Reply #19: The low level volunteers care

[nadinbrzezinski]

of that I am sure, positive, what have you... it is management...

Now in order to know what to do in that 1% you have to give your volunteers the tools. I was also an instructor, and I did spend a good 40 hours between formal and informal discussions on the Geneva Convention and what it is, and how it functions in disasters, and war time.

From what I saw... the ARC did not do that... though to their credit their International Assistance teams are well trained in International Humanitarian law

Also bear in mind I was a Paramedic, I drove or rode in an ambulance and went to emergency scenes all the time. So when a disaster struck I had to change hats at times.

We had disasters more often too... after all a big car wreck is a disaster... so is a fire... so we were used to go from theory to practice at the drop of the hat. After the Mexico City Earthquake teams were also trained in disaster management and it became one of the many specialties that your average personnel could train in. I took the courses, and yes our books included how to set camps and run them... fortunately all I had to do in flooding was run refugee halls for a week... I never had to run an IDP camp for a year. But the procedures were there.

I once was qualified, out of my own dime, in Hazmat, Car Rescue, confined space rescue, Disasters and mountain rescue... and I used all of them in the ten years, disasters twice, the rest... many times. I still have my ropes for rappelling out of perfectly good buildings or the side of mountains.

Also if people told me it is dangerous, you may get shot at... so... we have a bloody target on the side of the ambulance, will help them aim... that is not something you can expect to see in the United States overall for EMS... and if you doubt this... I wore kevlar for seven of the ten years, and them mosquitoes are made of lead... but overall I went into scenes that Medics here don't dare enter without the police, such as domestic disputes... which are never fun...

But seeing this... it enrages me, I sent a long letter to the ARC... and took no prisoners... but they sorely need help. Problem is I doubt they will take it.