Run some wild calls lately, done some odd things, and been teaching a LOT of brand new members the ropes and how to handle themselves on calls...
here's just a few things I've said on calls lately that have gotten me in a little trouble...
"oh s***" (in reference to a patient's condition)
"Partner, to patient strapped onto stretcher: don't worry ma'am we haven't dropped anyone yet today
Me: but you are our first patient"
Patient: My chest hurts!!
Me: uhhh yea (looks at his wife) that's gonna happen when you do CPR on someone who's still talking to you.
To a patient who came up swinging at us after we administered Narcan (the wonderful anti-opiate)
Me: i swear if you don't stop moving, i'm gonna knock your ass out again!
after dealing with a PCP patient that took quite a few of us and police officers to pin down and cuff, as we carried the patient downstairs who was screaming like a banshee
Me (muttered to myself but apparently a little too loud): this is like the exact opening of the movie Quarantine
*everyone stops and stares at me*
and finally onto a brief story!
I recently had a very fortunate turnout on a call, as i was preparing to leave for the night from the station and get some sleep, just as i reached the doors to the outside i hear
" alert, medical box 111-1...alert medical box 111-1 engine 123, engine 134, medic 125, medic 135, supervisor 1...respond to 1479 spring drive for a cardiac arrest... **yr old patient, reported not conscious and not breathing, respond on alpha. Time now is 22:30" naturally i drop my bags, grab my gear, and climb on the engine as i was one of the few firefighters with medical certifications available to jump on the engine at the moment. As we fly down the road towards the house with our medic unit leading a convoy of flashing lights and sirens, i snap on a pair of gloves and close my eyes for a second to mentally prepare for another bad outcome, then as soon as i closed them, we came screeching to a halt. I jumped off our engine, ran and grabbed the oxygen bag off our medic and hustled inside right behind my officer, made my way downstairs to a patient with no pulse and fixed pupils. I immediately notified dispatch that we had a confirmed cardiac arrest and were beginning CPR, and began to do chest compressions as my fellow firefighters and the medic crew made their way downstairs...i finished up my first round and swapped with the firefighter who was 'ventilating' the patient with a bag valve mask, this continued for several minutes until we were told by the AED to stand clear and shock the patient, we did so, then i swapped again and performed another set of compressions, at which point the AED announced "stand clear...analyzing heart rhythm...check for pulse" i reached down to check the carotid artery and...
"Lt. We got a pulse!"
sure enough, we had a strong carotid and radial pulse, we then carried the patient to a stretcher and hauled to the hospital, when we left the patient was already beginning to breathe on their own again.
This was great news for me and frankly a real boost, knowing that this person would most likely be able to walk out of the hospital and return to their family, it's exactly why i do this, and even though some of the situations i deal with can be awful, i love the job.
a quote from a fellow first responder that always has stuck in my head, is "our today, for other's tomorrow"
well thanks for holding on and waiting for my next post everyone, y'all have been great to follow me for so long, i appreciate all my fans! feel free to post up on here, and i'll be creating an email soon so fans can reach me and ask any questions they may have.
--Burnout
Song of the Week: The Mighty Fall- Fallout Boy
