I think that ambulance staff should be paid for their meal breaks and remain on duty and able to respond at all times.
How can it be acceptable to send crews who may be miles away to an emergency when there are crews only a couple of miles away?
How demoralising for the paramedics who have chosen a career to save lives, to be not told of an emergency because they are on their enforced meal break.
It is especially dangerous in a rural county.
The police and fire crews have to leave their meals and attend any emergency straight away.
So, if there is a serious traffic accident, you may have fire and police attending from same town but the ambulance crew at that time are on their break so one attends from miles and miles away.
Ok, police have basic first aid training and fire crews have more training but people could (and actually have) died due to time delay when there has been an ambulance crew nearer but they were on a break.
Not all situations require police or fire or mountain rescue and just require paramedics.
At least if the fire or police attend you have a greater chance of getting first aid.
I thought ambulances were 'emergency' services.
What will it be next?
Will you have to die in a house fire because the local crew are having a cup of tea and a sarnie?
Will you have to get murdered because the local police are having a pie?
This is not directed at the paramedics doing the job.
Having needed their services several times with my young son, I admire them.
I just feel it is a bad decision to save money by not paying staff for their meal break.
No doubt managers will come up with figures showing how can cover the rural area adequately and make average response times.
It isnt good enough for a service who is there to save life.
If you are dying, minutes count.
Knowing that an ambulance crew might be five minutes away but cant attend because they are forced to take a break and so instead you might be waiting an hour is bad.
How can it be acceptable to send crews who may be miles away to an emergency when there are crews only a couple of miles away?
How demoralising for the paramedics who have chosen a career to save lives, to be not told of an emergency because they are on their enforced meal break.
It is especially dangerous in a rural county.
The police and fire crews have to leave their meals and attend any emergency straight away.
So, if there is a serious traffic accident, you may have fire and police attending from same town but the ambulance crew at that time are on their break so one attends from miles and miles away.
Ok, police have basic first aid training and fire crews have more training but people could (and actually have) died due to time delay when there has been an ambulance crew nearer but they were on a break.
Not all situations require police or fire or mountain rescue and just require paramedics.
At least if the fire or police attend you have a greater chance of getting first aid.
I thought ambulances were 'emergency' services.
What will it be next?
Will you have to die in a house fire because the local crew are having a cup of tea and a sarnie?
Will you have to get murdered because the local police are having a pie?
This is not directed at the paramedics doing the job.
Having needed their services several times with my young son, I admire them.
I just feel it is a bad decision to save money by not paying staff for their meal break.
No doubt managers will come up with figures showing how can cover the rural area adequately and make average response times.
It isnt good enough for a service who is there to save life.
If you are dying, minutes count.
Knowing that an ambulance crew might be five minutes away but cant attend because they are forced to take a break and so instead you might be waiting an hour is bad.
