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as it had that big rotating drum on the
back—but, I dunno, maybe value comes by the yard, too.
Of late, writers, artists, designers and photographers are strangely called
“content providers” by some loosely connected to the publishing industry.
I guess the printer of publications is an “ink provider.” And the forester
is a “paper provider.”
“Water provider” is used in a current radio public service announcement
about homeland security for reservoirs and fire hydrants. In these parts
(City of Denver) that would be the Denver Water Board, elsewhere it could
be the Jeremiah Johnson Water and Ditch Company. I always knew them as a
“utility,”
same as the telephone, electricity and gas companies (Voice provider?
Heat/cold provider?).
Just the other day I heard just the last few words of a radio ad that said,
“… call your provider for more information.”
I’m trying to remember the phone number on that big truck.
Who is the dolt that first contorted the word “provide”
in the 1990s? Did he/she pass junior high school English? In fact, let’s
find an internet-savvy English-language research linguist that can track
down that person whose cerebral laziness lead to the common abandonment
of such useful words as insurer, doctor, writer, photographer, retailer,
roofer, manufacturer, caterer and plumber — as well as ambulance, EMT and
paramedic; and relegated to the back-room closet of the English language
the outstanding verbs give, supply, share, deliver, sell, transfer, loan
and furnish.
“Health care provider” is a term used by the insurance industry. Nebulous,
incorrect and sometimes demeaning terms such as these are seemingly
concocted by — dare I say it — someone that has insufficient mental
sharpness to know what is the — dare I say it — proper word to use.
There is no reason we have to use the word, too.
So let’s remember we are EMS practitioners and EMS professionals. We treat,
care for, rescue, offer compassion, resuscitate, transport, splint,
defibrillate and medicate.
We don’t provide anything.
By the way, I don’t need the number on the side of the big truck—it was for
some telephone company this time.
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Communication 