking into Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance or South Ozone Vollies.


Memories...........I worked both, 53Y wasn't too bad, but 54Y used to get really shi77y at night. I left though to go to school. I just do Cornell/Presby nowadays up in the heights every once in a while. Why where did you work, do i know you maybe????