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Please don’t rearrange our shoes when we turn up, paramedics in Japan urge (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 5 days ago by to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world
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[–] 140 points 5 days ago (6 children)

I'm somewhat surprised emergency workers would even take their shoes off.

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  • [–] 66 points 5 days ago (3 children)

    There's no excuse for rudeness.

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  • [–] 31 points 5 days ago (2 children)

    There are plenty of excuses for rudeness?

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  • [–] 19 points 5 days ago (2 children)

    They’re saving someone’s life, I don’t think it’s possible for them to be rude, you may be a little selfish and uptight if you think a first responder is being rude.

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  • [–] 7 points 5 days ago (2 children)

    Oh man, I work with first responders on a daily basis (in the US), and I have met some paramedics who are fucking assholes to patients. Honestly, while there are plenty specific examples to the contrary, on the whole, the police in my town are more respectful than EMS.

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  • [–] 6 points 5 days ago* (1 child)

    My uncle is a firefighter, he’s one of the most egotistical people I know. Essentially feels everyone should be thanking him.

    It made me realize how some veterans probably feel too.

    Outside the act of saving someone, yes, but when a few milliseconds can mean someone’s life, yeah it gets a pass.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    Having met a few volunteer firefighters, yeah. A lot think because they choose to do this difficult thing, we should be falling over ourselves. I'm thankful. I'm not going to fall over myself.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 days ago

    Having had to call the paramedics way too many times over the decades, I've never once experienced rudeness from them. Although I'm in Los Angeles so they're professionals not volunteers, and also I expect them to keep their boots on.

    Especially because they're going to have to take the gurney outside on the balcony to get it into and out of the bedroom, and I also wouldn't want a delay at our door for them to tie their bootlaces before heading to the hospital.

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  • [–] 14 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    My spouse is bleeding out and needs a surgery as fast as possible!

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  • [–] 34 points 5 days ago

    We mostly wear slip-ons in Japan, especially those jobs. I have seen the plastic booties (like shoe covers) before, but that's pretty rare. When we hired movers they were in and out a whole bunch and still used slip-on shoes.

    We once had a hornet or wasp in the house trapped between our curtains and sliding doors. I was deathly allergic to some stings as a kid and don't know if I still am. I put on all my motorcycle and winter gear to go between the curtains and doors to get it out. My wife told me to wear my boots because it was an emergency, but I even felt weird about it (I've been in Japan a bit over a decade).

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  • [–] 27 points 5 days ago* (1 child)

    I'm currently vacationing in Tokyo and saw a protest (about not tolerating racism) with like 15 people today surrounded by at least 50 Japanese police with 5 cargo vans who setup and took down a whole block worth of metal barriers to keep either the protesters safe or keep the public 'safe' from the protesters.

    I think emergency workers take everything very seriously here including the no shoes policy.

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  • [–] 40 points 5 days ago* (1 child)

    The Japanese take everything with protocol very seriously, both to their benefit and detriment. I saw a middle aged salary man cleaning up a few pieces of street litter at his bus stop. I also witnessed about 15 people letting some guys get stuck in an elevator cause they couldn't figure out how to operate it because interfering might be embarrassing for the victims and you don't get involved in a stranger's day like that.

    Japan is a quirky place. It was very tiring for me because I felt so... monitored the whole time I was there. Not by the government really, by everyone.

    Loved to visit but I'd never survive there long term.

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  • [–] 15 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    A friend lived in Japan for over two decades before he passed away. He got regularly annoyed by the Japanese ways, and then reminded himself that he had two options: accept them as their are or teach 120+ million people to behave differently.

    I’ve been to Japan numerous times both on holidays and for business. I love the country and admire their culture.

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  • [–] 22 points 5 days ago

    I admire parts of their culture. I appreciate the "society first" mindset, their long-term planning, and the overall focus on being respectful. I dislike some stuff, like how ok they are with drawn CSAM, their worker's rights and work culture.

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  • [–] 21 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    I didn't even think that might be surprising to outsiders. This explains why it's posted in nottheonion.

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  • [–] 19 points 5 days ago

    It's surprising because in an emergency where EMT is called, if I found out they stopped outside my door to remove their shoes, that they would then have to put back on before we can leave, I would be a little pissed.

    I honestly do not care at that point if you jumped in a mud puddle and are tracking it through the house, it will get cleaned up when the emergency is over and nobody's life could be in danger.

    Let's say I call emergency services because my spouse is having a seizure. If emts stop to take off shoes instead of come in, put them on a stretcher, and leave, they are wasting time in my opinion. Time that my spouse may not have. I don't care if it's 3 seconds TOTAL. That's 3 seconds that could have made a difference.

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  • [–] 15 points 5 days ago (2 children)

    It takes less than a second to do it, since their shoes are made to be easy to slip in and out of.

    All service people in general that come to your house take off their shoes, even hired movers.

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  • [–] 23 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    If it's not an urgent visit, but if someone is literally dying, come on...

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  • [–] 4 points 5 days ago (2 children)

    You could save that second if you don't have doors or just skip the hello

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  • [–] 23 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    People dont often fuck up opening a door, unless you live alone and are crippled on the floor, you can pre open a door.

    Taking shoes on and off can have more complications. I know you guys love Japan, but this one is ridiculous.

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  • [–] 0 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    But if you regularly take your shoes on and off, you can do it quickly without delay.

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  • [–] 12 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    No matter how good you are at this, it will always cost at least a second and in life threatening situations I was taught that every second counts

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  • [–] 8 points 5 days ago (1 child)

    And we could save ALL the seconds by NOT taking shoes off, AND opening the door, AND immediately showing them to the emergency.

    I honestly don't understand why so many people are making excuse after excuse why this should be perfectly normal and not at all endangering people's lives.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 days ago (2 children)

    even emergency workers have to be let in so they're waiting by the door anyway.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 days ago* (1 child)

    Fire department always shows up when an ambulance is called in case they need to extricate, they don’t have the tools, nor trained to break into something.

    What if you’re solo and can’t open the door?

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  • [–] 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

    Hah, I'm envisioning them breaking down the door, letting out a giant puff of smoke and flames, and taking off their boots before entering the apartment.

    Ambulance paramedics and firefighters here are cross-trained because their skills are so often needed together. I'm sure there's a person on the team who's the best at starting an IV and another who's the best at swiftwater rescue and another who can get grandma out of a flaming attic better than anyone else but the paramedics have been trained to help fight fires and the firefighters have CPR/first aid training.

    (Why grandma was in the flaming attic, I can't tell you.)

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    • [–] 48 points 5 days ago

    This makes more sense to me:

    Another user attracted more than 800 likes for suggesting that strict etiquette could perhaps be forsaken at such times: “It’s an emergency. I would just tell them: ‘Please step inside with your shoes on!’”

    If they don't take their shoes off, you can leave a bad review, and complain to your co-workers.

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    [–] 14 points 4 days ago*

    As a Canadian, I have a very hard time leaving my shoes on even if I'm carrying something heavy and awkward into the house. People will tell me to leave my shoes on and I just can't, it's ingrained.

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    [–] 22 points 4 days ago (1 child)

    Seems a bit dumb to do this, depending on the emergency someone may die. Just go in with the shoes.

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