My name is John and I am 63.
In just over 3 years time I’m going to be driving through your jurisdiction just as you are sitting down to your first meal in 12 hours. As your order hits the counter I will experience an odd tightness in my chest and dismiss it as gas.
When you take your first bite my wife of 35 years will watch me clutch my chest and stop the car on the side of the road.
Just as you begin to think your bad day is finally slowing down, the worst day of my life, and possibly the last, has just begun.
I’ve slumped over in the car, releasing the brake pedal and the car drifts into a signpost, discharging the airbags.
My wife is hit by the passenger side airbag as she is leaning over to help me, noticing my unconsciousness just prior to her own.
A passerby has stopped and is now describing a motor vehicle accident to your dispatcher.
Lunch is still warm in your hands when your radio alerts to the accident.
You are tired.
You are hungry.
The kids have been keeping you up late.
The rent is past due.
Big deal. I’m about to die. While you’re cursing me walking to your rig, my MI is moving and my wife’s head injury is complicating what is already going to be a difficult airway judging by the amount of teeth on the floorboards.
As your rig negotiates traffic, my respirations are rapid and shallow, my wife’s now non-existent.
When you pull up to the scene I need your A game. I need you trained to the point where what you are about to do comes as naturally as breathing, because we’re having a bit of trouble in that department.
This is not about you. It’s about me. It’s about us.
So back to your studies, we’ll meet again before you know it.
Also on The Happy Medic…
- He’s Here. – April 2, 2010
- A lot to do in 30 days – April 9, 2010
- Walk / Don’t Walk – February 24, 2010
- I’m a better Paramedic than you – June 4, 2010
.jpg)
Great perspective and one that we too often forget when the tones hit at “the worst possible time”.
Outstanding post mate.
Even Sandra went 'wow'.
This post will be getting printed off and put on the station board when I get back to work on Saturday.
WOW!! Great post!! Something that no responder, new or old should every forget.
Okay…enough ego stroking. Here's the problem. “Drifting into a signpost” and “discharging airbags” do not happen under normal circumstances. “Smashing/Driving/Careening/Hauling Ass into a signpost” and “discharging airbas” is much more likely.
Gotta have a significant force to blow those suckers…otherwise every fender bender would have more deployed airbags.
Someone has to keep you honest, famous boy!
By the by…expect more razzing on the 12th. Although vastly outnumbered, I will (hopefully) be the only one to carry a gun. Just so we're all on the same page.
MC is coming to the premiere event? Armed? That's hot.
“4×4 wooden highway post down the offramp” is distracting. I took little note of where they started from or their speed, I wasn't there for that part. I was at the Blake's enjoying a green chile bacon cheeseburger but indeed, they don't deploy for just anything.
Not a challenge to your specialties, Sir, I'm sure this accident investigation was complicated since neither Pt seemed to have a presentation matching the car.
PS – Love the new video feature at http://motorcop.blogspot.com
good post, made me laugh out loud.. hit the books medic students! Don't miss that MI.. assessment and history are key.
Well said. Thanks for helping to keep us focused.
Thats a pretty powerful post.
Having been in an accident, it seemed like things moved in slow motion (or at least they did for me) and every SECOND felt like minutes, every minute felt like hours up until the point where my car stopped moving after impact. I know the Police and EMS response time to the accident I had was under 5 minutes (probably 2 or 3 minutes), and I was grateful to the men and women who responded and took the time to help me when I needed it most.
As is your custom…straight down the middle. Thanks for a snap back to reality for the night.
Did John's wife have her seatbelt on?
Did John's wife have her seatbelt on?
As best we could tell, she unclicked to either help him or steer and stop the car prior to the accident.
Thanks for the reminder.
–Lt James Rosse
South Schodack Fire Dept
As best we could tell, she unclicked to either help him or steer and stop the car prior to the accident.
They'd be pretty much screwed anywhere near me.
How sad is that.
They'd be pretty much screwed anywhere near me.
How sad is that.
That's a powerful post! I think I may share this post with my class on Monday when we get back into it. I think its important that we keep this in mind (Especially as Students and Interns) Thanks for the positive message… http://www.thespinoflife.blogspot.com
This post kicked me in the stomach and knocked the wind out of me.
Wow! Spoken truly like a cop…loosing sight of the IMPORTANT stuff to focus on the minutiae. Hey, when doing traffic control at a fire scene do you park in front of the hydrant because “there's always a spot there”…they're all the same….
(heh, just giving it back at'ya)
Happy!
Emailed your post to my Tuesday/Thursday EMT-Basic course, it will be the opening act of this Tuesday's quiz.
Powerful stuff. Did a little editing (along the lines of MC's comments) to make it work for the topics we are covering.
Mike
Very good – maybe it should be the last thing that students are shown before being “let loose on the public”….
….having said that, some of the old timers would benefit from reading it too!
Very good – maybe it should be the last thing that students are shown before being “let loose on the public”….
….having said that, some of the old timers would benefit from reading it too!
The Sad, yet obvious truth is, Life is a fatal disease, the ultimate frustration of the job is the battling of the inevitable.
Day one first thing in Paramedic school the Teacher stood up and said,
“There are 2 rules for Paramedics,
Rule1. Everyone dies.
Rule 2. Paramedics Cannot change Rule 1.”
I only hope, if I someday die on some other unfortunate medics shift, that he doesn't blame himself for my mortality….
The Sad, yet obvious truth is, Life is a fatal disease, the ultimate frustration of the job is the battling of the inevitable.
Day one first thing in Paramedic school the Teacher stood up and said,
“There are 2 rules for Paramedics,
Rule1. Everyone dies.
Rule 2. Paramedics Cannot change Rule 1.”
I only hope, if I someday die on some other unfortunate medics shift, that he doesn't blame himself for my mortality….
Oh my. This is the truth as we know it. Although written with a jolt of reality, there is no room for thought on a call of this nature…. and we should all be confident in our ability, skills and knowledge because there is NO time to think, just do what you do best, what comes natural. If you are lacking in any of the three things I mentioned, don't go out on the street as a Medic!!!! Thanks for the reality check!
Oh my. This is the truth as we know it. Although written with a jolt of reality, there is no room for thought on a call of this nature…. and we should all be confident in our ability, skills and knowledge because there is NO time to think, just do what you do best, what comes natural. If you are lacking in any of the three things I mentioned, don't go out on the street as a Medic!!!! Thanks for the reality check!
Oh my. This is the truth as we know it. Although written with a jolt of reality, there is no room for thought on a call of this nature…. and we should all be confident in our ability, skills and knowledge because there is NO time to think, just do what you do best, what comes natural. If you are lacking in any of the three things I mentioned, don't go out on the street as a Medic!!!! Thanks for the reality check!
Well , the view of the passage is totally correct ,your details is really reasonable and you guy give us valuable informative post, I totally agree the standpoint of upstairs. I often surfing on this forum when I m free and I find there are so much good information we can learn in this forum!
Chanel shoes