Hi, I've been "lurking" for a few weeks, enjoying the forum. I am an EMT, wife & mother in a rural community in Calif. Have to admit, Gary's site made me a GI though sometimes I have to shake my head. Just finished recertifying for EMT but would like to find a manual (not costing $25 like "Ditch Medicine") or info on field medicine...too far from Texas for the seminar previously mentioned. By the way, Sutter Co. acts like Y2k doesn't exist, local OES isn't even sharing information distributed from State OES office....Got my chickens, not Mensan, planning on at least 1 year, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst! By the way, how do you guys work the "phony email addresses"? Thanks, Kristi

-- Kristi (securx@Succeed.Net), March 17, 1999

Answers

Regarding the addresses, 2 ways:

1. Sign up for an internet based email account (Hotmail, usa-net, dejanews, etc.) and use any name you want as part of that account

2. Just write whatever phoney name you want in the boxes for this forum.

The first choice is probably better if you might really want to correspond with someone.

Good choice with recert. You'll be a valuable aid to your family and your community. Thank you now for all of those you'll help later.

-- De (dealton@concentric.net), March 17, 1999.

Hi neighbor. Sacramento County is just now discovering Y2K, but the city is still silent. Nice to know more folks in N. California are preparing. Good luck to you and your neighbors!

Thinking I will take another course on CPR and first aid . . .

-- Margaret (janssm@aol.com), March 17, 1999.

Kristi,

If you're already an EMT you're ahead of the pack by a good bit. You have the essentials down pat already. The major thing is an attitude shift from prepping a patient/supporting them long enough to get to "a facility" to having to do everything yourself. In short, you're having to go from "first aid" to "only aid."

You may want to take it upon yourself to learn some 'minor' surgery, suturing etc. You can't very well do that from books anyway so don't worry too much about hunting for them (Ditch Medicine is good, along with Emergency War Surgery etc. but NOTHING makes up for good training). Talk to a friendly ER doc or a PA and see if they'll teach you the basics unoficially, or find a reserve component medic. But look for training, not books.

-- (li'ldog@ontheporch.com), March 17, 1999.