This entry has me completely dumbfounded.

There are slang terms for equipment in all aspects of most professional careers. There always will be. How does using it make you any less a professional?  In my mind, it makes you MORE of a professional… knowing the lingo shows that you belong on the job.

Well said.  Bravo.

What a totally worthless article that could have been about so many other topics of much, MUCH greater importance in your profession.

Physicians have a lot of slang, too.  They’re still doctors.  The guy must be bored and maybe needed column material.

I think this column must have been written on a dare.  Or maybe a bet.

“I bet you can’t write an entire column on something completely trivial and asinine.”

“You’re on!”

I hope he got a steak out of it.

WTF? Of all the issues a profession can face, he thought the correct term for an ambulance is an “issue?” Who cares that they call it as long as they are saving lives. Call it the magic school bus for all I care, as long as it gets me to the hospital, that’s all I care about!

Who cares what it’s called as long as it gets someone the medical attention they deserve!

He sounds like an
A rrogantly
“S mart”
Snob

I don’t care if you pull up in a pimp mobile! If I’m dying -just show up!

I prefer to hear the slang. “Bus” is two syllables faster to say than “ambulance”!

I am in absolute agreement of everything you just said.

And my experience with “the suits” this morning only confirms that they have no fucking clue what’s going on in reality.

Luckily I’m very loud and I’m sneaky when I have to be.

I like to call them Ecnalubma because that’s what’s written on the front of them.

Seriously though, I’ve had many family members work with EMS on a paid and voluntary basis.  Who cares what people call an ambulance?  Certainly not the folks who need them.

I think you should modify this and send it as a letter to the editor of the JEMS.

Perhaps that suit needs a wake up call.  You seem to be the intelligent and well worded guy for the counter-argument of his asanine topic.

Your argument would have won in debate I bet.

Remember when I was mad at someone last week and yelled (at them but into your ear) “SHUT. THE FUCK. UP!!!!” and then you asked me to warn you before I yell into your ear?

Yah.

And, at work I’m loud.  I’m a woman in a male-dominated business.  Sink or swim, baby.

Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt.  But, um, does anyone else think something about Poppy saying “sink or swim, baby” is disturbingly hot?

Anyone?

I certainly appreciate what you do and how difficult it must be. You’re on the front lines.
Holy cow, I don’t care what you guys call it, I’d rather it be “bus” than “wagon o’ death”.

An entire article on what to call an ambulance??? I’m not an EMS professional so my opinion on the subject really doesn’t carry much weight, but I too am struck by the trivialness of the article.

And I love how he starts out saying that what’s being portrayed on television shouldn’t influence real-life EMS workers’ word choice, but then ends his article with this statement:  “Hawkeye, the rest of the M*A*S*H 4077 crew, and Johnny and Roy on Squad 51 in ‘Emergency!’ did not call an ambulance a bus. If the term “ambulance” was good for them, I believe it is good enough for the rest of us.”

I’m with metalmom.  I don’t care what you come in or what you call it, if I’m dying, just be there.

I don’t give a shit what you call it. Bus, Ambus, Ambulance whatever....if I’ve got a gapping wound or I’m having a heart attack...yo...help a sista out!!!