My Birthday Weekend

Christmas must be approaching quickly as it's time again for my birthday. Other than the obligatory knock down drag out party I will have this weekend, it seems this weekends festivities will be nice and low key. I still find it interesting to sit back and examine how the dynamic of my friendships change with time. Looking back on the years I've had and the experiences that time has provided, it always amazes me to grow up just a little more. One more rung up on the ladder, gaining yet another vantage to view from. My ever changing values structure, shifting this way and that. Watching life change around me, as friends marry and start their own families. Adding more people to the party. Creating a larger more extending family then before. Spouses and maybe kids now attend our functions, before maybe a fleeting girlfriend would wonder through, gone just as quick as she arrived, on the next. "What was her name again?" "Never mind her, meet Liz, she's the new one."

I've always thought of my life in the context of a story. Weighing somethings on whether or not they would add an interesting chapter to my life as a book. Wondering if "this" would be a good story to tell me children, would they learn anything from it. Will they think daddy's crazy for leaving everything and starting medic school. Will they even comprehend this train of thoughts.

As I look back at another year spend, I'm happy. I don't think I've squandered to much time. I've taken the time to smell the roses and enjoy the warmth of sun on my face. Wrestled this my nieces and let the dogs lick my face. I'm content.

Oh The Holiday Rush

I know I'm not alone when I say, damn the holidays are busy. It seems as if the population triples, people are everywhere. More on the roads, at the grocery store and of course at any retail shopping center. Even the hole-in-the-wall places that I go to cannot escape the masses.

The one thing that has been fairly slow is our call volume. The ice and snow covered roads have not produced their yield of car accidents, Thanksgiving did not send anyone to the hospital for heart attaches, no tried to pull the plug on themselves. Average citizens might believe that it is the holiday spirit keeping everyone safe, I put more stock into human nature. As we know the tides will turn. I express no ill will to any one, but a little excitement might be nice.

Due to the shackles of a normal day job I was unable to join in the festivities of our latest house fire. Which really pissing me off. Working close to home has advantages, but the fact that the pager picks up the tones sometimes is not one of them. Sure I get to listen and laugh at some calls, and cringe at others.

On the bright side I hooked up with an outfit that will allow me to function as a fire instructor in live burns. Which is awesome.

Weekends

As I start the week I feel slightly more drained, even for a Monday. Friday was nothing more than an alcoholic blur of bar hopping culminating in a game of basketball at 0430 in a community recreation center. My friend is the caretaker and lives on site. Saturday was filled with fuzzy headed four wheeling in the cold overcast weather. The unexpected dip in the river turned the ride into a wet cold cloudy day. But fun was had by all, with no human injuries we were left to limp home on machines that were not be built tough enough for how we ride. We broke one half shaft, completely submerged one in the river and ruined the transmission on another. I arrived home just in time to slip into bed and get a little rest as I started my on call shift 0800 Sunday morning.

The gods apparently decided that sleeping in was not needed as the tones went off at 0830 for a minor call I can't even remember. Easily enough we turned the call pretty quick, just in time to attend breakfast with the usual group. I bob and weave my way down the buffet line and hit the table ready for round one. I grasp the first piece of perfectly cooked bacon, not crisp nor undercooked but perfect. After savoring two bites of the coveted meat I'm stolen away as the tones go off again. I feel like I'm singing the 100 bottles of beer on the wall song, as it just another minor call, the only detail to change is the run number. 99 bottles of beer on the wall 99 bottles of beer...

I return in time for my much needed nap, I've gone the extra mile, I'm not messing with the couch, going straight for the gold I crawl into bed. It was awesome, the floating peacefulness as I drift off the sleep only to awake to the nextel and my girlfriend, both parties unaware of my plan. This time a fire truck had an issue requiring a little attention, we did everything we could, but this one is for the surgeons, call the mechanic. I'm back home in a half an hour, will the bed still be warm I think to myself. Well with the tones yelping at me I will never find out. The call sounds promising, an assault ending with a stabbing. The patient walks away with a nice laceration, which is almost surgical looking and the attacker walks away with the PD. Bleeding was controlled before we arrive, turns out it's another minor call, 98 bottles of beer on the wall, 98 bottles of beer. We sailed into the ER, a little pump fake for the ER tech and I find my running back nurse, the hand off is flawless, we're back on the road in minutes. Now a little break, I found someone to cover my calls while I attend nice calm hockey game. The was great, a nice reprieve. Back home and in bed, I will sleep tonight, I insist. Although fun the weekend has taking it's toll and I'm ready for a nice quite night to sleep, leaving me somewhat ready to start the week. Mr. Diabetic saw to it that very little sleep would be had, and of course he takes oral meds and is having issues with them, so he wins the prize of an ambulance ride at 0030 in the morning. Like a snail I drag myself home, slivering into bed, I grab my pillow and hope for silence, I haven't even taken the time to grab the blankets, I leave my socks on.

Almost two whole hours fly by, until Mr. My Tummy Hurts, calls in the reinforcements. I felt sorry though, having the flu sucks, but your wife that was up and followed us in her SUV probably could have brought you in too. But hey I guess I can't think of any better way to piss away a grand then on an ambulance ride. Now it's 0330, I'm tired, the hospital now hates me as I've just about filled up there ER and all I want is a little sleep before I do this all over again tonight. I collapse into bed, I'm asleep in seconds, the weight of the night acts like a heavy quilt and sends me peacefully to sleep. I slept through the night until 0600 for the alarm clock. I had to check the pager to make sure I hadn't slept through anything as I know I was dead to the world.

Now as long as I don't fall asleep at the computer or driving home I can look forward to another night of not sleeping. God, why am I starting medic school?

For Sam over at On the Clock

Sam posed the question of women in EMS and firefighting.

Firefighting is hands down a physical profession, for everyone. Most would say comparing men against women is unfair, it's apples and oranges. The concept that men were biologically designed with larger muscles and stronger skeleton, women being smaller framed with less muscle mass. Everyone assumes then that women could not possible perform as a firefighter. Now I know I will catch a bunch of crap over this, but the women that I've worked with and the women I've been to class with were all more then capable. When using proper body mechanics I've seen women perform the exact same functions as men. During class I've been "rescued" from a ladder by a gal who probably weighed in at 110. Now being roughly six foot tall and on a good day weighing in at 270 in full turnout gear, I'm quite the victim to rescue. The gal performed perfectly, using the techniques she was taught. There is only one act that I think some women might not have the brute strength to tackle, the rescue of a down firefighter. Now, do I believe that anyone man or women is dragging my 270 pound ass out of a burning building, absolutely not. I have never had a problem working with women in general, of course I've had attitude conflicts but none related to gender. My personal exception is women that are on the fire department for the wrong reasons. Systems that run both fire and ems, like mine, seem to have women that are there strictly for the ems portion and not the fire. Firefighting is a due that they pay for be able to work in ems. These are the people in my experience that do not put in the effort and sometimes don't seem fit for the job. Don't forget, the physical tests are the same for both sexes, at least where I'm at.

As for EMS
I shall choose my words wisely as my lady is a full time paramedic for a large private ambulance company in town. I would prefer to ride with at least one women on the crew, that way the ambulance has someone to clean it, I'm just kidding so settle down. I can recall many runs where having a women aboard was a huge benefit. Setting aside the issue of skills as anyone can learn to read the monitor or start an IV and with hydraulic stretchers no one has to lift anymore. I will say a women's touch is a real thing and not just for calls with "women's issues." I don't think anyone would disagree with the notion that women have a greater nurturing effect than men. Lets face it, does a small child whose scared from a accident on his bike run to a man in uniform or a woman. Does an out of control drunk patient not play nice if he thinks he's going home with his female caretaker. I'm not insinuating that women should be used to distract a patient simply because they are female, but there seems to be a certain calming effect. Could one hypothesis that that might be a reason that historically most nurses are women? Just a thought. Having a women partner just makes sense to me, you have the best of both worlds.

My One True Passion

Firefighting might be just another way to earn a paycheck for some. It consumes me. I really live for it.

I sit, always ready to jump when the bell rings. Kissing my lady goodbye as I run out the door, knowing I have her as my personal medic to put me back together, she's usually right behind me. Even in my bedroom my pants lay on the floor with my boots pulled through the legs, socks tossed over the top, a shirt floats above in the breeze of the ceiling fan. My gear sits completely prepared for me as well. Everything is hung in the order of it's donning. Pants and boots below, hood on the outside hook, coat on the back hook, mask beside it, helmet on the top shelf, gloves strapped to the coat. Granted I operate the apparatus quite frequently, But I jump at the chance to ride in back, as one of crew that will eventually enter. Crawling in the darkness, searching for that warm glow. You can't see the fire, but you can feel it. The heat tells you where to go. Up the stairs, down the hall, now you can hear it. It crackles like a camp fire and roars with the wind. You might even crawl right on top of it, the golden flicks of light crawling up you mask, never fear you've got your gear. Just back up and let loose.

As the pump operator your job is primarily over by the time the firefighters start theirs. By the time they have pulled their hose to the front door, I've flipped all my switches, turned my cranks and pulled my levers. I've given them their holy water by the time they hit the door. If all goes well there is a hydrant close. After establishing a water supply my job tends to slow down. I babysit a $500,000 truck for the duration of the call. I stand in the freezing rain and snow, walking gingerly on the ice rink I've turned the street into. Myself and old man fire will not visit today. Not without virtue, the operator plays defender to the firefighters. Against oncoming cars on the freeway, dark alleys and muddy swamps and with water, their life blood.

I'd take either, in a minute. Now if only there was a call.

Did you unplug the toaster?

We might have lost this one, but look at the proud papas getting their pictures taking.

I survived another live burn with the endless supply of over zealous rookies who're more than eager to battle the sinister Old Man Fire.

I of course did my best to train these monkeys with the dreadful thought that someday I might have to actually expect them to put out fire, without peeing themselves, mind you. We'll wash your gear if you get dirty from a fire, not for soiling yourself. No one went running frantically when the fire barely licked my helmet. They zigged and zagged appropriately and managed not the hurt themselves in the process.

I shall of course take this time to boast on my many victories of the day. I won my first instructor a drink at the bar. (The betting instructor had hid a second little fire that would have blocked my exit and made for some real fun. Sneaky bastard that he is.) Granted I took the bait way down into my stomach.

With nozzle in hand I open the front door, the kitchen to my right is only smoky, I continue right past it as nothing peaks my interest. I round a corner to find a dining room fully involved. Flames cross the ceiling above me, like a sunny day in the mountains I can feel the radiant heat through my gear. I soak the ceiling, wet it down until I can see water actually hitting the floor again, remember the ceiling will reach temps of around 1000 degrees without breaking a sweat, meaning when I shoot water up there it might not come back down. Only after the I've applied enough water to dissipate the heat will the water not convert to steam instantly.

"We've got fire behind us!" yells the young crackly voiced newbie.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've got fire in front of me too." "Let me know when you can't stand up anymore, than I come back and put it out." I retort with.

I finally turn around and shower off the kitchen (The hidden fire), then it's back to business with the inferno of a dining room. Wetting the ceiling will only do so much, you have to get in the room and actually attack what's on fire. Splash the ceiling one last time for good measure and run, I drop to my knees as it's bad form to stand directly in the fire rolling over the ceiling. I eye up my target and let loose with a nice straight stream that will knock the fire out. As the fire dies down the flames retreat from the ceiling as they have no additional heat to keep them ablaze. Mop up the kitchen on the way out and dinner is served. It was a fantastic fire. Granted for training the structure is already ventilated with the windows being broken out already. This provides a huge advantage as you can see. Normally in a house fire you can't see your hand in front of your face. I can personally guarantee most will never be able to appreciate how utterly alone you feel. Never mind that your knees burn as your crawl through the lava the carpet became when it melted, your shoulder sting as the radiant heat seeps right through your gear. If you are in there long enough the air in your will super heat and feel as though you are breathing from a blast finance. Other than that it's a walk in the park.

Remember folks, you never take your mask off, when you run out of air you better get really friendly with god, because if take one breath of 500 degree air, well, you just cooked your lungs and there ain't no coming back from that.

Better to pass out with your mask on and hope someone can drag your ass out, at least you gave yourself a chance at being revived.

And you thought firefighting was all about getting chicks while in uniform.

That and I will have the chance to work as a fire instructor, which of course kicks ass.

Cold Meat?

Just a little food for thought to all the EMS folk out there.

I've been reading a little regarding the potential benefits of clinically induced hypothermia in sudden cardiac arrest patients. The studies that I have found were primarily performed on lab animals, however I did stubble on to a study performed in Europe that was in hospital with actual humans. Silly Europeans, the world's lab rats. Their study had certain prereq's for the patient to be used of course. Based on downtime, witnessed or not and a few other factors. The benefits sound quite fascinating for cardiac arrest but also some spinal injuries and possible CVA incidents.

Basically I'm wondering if anyone else has run into this procedure, in the field or in house.

In the frigid north we might just start working grandpa on the icy sidewalk out front. Suppose we'd need inline IV heaters then, so never mind.