St. Louis Fire Department
Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
RIDE-A-LONG/VOLUNTEER RULES & REGULATIONS

2634 Hampton Avenue • St. Louis, Missouri 63139 • (314) 645-9160 Fax: (314) 645-9182


The EMS Ride-A-Long Form must be approved prior to riding. Allow two weeks after returning notarized form into EMS Headquarters for formal approval by EMS Administration. NO ride-a-long shifts will be assigned during this period.


All volunteers must act in a professional manner and follow all instructions and/or orders given by the EMS crews and paramedic supervisor. If ride-a-long privileges have been terminated for reason, the volunteer will not be allowed to submit an additional request for ride-a-long privileges for one year.


All volunteers must adhere to Fire Department volunteer dress codes. Non-compliance may result in suspension of ride-a-long privileges for that date. Repeated disregard for the Fire Department dress code will result in termination of ride-a-long privileges.


ACCEPTABLE UNIFORM WILL CONSIST OF

NOT ACCEPTABLE

Volunteers shall be neat and well groomed.

RIDE-A-LONG PRIVILEGES MAY BE REVOKED AT ANY TIME AT THE DISCRETION OF EMS ADMINISTRATION.


St. Louis Fire Department
Field Internship
Rules and Regulations

1. Only One (1) 12-hour shift may be completed at St Louis Fire Department (SLFD).
2. Please give your instructor three (3) dates that you would be available, listed in order of preference.
3. Your instructor will notify you of the date chosen.
4. Arrive at least fifteen (15) minutes prior to the beginning of the shift.
5. For a cance1lation contact your instructor and the SLFD Bureau of EMS shift supervisor at 314-645-9160. Cancelled time WILL NOT be rescheduled.
6. The uniform code/policy of St. Louis Community College and SLFD will be strictly adhered to. Review the SLFD personal appearance and hygiene policy.
7. Review the Firehouse Etiquette policy.
8. Review the sexual harassment policy.
9. Review the 12-lead policy
10. Review the universal precautions policy.

If your uniform is contaminated during the course of the field internship shift, follow the guidelines below.

11. If under the age of eighteen (18), have the Parental release form signed.
12. Sign the memorandum of understanding concerning SLFD policies and return to your instructor. This must be done prior to field internship scheduling.
13. Sign the SLFD ride-a-long release and have it notarized. Return this waiver to your instructor. This must be done prior to field internship scheduling.
14. Remember to bring your clinical documentation and patient contact sheets so your preceptor may sign them.

Personal Appearance and Hygiene

Members shall be neat, clean, well groomed, and shaved according to Fire Department policy, and shall practice good personal hygiene at all times.

All members shall keep themselves, their uniforms, protective clothing, beds and lockers in a neat and clean condition. f in uncleanliness or offensive habits will be cause for disciplinary action.

Make-up which presents a ludicrous appearance of the member when wearing the dress or house uniform or part thereof, shall not be permitted.

Eccentric styles or methods of grooming scalp and facial hair shall not be permitted.

All members shall keep their hair neat, clean, well groomed and properly trimmed at all times. No accessories shall be worn in the hair accept as provided in these Rules and Regulations. The hair must be balanced, cut uniformly and contoured to the shape of the head. No hair will be visible on the forehead when the uniform hat is worn. The hair shall not obstruct the proper fit of the helmet nor interfere with the treatment of a patient or increase the potential for contamination.

Male members hair shall be cut in such a manner that the ear will not be covered and the hair will not obscure the forehead. Hair will not extend more than one inch from the nape of the neck.

Female members hair style shall be such that it does not permit the hair to extend below the ear. The hair may be combed over the ears but shall not exceed one and one-half inches in depth at the top of the head or at the rear of the crown of the head. Hair clips or pins that approximately match the color of the hair may be worn.

Sideburns shall be well-groomed, neatly trimmed, and not extend below a horizontal line level with the bottom point of the ear. Sideburns shall not be wider at the end of the sideburn than at the mid-ear.

Mustaches shall not extend below the boarder of the upper lip or beyond the natural crease of the face from the nose to a horizontal line extending from the corner of the mouth. The mustache shall be styled downward. Mustaches shall not be of length to impair the air passage of the nose.

Full and partial beards, goatees, and other facial hair not falling vith the above criteria for mustaches and sideburns shall not be permitted.

In no event shall the member who is engaged in emergency operations wear artificial hair pieces, sideburns and mustaches while on duty. This regulation shall not apply to hair that is permanently or surgically attached to the scalp, unless it presents a safety hazard.

Hair length must not be allowed to exceed the maximum indicated in these rules. The hair or mustache must be cut to less than the maximum length to allow for normal growth.

Tattoos which are excessive, offensive, or not complimentary to the uniform shall not be permitted.

Visible jewelry shall be limited to a wrist watch and a wedding band.

Fire House Etiquette

The firehouse is not just a place of work. Firefighters and EMS personnel live there. They eat, sleep, work, study, exercise, train, etc. at the firehouse. The way personnel behave in the house and the way that they treat each other determine what kind of a place it is to live.

Good social habits on the part of all the firefighters and EMS personnel in the house help to make the fire house an outstanding place to be. Following is information for developing good social habits for the firehouse.

Students

As a student, it is important that you present an “I want to learn” attitude. The other firefighters, paramedics and EMTs are not interested in hearing about all the things you already know. When they offer to show or teach you something, give them your full attention.

Think about the things that you will be required to know or do as an EMT or Paramedic. You will be part of a team. Find out what your responsibilities will be during various company operations. Spend your time learning. Know the tools and equipment on your apparatus. Be able to identify and retrieve any item of equipment on your apparatus. Look around and ask questions. Be able to perform the tasks that you will be asked to perform.

It is important that you participate fully in the cleaning and maintenance of the house and its apparatus and equipment. Show an eagerness to work.

Common Problems

The use of telephones, televisions and radios is often a source of problems in the firehouse. Common courtesy is the key. The city telephone is for city business only! Ask the senior crewinember for a public/pay telephone that you may use. There is a 5-minute limit on length of calls.

Clean up what you mess up and put away what you get out!

Kitchen and Bathrooms
Cleanliness and sanitation are of obvious importance in these areas. Don’t leave your dishes in the sink or in the dish drain.
If you make a mess in the bathroom, CLEAN IT UP!