Anyone volunteer to drive during bad weather?

[SpruceJPG]

Curious if anyone else here has ever volunteered to drive hospital staff to and from work during a heavy snow storm?

For the first time I volunteered yesterday at Carroll County General Hospital and I have to say, it was a great feeling to help out. Kinda felt like I was in the movie "The Transporter," only without the fancy car and people shooting at me

 

[Gryphon]

Good deed.

 

[BigBoiB]

I used to do it for Shady Grove. It's a good feeling plus it gives me a reason to be out playing in the snow. Have not done it in several years. Between my kids and my mom,who's 30 minutes away, I'm usually dealing with familly transportation once the 'white death' starts falling.

 

[steves1911]

This is how I met my fiance a couple years ago. At the time she was a RN at the nursing home in Manchester. Cant do it anymore because of my current job but it felt good helping out doctors and nurses who were trying to save lives.

 

[jonathanglock]

Volunteered up here in Hagerstown 3-4 years ago, never got a call. Until yesterday, picked up 1 nurse.

 

[CroftonBilly]

Someone please post instructions or a link here so new or otherwise interested and able volunteers can sign up their services to this cause.

 

[K31]

Someone please post instructions or a link here so new or otherwise interested and able volunteers can sign up their services to this cause.

A. Call local hospital.

B. Tell them you want to volunteer to drive hot nurses when the weather is bad.

C. Wait for call.

 

[dfens42]

Specify hot nurses.

My dad used to do it, I used to ride along, many moons ago.

 

[SpruceJPG]

Specify hot nurses.

My dad used to do it, I used to ride along, many moons ago.

I remember my father doing this when I was younger as well, which is one of the reasons I decided to give it a try. That, and I wanted to get out of the house and play in the snow.

Happy to see other's have done the same.

 

[mopar92]

This idea is GENIUS! Think they'll get suspicious if I show up with a snowthrower?

 

[hang10]

Specify hot nurses.

My dad used to do it, I used to ride along, many moons ago.

 

[BigSteve57]

In the 1985 time period I had a full size Chevy Blazer with huge tires - that truck went anywhere. So I signed up with HoCo police as a transport volunteer. The program required you meet on a specific day and someone from HoCo PD inspected your vehicle. We also agreed to a background check. There were about a dozen of us that showed up that day IIRC. Also stated was that a HoCo officer would ride with me on whatever errand I was sent. The officers explained that "missions" could be transporting medical personnel or maybe equipment like a portable dialysis machine. I left with the idea that if they ever activated the volunteers I'd be high on their list of people to call. Everyone at HoCo PD were very sincere people that thought this was a great program. It was a great feeling for me too. I could potentially save a life. REALLY!

Anyway, I was on their "list" a few years when I got a contract in the mail which specified I had to be an "independent contractor" to continue in the former volunteer program. Specified in the contract agreement was an hourly rate, language about liability etc...

I called HoCo PD and asked what was going on. The guy that ran the program said it was a liability thing. Apparently the county felt it was legally exposed if there were volunteers involved. But, if we were "independent contractors" that liability went away. Or so I understood his explanation.

I called my insurance company and my recollection is that taking money performing a service made my big old Blazer a commercial vehicle with different insurance rates.

So I dropped out and assumed all these years that's the way it is.

Are things different now?

If so I'd volunteer again.*

*After consulting an attorney.

 

[K.C.Dean]

I did one time in st. Marys county when we had a couple back to back heavy snows. When I made the call I told them I would do it up to 9pm. Well the phone rings at a little after midnight. I still gave the person a ride. I got back home around 2am then got back up at 4am to go to work. It was my first and last time.

 

[Alphabrew]

Doesn't everyone have 4x4 now? This used to be more common years ago, before 4x4 SUVs were common.

 

[boomboom929]

I did it for Shady Grove on Thurs. Dedicated staff wanted to work and they need our help.

 

[dist1646]

You mean doctors don't have 4x4 Mercedes to drive! Cheapskates!

 

[Mooseman]

I can't believe in this day and age, people with essential jobs that must get to work regardless of the weather, don't have AWD or four wheel drive vehicles.

 

[gamer_jim]

My wife works at in the laboratory of a local hospital. The doctors depend on her for patient results. The hospital has told her that she is required to be there on time but will not come get her. She was told she needs to stay at the hospital the night before.

In other words, her position is crucial but they don't want to spend the money to come get her. I'm glad we didn't sell the truck this year.

 

[DeadIDik]

In the 1985 time period I had a full size Chevy Blazer with huge tires - that truck went anywhere. So I signed up with HoCo police as a transport volunteer. The program required you meet on a specific day and someone from HoCo PD inspected your vehicle. We also agreed to a background check. There were about a dozen of us that showed up that day IIRC. Also stated was that a HoCo officer would ride with me on whatever errand I was sent. The officers explained that "missions" could be transporting medical personnel or maybe equipment like a portable dialysis machine. I left with the idea that if they ever activated the volunteers I'd be high on their list of people to call. Everyone at HoCo PD were very sincere people that thought this was a great program. It was a great feeling for me too. I could potentially save a life. REALLY!

Anyway, I was on their "list" a few years when I got a contract in the mail which specified I had to be an "independent contractor" to continue in the former volunteer program. Specified in the contract agreement was an hourly rate, language about liability etc...

I called HoCo PD and asked what was going on. The guy that ran the program said it was a liability thing. Apparently the county felt it was legally exposed if there were volunteers involved. But, if we were "independent contractors" that liability went away. Or so I understood his explanation.

I called my insurance company and my recollection is that taking money performing a service made my big old Blazer a commercial vehicle with different insurance rates.

So I dropped out and assumed all these years that's the way it is.

Are things different now?

If so I'd volunteer again.*

*After consulting an attorney.

My dad and i both did it in the 80s until the mid 90s and stopped basically for the same reason. I had about enough anyway of hauling around a bunch of ungrateful people who wouldnt even speak to you if they didnt need you in the instance.

 

[BigSteve57]

My dad and i both did it in the 80s until the mid 90s and stopped basically for the same reason. I had about enough anyway of hauling around a bunch of ungrateful people who wouldnt even speak to you if they didnt need you in the instance.

I never was called so I wouldn't know. But your account of what it was really like makes me sad.