Deadly Oversights: 48 Critical Errors First Responders Urge EMTs and Civilians to Avoid
Iodine allergy ≠ shellfish allergy ≠ iodinated contrast (CT dye) allergy. These are all distinct allergies and having one doesn’t automatically mean that you have the others. Also, while some people have reactions to povidone iodine (reddish brown skin disinfectant) and describe this as an iodine allergy, it’s not really iodine that you’re allergic to. Iodine is an element and as such, is much too small to be a true allergen. Not to mention the fact that our bodies *require* iodine to function (via our thyroid gland), so if you were truly allergic to iodine, you wouldn’t be alive.
Many drownings could be avoided: if you are going out in a boat wear your life jackets. Drinking alcohol and water element isn’t a good mix. Keep close eye on your kids there and make them wear some sort of float equipment (best would be life jacket if they can’t swim, even if they are not swimming but are hanging out close to deep water) and put them into swimming lessons early. If you are an adult and can’t swim, take swimming lessons. And keep in mind that it can get deep quickly. Don’t go to frozen lake/sea if you don’t know how good the ice is.
In my country most people celebrate midsummer day near lake or sea and drunk as f**k. And every year we have this game at work where we quess how many will drown this year during the midsummer weekend.
Firefighter here:
For the love of god, wear your seatbelt, don’t text and drive, and don’t drive after drinking or while high.
It’s never a good outcome for anyone involved.
Flashback to when I first started in the fire service. 3 teenage girls driving along 2 lane country road at night. Speeding, intoxicated.
They take a turn too fast. This SUV flipped over and goes down into a gully, on it’s roof. Passerby sees the wreckage and calls us.
We get there and 1 of the girls is sitting on the side of the road, crying. Telling us her 2 friends are still down there.
We find 1 in the wreckage. Extricate her and she gets flown out. 1st girl is transported via ambulance.
For the life of us, we cannot find the 3rd. Search the woods in all directions, inside the vehicle, other side of road, even.
We’re combing through every part of this entire area, and one of the guys spots the tip of a shoe underneath the vehicle.
Wear your seatbelts. Don’t drive while intoxicated/ high.
Car accidents are by far, my least favorite call to run on.
Check every single intox bgl. Saw tons of bls just assume people are drunk and sloppy. Sometimes it’s diabetes.
Trying to form a diagnosis. Don’t do that, it’s not the job. You can speculate about what caused something but trying to form an actual diagnosis leads to tunnel vision when you don’t have the practice or education behind it.
I am guilty of this. Early in my career I was so stuck on finding the problem, I didn’t manage symptoms or outliers as well as I could have. I was sure it was a stroke – but it wasn’t. I was sure it was an OD- but it wasn’t. And I missed critical interventions because of that.
Dont fall into the trap of being a smarty pants – treat signs and symptoms, check the basics, and make sure you get that into a cohesive report so the MD can make the actual diagnosis.
Learn to take a mental step back from the call.
If you get tunnel vision or too into your own head, you’ll miss some of the bigger picture and may make less than ideal decisions.
If you catch yourself working up, take a second and take a deep breath, ground yourself, and get back into it.
Thinking they [new first responders] have to adopt the jaded a*****e’s attitude and demeanor to be taken seriously.
Panicking. It’s a whole new, crazy world they’re being exposed to. I reacted way out of proportion plenty of times when I was new, and almost everyone does it when they’re new, too. Hard to pace yourself when your sense of scale in regard to emergencies is non-existent. If you told me not every chest pain patient was critical when I was a brand new EMT, I’d have thought you were crazy.
Driving skills (EASY on the brake). Taking feedback without assuming it’s a personal attack. Being able to admit you don’t know.
Outside of work: get your d**n self in the gym and lift a weight or two a few times a week. This is a physical job. Most of our services are a disgrace to the uniform. Eat properly. Even better, go to a jiujitsu, wrestling, or mma gym and learn some self defense so you have some idea of what to do if and when someone picks a fight with you. Go to therapy, sooner rather than later. Figure out your coping skills so you don’t take stuff out on your partners and patients.
1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones Hi-Res Headphones with High Resolution, Bass Driven Sound, MEMS Mic, In-Line Remote, High Fidelity for Smartphones/PC/Tablet - Silver
$59.49 (as of November 8, 2025 18:46 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
The Door Balancer Eliminates The Need for Door Props, Door Stops and Door Wedges
(as of November 8, 2025 18:46 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
KiddyCare Diaper Caddy Organizer for Baby Nursery Basket with Handle Lid Nursing Caddy with Changing Table Organizer Cart Newborn Caddy Rosy (Floral Print) X-Large
$17.50 (as of November 8, 2025 18:46 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Joking Hazard Enlarged Box Empty Box for Card Storage
$12.00 (as of November 8, 2025 18:46 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
