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EMS 1 - Medic Madness- 6 Signs You've Been Working System Status Management Too Long

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6 SIGNS YOU’VE BEEN WORKING SYSTEM STATUS MANAGEMENT TOO LONG

Sean | June 11, 2014 | Humor | 21 Comments
When I think of my time working system status management in a busy metropolitan EMS service, I am reminded of a quote my step-father often uses to describe his time in the Army: A million-dollar experience I wouldn’t pay a dime to repeat.
For nearly 8 years of my life, I spent at least 12 hours of my days and nights sitting on street corners, running transfers, hating dispatch and getting off late. I gained more experience as a paramedic during that time than most will in their entire careers. I ran nearly every imaginable call and transported everybody from A-list celebrities to a convicted serial killer. I stepped foot in military bases, jails, mansions, trailers, and even a space ship once (yes, you read that right). The experience truly made me the paramedic I am today, which is good because that means I don’t have to do it anymore. Now I’m enjoying the life of a slow-to-medium paced rural EMS service where I can relax and talk about all the cool things I did in my younger EMS years.
It’s been roughly 3 years since I worked my last shift at a SSM service. However, there are many habits that will most likely stay with me for the rest of my life. If you work – or have worked – at a service that utilizes SSM, then you will most likely appreciate the following 6 signs that you have been doing it too long.

  1. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO HEAR YOUR CALL SIGN IN YOUR SLEEP.

    This is especially true for those of us on night shifts. I was always amazed at how I could fall asleep after hours of idle time and still manage to differentiate my call sign from the rest and wake up to respond like nothing happened.

  2. YOU CATCH YOURSELF IDENTIFYING AREAS OF TOWN BY THEIR POST LOCATION.

    I can’t tell you number of times I have told a friend or relative that my house was in 61-B’s area, only to be answered with the typical “huh?”

  3. YOU HAVE EVER PULLED INTO A POST LOCATION WHILE IN YOUR PERSONAL VEHICLE AND PARKED.

    I actually did this while on a date one time. After years of pulling into the drug-store parking lot at Post 8, I went into auto-pilot and pulled into my usual spot and parked. It wasn’t until my date for the evening looked at me and asked if I needed to run into the store that I realized what I had just done.

  4. YOU HAVE A LIST OF AT LEAST 5 RESTAURANTS THAT OWE YOU FOOD THAT YOU PAID FOR.

    I used to keep the receipts of the meals I paid for and had to leave behind after getting a call. This came in handy for later shifts, but I mostly used them for bragging rights.

  5. YOU HAVE MASTERED THE ART OF HIDING AMBULANCES FROM THE PUBLIC’S VIEW.

    Sometimes I wondered if seeing an ambulance made people want to go to hospital just as an advertisement for a juicy cheeseburger made people hungry. It didn’t take long before I started looking for places to park where I could eat meals and get caught up on charts in peace.

  6. YOUR PARTNER HAS EVER HAD TO WAKE YOU UP TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU’RE ON SCENE OF A CALL.

    I somehow managed to master the art of sleeping in the most uncomfortable location known to man: The passenger seat of an ambulance. Working late nights and long hours for several years had taken a toll on me. There were several times that I didn’t even know that we were en route to an assignment. Anyone that has worked SSM long enough knows exactly what I’m talking about.
Now it’s your turn. Comment below to share your stories of working in a busy 911 system.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sean
I currently live and work as a paramedic in North Texas. I've been involved in EMS since the age of 18, and have essentially spent my entire adult life doing what I love. My passion is helping my fellow first-responders achieve successful and rewarding through healthy minds, bodies and wallets. I love talking to and meeting new people, so please don't hesitate to reach out and say hi!
21 COMMENTS
  1. mr.fix-it  Reply
    You purposely transport patients to the farthest hospital just to keep out of the system longer.
    or
    you’re on a first name basis with all the store clerks at your post locations
    or
    you go to order food at a post location and you tell the clerk “I’ll have the usual in a to go bag”
    • Sean Eddy  Reply
      I used to look at long distance transfers as a vacation! I also used to get Christmas cards for all the regular store clerks. Thanks for sharing!
  2. EMS Artifact  Reply
    It’s almost as if SSM depends on a continuous flow of new medics that can be used until they burn out and leave the system. Preferably before they reach top pay and start to accrue benefits. 
    The guy who came up with the idea and the people who implement it knew that they were never going to have to work under it. Which is why they were so gung ho for all of it’s benefits. 
    As I said to Ambulance Driver several years ago. The concept of SSM is like cutting three inches off of the bottom of your blanket, sewing it onto the top of your blanket and then claiming that you made the blanket three inches longer.
  3. Robert Glenn  Reply
    I knew things were good when I figured out you could put a crockpot in the O2 compartment and plug it into the inverter with an extension cord and cook while posting. Crockpot chili was my favorite…
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