Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Ron, Ron, Ron.... I appreciate the thoughts, but EMSAT has lost much credibility due to its past. Please, stop with the mindless exhortations -- and start showing how EMSAT is a viable mechanism to effect change -- and worthy of a medic's salary dollars. Show the value of EMSAT. Most of us recognize the value of an association, but many do not recognize the value of EMSAT per se. Until EMSAT and some of its backers can back away from shrill rhetoric and dire warnings of impending doom and start showing a blueprint for the future, I'll have to pass. -Wes Ogilvie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 OK, Wes. I'll try- but you prolly won't like it, either. What in EMSAT's past has cost it any credibility? Are you referring to the telemarketing or its failure to thrive? If the former, that has been addressed openly on this list. If the latter, I think that is more indicative of the nature of the individuals in EMS. We have never had a state EMS organization that I am aware of, though there have been a few attempts. Mindless? Gee, thanks. The value of EMSAT is that it is specifically chartered for the purpose of exerting political influence, something most other organizations can't. What other organizations? That's right- there aren't any. Perhaps it doesn't offer new members a lot. That's the catch-22 of it all. If EMSAT were a strong organization, new members might be attracted by the shiny trinkets EMSAT has to offer. Folks are like that. If EMSAT is going to be built into a strong, effective organization- it will be built by those who are willing to lend their support not because of what EMSAT is, but in order to help it become what it should be. New members will have to join because they believe in the idea of EMSAT- an organization built by them, for them, and for their profession. Given the history of every attempt to form an EMS association so far, that's a gamble. I'm proud to say that all of our company's full time personnel are EMSAT members. I'd say half are active members- trying to promote EMSAT and encourage membership growth. The other half seems to care less. That's OK, because EMSAT will represent both our interests equally. We'll both have the privilege to vote, or not. The main thing is that we joined. The company is also a corporate sponsor. Some idiot spent over $450 sending out those stupid faxes in February- not to draw attention to EMSAT or any other organization, but to try and make the people of EMS aware of the impending doom, and hopefully invoke some response from the EMS community. Was that a tremendous waste or what? I guess we can just wait and see what happens next. Now we've got the overtime exemption issue facing us. Most folks in EMS even don't start to earn a decent paycheck until well after the first 40 hours worked per week. NOW we're talking about some legislative screw tightening that just might get the attention of the EMS people. Maybe if things get bad enough, people will get concerned and want to do something about it. That EMSAT bunch has survived so far- maybe they'll still be around when that happens. RM > Ron, Ron, Ron.... I appreciate the thoughts, but EMSAT has lost much > credibility due to its past. Please, stop with the mindless exhortations -- and start > showing how EMSAT is a viable mechanism to effect change -- and worthy of a > medic's salary dollars. Show the value of EMSAT. Most of us recognize the > value of an association, but many do not recognize the value of EMSAT per se. > > Until EMSAT and some of its backers can back away from shrill rhetoric and > dire warnings of impending doom and start showing a blueprint for the future, > I'll have to pass. > > -Wes Ogilvie > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Ron, The tone of your post appears to be getting a little more direct, so I will respond in kind. > What in EMSAT's past has cost it any credibility? Are you referring > to the telemarketing or its failure to thrive? I can't speak for Wes or anyone else, but I will say that the credibility of EMSAT has been in question with me after reading some of Ron H's post when I first joined the list, and as I stated in one of my earlier posts, if Ron no longer speaks for EMSAT, thean someone needs to come out and say so, and take that stand for EMSAT. I finally joined to take part in the election that finally put some new fresh voices on the board. > If the former, that has been addressed openly on this list. If the > latter, I think that is more indicative of the nature of the > individuals in EMS. We have never had a state EMS organization that I > am aware of, though there have been a few attempts. You cannot blame the failure of EMSAT to thrive strictly on the people in EMS, how many out there have no idea what EMSAT is? It's not their fault is it? Who's is it? Ours, ours as current members of EMSAT who fail to tell them about it, and EMSAT's fault, it's EMSAT's fault collectively for failure to realize and respond to the fact that they were beginning to get a negative protrayal, as much as some on the BOD may often want to sit in denial that they had a negative portrayal, it did. > The value of EMSAT is that it is specifically chartered for the > purpose of exerting political influence, something most other > organizations can't. > > What other organizations? That's right- there aren't any. This seems to be the magical reason for everyone to join......cause there is no one else. Well, there is always the possibility that someone can create another organization. To some degree, it appears that you are making an atempt to bait someone into just such a move. > Perhaps it doesn't offer new members a lot. Not necessarily, I enjoy the extra life insurance, and I appreciate the representation we get with the legislature. But what are we doing for the long haul? What legislation has EMSAT impacted, I know of, and appreciate very much 's testimony, but you need to tell the people who don't know about it. It needs to be made public. No rhetoric about 'we're going to', but speeches about, 'this is what we have done to keep you more informed'. > > That's the catch-22 of it all. If EMSAT were a strong organization, > new members might be attracted by the shiny trinkets EMSAT has to > offer. Folks are like that. So the only reason I joined was for the shiny trinkets? I already knew there were no fancy membership cards, no extra special, bottom of the cereal box toys when I joined. So that takes me out of the category, and I believe you are generalizing too many people into your non plausible theory. > If EMSAT is going to be built into a strong, effective organization- > it will be built by those who are willing to lend their support not > because of what EMSAT is, but in order to help it become what it > should be. New members will have to join because they believe in the > idea of EMSAT- an organization built by them, for them, and for their > profession. Sure, you've given them so many reason to join so far, what could possibly keep them away? > I'm proud to say that all of our company's full time personnel are > EMSAT members. I'd say half are active members- trying to promote > EMSAT and encourage membership growth. The other half seems to care > less. That's OK, because EMSAT will represent both our interests > equally. We'll both have the privilege to vote, or not. The main > thing is that we joined. The company is also a corporate sponsor. I am currently working on all the employees at both services that I associate with, when I complete that, I will still feel as though EMSAT is lacking, which leads me to a problem, I have to convince these people to invest their time money and effort into an organization that I have had issues with in the past, and now I want them to join as well? > Some idiot spent over $450 sending out those stupid faxes in February- > not to draw attention to EMSAT or any other organization, but to try > and make the people of EMS aware of the impending doom, and hopefully > invoke some response from the EMS community. Was that a tremendous > waste or what? Not if it was to draw attention, it did that presumably, not sure what the intent of your question was. > I guess we can just wait and see what happens next. Now we've got the > overtime exemption issue facing us. Most folks in EMS even don't > start to earn a decent paycheck until well after the first 40 hours > worked per week. So what, if anything, is EMSAT doing about the overtime issue? How will they have an impact? > Maybe if things get bad enough, people will get concerned and want to > do something about it. That EMSAT bunch has survived so far- maybe > they'll still be around when that happens. If not, something tells me that someone else will be. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Ron, I'll try to address your issues one at a time. As for EMSAT's credibility, I'd argue two points. First, there is the telemarketing issue. As I've said before, perceptions matter. And the telemarketing could easily be perceived to be a scam. Second, without going ad hominem, many in the EMS community have perceived EMSAT in the past to be the alter ego of a certain person. I'm not saying that EMSAT should offer belt buckles, T-shirts, and bumper stickers. Those are, quite often, a waste of resources. What I was saying is that EMSAT needs to show potential members the ability to obtain results at the city, county, and state levels of government. The testimony regarding the TDH breakup is a good start in that realm. As for EMSAT still being around, there's an old EMS acronym called CTD. How much long is EMSAT going to CTD before it finally dies off? Could the telemarketing be that straw breaking the proverbial camel's back? -Wes > > Ron, Ron, Ron.... I appreciate the thoughts, but EMSAT has lost > much > > credibility due to its past. Please, stop with the mindless > exhortations -- and start > > showing how EMSAT is a viable mechanism to effect change -- and > worthy of a > > medic's salary dollars. Show the value of EMSAT. Most of us > recognize the > > value of an association, but many do not recognize the value of > EMSAT per se. > > > > Until EMSAT and some of its backers can back away from shrill > rhetoric and > > dire warnings of impending doom and start showing a blueprint for > the future, > > I'll have to pass. > > > > -Wes Ogilvie > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Amen. Re: Speaking of quotes Ron, Ron, Ron.... I appreciate the thoughts, but EMSAT has lost much credibility due to its past. Please, stop with the mindless exhortations -- and start showing how EMSAT is a viable mechanism to effect change -- and worthy of a medic's salary dollars. Show the value of EMSAT. Most of us recognize the value of an association, but many do not recognize the value of EMSAT per se. Until EMSAT and some of its backers can back away from shrill rhetoric and dire warnings of impending doom and start showing a blueprint for the future, I'll have to pass. -Wes Ogilvie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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