Mark’s last day in the firehouse in San Francisco flew by today and filming went great.
We were lucky to be assigned to the Fire Boat Guardian, since that is one of the responsibilities of Engine 13. A group of school children arrived for a tour and a cruise and we got to come along to staff the boat. Mark and I, and the Dridge, had a wonderful cruise along the embarcadero, off under the golden gate bridge, then around to Alcatraz Island.
It was a beautiful clear morning and, now that I think of it, it hasn’t been cold or foggy since Mark got here. I think he finished with 3 videos and 60 some odd pictures, all available on the flickr link.
It wasn’t really “Paramedic” related, but this was part of my regular day, so away we went.
It was a somber mood on the set of Chronicles of EMS today with the England filming still in the air with 72 hours until I depart. It was also a little difficult scheduling wise this week since the original schedule prepared months ago was thrown out do to a new policy here in the SFFD. Not a huge deal, we just had to call in each day to find out what the schedule was for the next day. But then again, that’s how I get my schedule on regular days.
I want to prep you guys for amazing news and bad news. I’m not sure which to tell you yet, because I don’t know myself, but I want to say something ahead of time. When Chief Hayes-White walked into the conference room a week ago, she had a 5 minute notice that Setla Productions would be filming. She walked in seeing me, Mark, Ted and Chris and rolled with it. So did Cheif Howes. That being said, since Ted got funding at the last minute, we were still unsure of whether it would be filmed until halfway into the meeting when we realized they hadn’t stopped the filming.
They could just have easily told us to turn off the cameras and tell Mark he wasn’t welcome, then keep me around to show me my pink slip. All these actions seem extreme, but not outside the realm of possibility.
You guys have been following along behind the scenes of the Pilot pisode of the Chronicles of EMS but have seen none of the actual show yet. I think Ted said they have 26 or so hours of film for the show and a number of Mark and I talking about the patients we saw and the differences, but I think tomorrow’s exit interview will be the real deal this is all about.
The Dridge, camera man and all ’round cool dude, will be there to capture it for the show and for all of you.
Now, about England. The Project is a go, Chronicles might not make it, this time. Think about the timing and the costs for flying international with all this camera gear with 3 days notice. If they can’t make it, don’t panic or get angry or try to blame someone. I don’t want to see any posts about somone who’s “fault” it is they don’t make it. The last thing we need is to fall apart now. If we start bickering and complaining those who control this machine we’re trying to fix will excuse us as a bunch of dreamers and complainers.
We are neither.
Mark and I are learning a great bit from each other and I get frustrated when he asks me, “Do you always have to…” and my answer starts, “To avoid litigation…”
Hang in there guys, I have Ted’s flip camera, the one he used to update all of you and I’ll be using it to send updates whenever I can. Just keep in mind I’ll just be one person if the crew can’t make it this time.
More tomorrow after I send Mark along.
HM
Also on The Happy Medic…
- 3…2…1…Action! – Providing care with cameras rolling – December 8, 2009
- Preparation for tomorrow – November 9, 2009
- the Project rolls on! – November 12, 2009
- EMS Today in Baltimore – February 4, 2010
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I have a lot of respect for the San Fransisco Fire Department now. It's clear to me the department wants to improve. Congrats to everyone involved for making it this far in this wild ride.
Look, when the BBC backed out, no one had any idea that the Project was going to be anything more than the Project, with you and Mark shooting whatever you could on your own and giving us blog, Twitter and YouTube updates.
It's been fantastic that there's been funding at all to turn the Project into a professionally-produced pilot of what will hopefully be a web series, if not more. Even if it doesn't progress to a full-fledged “Chronicles” series, you will have a stand-alone production that will give the EMS industry, if not the general public (of which I am a part, by the way, no ties to fire or EMS), something to think about, which was probably more than for which you had originally bargained.
Thanks to Chiefs Hayes-White and Howes and whoever else in the SFFD who supported this venture.
As for myself, I have found yours and Mark's blogs (as well as others to which you have links) to be educational (especially against the backdrop of the national healthcare debate) and entertaining. I work with the coordinator of the BS in Nursing program at my university and will be forwarding the links to yours and Mark's blogs, and most especially the Chronicles, to her to forward to her students, some who are already RNs working in emergency rooms. When I described the Project/Chronicles to her (she's an RN with a master's in nursing as well as other healthcare credentials), she was very interested, actually a bit excited about what you were trying to do regarding pre-hospital care, as best as I could explain it.
Safe trip home to Mark, safe trips to and from England, HM, and enjoy the time in between.
“don’t panic or get angry or try to blame someone.”
Instead use your energy to continue to thank Mark, Justin, Ted, and Chris. The easy part of this project has been the time together. Justin and Mark worked incredibly hard for many months to make this exchange happen. That was hard work that was largely undocumented. Ted and Chris also have hours and hours of hard work to edit and produce the raw footage.
Like anything that is difficult, if it was easy anybody could do it. This project has combined the right people to do the difficult work of telling the story of real EMS. I knew this would be difficult and my support is for the long haul.
Thanks, travel safely, and stay in touch.
“don’t panic or get angry or try to blame someone.”
Instead use your energy to continue to thank Mark, Justin, Ted, and Chris. The easy part of this project has been the time together. Justin and Mark worked incredibly hard for many months to make this exchange happen. That was hard work that was largely undocumented. Ted and Chris also have hours and hours of hard work to edit and produce the raw footage.
Like anything that is difficult, if it was easy anybody could do it. This project has combined the right people to do the difficult work of telling the story of real EMS. I knew this would be difficult and my support is for the long haul.
Thanks, travel safely, and stay in touch.
“don’t panic or get angry or try to blame someone.”
Instead use your energy to continue to thank Mark, Justin, Ted, and Chris. The easy part of this project has been the time together. Justin and Mark worked incredibly hard for many months to make this exchange happen. That was hard work that was largely undocumented. Ted and Chris also have hours and hours of hard work to edit and produce the raw footage.
Like anything that is difficult, if it was easy anybody could do it. This project has combined the right people to do the difficult work of telling the story of real EMS. I knew this would be difficult and my support is for the long haul.
Thanks, travel safely, and stay in touch.