I hate flying. I love Wikipedia.
I promise, these two things are (sort of) related.
When I say that I hate flying, I mean that I hate flying. I would rather drive ten hours then get into an airplane and take a two hour flight. I don’t care how convenient or quick flying is, I still hate it. I hate flying for a good reason: it scares me.
I’ve heard all the excuses in favor of flying, but still, I can’t get over sitting in a tiny metal tube with 200 other people 6 miles up in the freaking air. Oh, and the WINGS MOVE! I don’t mean the flaps and ailerons, and control surfaces, I mean the WHOLE WING FLEXES!
That can’t be good.
“Do I want a drink? Are you kidding me? How could I possibly drink it? My hands are numb, and I don’t think I can pry my fingers out of this arm rest.”
I’m starting to get anxious typing about this. On to Wikipedia.
I can spend hours on Wikipedia. I surf Wikipedia like people surf channels. One minute I’m reading about ichthyosis, and the next I’m reading about naphthalene. Checking my phone, I have a Wikipedia page open to Operation Ranch Hand.
I learned about the other “agent colors.” It wasn’t just orange.
Any way, while sitting (seriously) in the airport waiting on my flight to board, I stumble onto a page on Wikipedia about air safety. Specifically, the Sterile Cockpit Rule. Reading through that page took me to Crew Resource Management. And right before my xanax kicked in, I had an epiphany. It was so good, I wrote it down on a napkin, and put it into my jacket pocket.
“CRM & SCR for EMS” it says.
I’m genius, I tell you.
I have heard of Crew Resource Management in the fire service, or something similar, but nothing like the Sterile Cockpit Rule.
I’ll come up with something intelligent in the next few days and post my ideas how these two concepts can have a place in EMS.
Right now, I need some alcohol. I have to get on another plane tomorrow.
I had no idea that you and I shared the same attitude towards flying. They tell me that you can get over it. Not as long as I have a brain to understand what can go wrong up there.
I met a guy at a Heart Association Convention once. A writer and comedian who had valve replacements. Lewis Grizzard was his name. He said, “I’m not afraid of flying. I’m afraid of crashing and burning. And what does the first sign say when you’re approaching the airport? ‘Terminal.’ That’s not encouraging.”
I was flying across the country once with my son and awaiting takeoff, I was in my usual pre-flight psychotic state. I said, “There’s a door out there that’s open. I wonder if they know it’s open?”
“Daaaad! They KNOW it’s open. There are little lights that tell them.” Then he waved at the flight attendant and called out where everyone could hear him, “Ma’am, can we get a couple of drinks over here. I know it’s early but there’s a guy here that needs some help.”
I actually have the sterile cockpit rule at my work place. It is in effect whenever Lights and Sirens are in use or the truck is backing up. Until this I thought it was a general rule.
Interesting. Yours is the first I’ve heard of such a rule.
Dude,
I did a few papers for my foundation degree about EMS CRM. There’s definitely a place for it. Email me to remind me & I’ll try and get them to you.
Tj
@meditude
I’m interested in reading your work. Would I be able to look at it?
Rick
So I read up on this sterile cockpit thing. Am I allowed to just go back to sleep?
Not before you finish that article on dinosaur bite treatment methodologies.
Oh, they all died. I didn’t have anything to do with it.
As far as “going back to sleep,” I meant, “Is it a sterile cockpit if I’m just asleep and not talking or doing anything distracting?”
I like flying, it’s the security circus that is the TSA that I hate. I prefer to drive if I can do the drive in 8-10 hours. Over that, generally I have to fly just because of the lost time. Driving down to my son’s new place is impractical since it would be 2 1/2 days at the minimum each way. I’d rather spend that time with my grandson so I’ll put up with the asshats from the TSA.
The wings are supposed to flex like that. Otherwise they’d just snap off under the stress of landing, taking off, and just flying.
I take most of Wikipedia with a grain of salt.
I don’t know about CRM or SCR. Like Flash, I don’t much care either.
In the last update of protocols, Pennsylvania actually added a a subsection concerning SCR.
“e. Avoid Distracted EMSVOs
1) Distracted driving is responsible for many MVCs, and EMS agencies should assure
that policies reduce the risk of a distracted driving accident.
a) EMSVOs should not view pagers, cell phone screens, text messages, or mobile
data terminals or enter data into GPS devices while an EMS vehicle is in motion.
(1) These functions should be the responsibility of another EMS provider when
another provider is in the vehicle.
(2) When another EMS vehicle provider is not available, the EMSVO should stop
the vehicle before using a cell phone or viewing a pager.
(3) EMS agencies should work with PSAPs and dispatch centers to create
policies that reduce distracted driving. For example, radio communication should be used instead of a pager message when communicating a
message to an EMS vehicle that is known to be travelling.
f. Sterile Cockpit Operations
1) When responding or transporting with L&S, there should be no communication with
the EMSVO that is not specific to the mission or function of driving the vehicle.”