KANSAS.

We’re still on the vineyard for a couple of more weeks.  It really is beautiful.  There is a lot of work and it is HOT, but working with family is a really nice feeling.  The family has been a little excited to have us here. It feels like every weekend somebody is coming over for a show.  Truckstop Honeymoon, Split-lip Rayfield and Goddamn Gallows.

Goddanm Gallows at the Crossroads KC

Or a ball game.

   Typical training at AMR is 2 weeks. Or at least in ALCO it was.  In Topeka things are a little different.  With only 5-6 units up at a time, sometimes you have to hustle to make things work, and that’s what we do, make things work.

 

 

Pic of the new AMR paint job.  Gas not Diesel?

     We got pulled out of our 3^rd day of training to assist with a stand-by.  Easy work.  A “religious freedom rally”.  Not exactly sure what they wanted, It does say ‘In God We Trust’ on our money, what else do they want?  I saw one sign that read “Keep the State out of our Church!”  Funny, I could of sworn I saw a similar sign at an Occupy Oakland rally.  It read “Keep your Church out of our State”.   It seems to me we all want the same damn thing.  I saw another sign that read “HATERS GONNA LOVE AND PRAY” Not sure what that meant, but the young man was sure proud of it.  The Fred Phelps crew was there – The Westboro Baptist church – singing pop songs, Mariah Carey and what not.  Had no idea what that was about.  If you can stomach it the “churches” website is www.godhatesfags.com Their typical array of signs were out and I didn’t feel the need to talk with those sorry fools.

      Typical training on Friday and then we were told to report to our FTO shift.  Medically, I feel fine. Not nearly as worried as I thought I’d be.  The Geography is going to be a trick.  I remember looking at some of the new guys in Oakland and saying “It’s a freaking grid, what don’t you get about that?”  Topeka is a grid and days 1 and 2 have been a headache.  My FTO has been a medic for one year and an EMT for 2 years before that.  He realized pretty quickly that I could handle bizniss (I’ve got Town Biz on my resume, Bizrali Special Forces in full effect, those in the know, KNOW) when it comes to the back of the ambulance.  He promptly placed me in the drivers seat and sent me on my way.  I couldn’t tell which way was North or South after the sun went down.  No Thomas Guide map pages either.  They give you an address and you are supposed to arrive there within 6 minutes.  I’m getting it.  My FTO, John Noonan and I run calls a little differently, but he is a really good medic and I look forward to learning from him over the next month.  John laughed out loud at how many people I talked into going to the hospital.  Honestly all of them went, I know how AMR likes it and technically I am still new.

     AMR Topeka is now a NON-UNION shop.  The story is a little fuzzy to me, but here is the jist.   AMR Topeka was in affiliation with the Teamsters, which everybody I have spoken with, seemed to have liked.  Then NEMSA came in and changed everything and eventually and rather quickly, the workers voted to disband the union.  I am not a fan.  I have been a union man for most of my working life.  So here are some of the changes I have noticed.  I am not sure if they are union related or not but here goes.

-         NO C-7’s.  I was told we eat when we can and we don’t get paid for any missed meal period. PERIOD.  Food options in town are limited at best.

-         NO Strike Pay.  No differential for working an overnight shift. Same pay day, night or weekend.  I do have to admit that because no union was involved AMR was able to give me a pay that was higher than was expected.

-         You are allowed to clock in 7 minutes prior to shift. You are given that 7 minutes to check out your ambulance and then at your start time you have to be on your radio and available for a call.  Head Quarters is a status 2 post and it seems that dispatch is letting the crews hang out at HQ for awhile to finish the check out, but you are available for service.  Two shifts in we have been sent to cover the HQ post about one hour prior to end of shift, but you have to stay available until the very last minute of your shift.  I haven’t been held over in the first two days.

The North side of Topeka, North of the Kansas river.  It IS the bad part of town. Guess what they call it.  OAKLAND!