Comments on: When a Co-Worker is Intoxicated

By: Doug Gadomski

Doug Gadomski — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 08:30:28 +0000

I've unfortunately seen it first hand. I handled the situation pretty much as you describe… and then felt bad for years afterward because it cost my partner that day her job. It seemed really tragic at the time, but the net result was incredibly positive. I ran into her years later and was ready to duck when she gave me a big hug and thanked me for initiating a chain of events that got her life back on track! My advice: don't be afraid of hurting feelings, even ending careers. Do the right thing (looking at the big picture) and be a real friend.

By: Doug Gadomski

Doug Gadomski — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:03:38 +0000

I still clearly remember the shocked looked on everyone’s face when I walked out of the supervisor’s office and into the crew quarters… I didn’t know what to expect, but nobody ever gave me any grief about it. She was a popular staff member, very talented and certainly missed after her departure. I suppose her problem was one of those “elephants in the room” that everyone recognizes but had been afraid to talk about. We all have a way of rationalizing the behavior of those close to us and too often it can go unchecked until it becomes a large (and sometimes tragic) problem.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:23:21 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by gfriese: Thanks @TimothyClemans, @ABQMedic, and @CKEMTP for comments on blog post, when a co-worker is intoxicated, http://bit.ly/2n97Jh...

By: Greg Friese

Greg Friese — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:01:23 +0000

Thanks for the comments. Remembering the patient is more important (and our own life) than protecting a co-worker’s job is a great reminder. Doug at the time did you get pressured from co-workers for “ratting” someone out? I can imagine in some workplaces there is a lot of peer pressure to protect co-workers from deserved discipline.

By: Ckemtp

Ckemtp — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:04:49 +0000

Greg, I started to leave a long and worthwhile comment here about the dangers and issues faced by emergency services workers dealing with alcohol and/or drugs in the workplace.

Then I realized that I’d written about 1000 words and I should use this as a post for myself. I only get so many good ideas per week, you know.

You’ve been linked. Great post and great issue to explore.

By: The Drunk Responder – Life Under the Lights

The Drunk Responder – Life Under the Lights — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:01:55 +0000

[...] Tips, has written a post in observance of Drug Free Work Week – Oct 19-25th, 2009 entitled “When a Coworker is Intoxicated” In it, he asks what we would do as EMS professionals and Firefighters in cases where we suspect [...]

By: Doug Gadomski

Doug Gadomski — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:39:07 +0000

I’ve unfortunately seen it first hand. I handled the situation pretty much as you describe… and then felt bad for years afterward because it cost my partner that day her job. It seemed really tragic at the time, but the net result was incredibly positive. I ran into her years later and was ready to duck when she gave me a big hug and thanked me for initiating a chain of events that got her life back on track! My advice: don’t be afraid of hurting feelings, even ending careers. Do the right thing (looking at the big picture) and be a real friend.

By: Tweets that mention When a Co-Worker is Intoxicated -- Topsy.com

Tweets that mention When a Co-Worker is Intoxicated -- Topsy.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:54 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Greg Friese and HolisticSurvivalShow, EMS 2.0 Movement. EMS 2.0 Movement said: What would you do to prevent a drunk medic unit operator before someone died? Go read and comment on http://bit.ly/2n97Jh by @gfriese [...]

By: Timothy Clemans

Timothy Clemans — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:57:17 +0000

After hearing about the incident involving an impaired driver of an ambulance killing several I don’t let someone drive impaired. I was once in a car with a driver who attempted to make a phone call without a headset while driving. I immediately told him to pull over to the side of the road to make the call. I explained to him that making phone calls while driving is extremely risky and also illegal in my state. He actually thanked me for caring so much about our safety.

If I was an EMT in the passenger seat of an ambulance being driven by an impaired driver I would do everything I could to get the driver out of the driver seat until he or she was sent home. If she or he didn’t stop driving the unit I would leave the unit and make sure dispatch and supervisor(s) were aware of the problem immediately.