Angel Dust

There's not much more of an "Oh S***" moment in EMS i've had recently than receiving a call for an unconscious overdose, we arrive on scene and start prepping to inject the person with Naloxone (otherwise known as Narcan) when several police officers step into the room and the crew from an engine that was dispatched as well, and tell us to be careful if he stirs before we inject him. Why? because this person's drug of choice according to relatives was PCP, thankfully yours truly did not get put through a window by a crazed drug addict, the call was handled well and we all got to go home safely. PCP will always be a drug that puts me on edge if i am dealing with someone who has consumed it in some manner, simply because of the rage it causes and the lack of pain the person feels while under its' effects.

On a separate note, please pray for Houston Fire Department and the family members who lost 4 firefighters recently on a 5 alarm building fire, it's heartbreaking to hear of so many in one day, at one incident, make the ultimate sacrifice.

--Burnout

Song of the Week: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club- In Like The Rose

Why?

Well this will be a short post, it is centered around a Facebook group called 911: you can't make this stuff up. Feel free to check them out, tell them i sent you, maybe they'll appreciate the extra traffic. Specifically i felt that this photograph of theirs (all due credit to the Facebook group and the owner in particular) embodies exactly why first responders do what they do...while this one is centered around firefighters, the words ring just as true for all those who go running towards the apparatus, racing to a call in a police cruiser, when those tones go out and they are dispatched. We do it because someone needs our help, and we'll be damned if we let anything get in the way of that. On a related note, keep the victims and first responders and military personnel who were at the Boston Marathon in your thoughts and wish them all the best, they certainly need it.

--Burnout

Song of the Week: Hurt by Johnny Cash
(someone please warn me if i start repeating songs occasionally, i may forget what i have used before)

Falling by the wayside

Wow...it's amazing how many people have dropped out of one of my fire department courses already, about a 30% dropout rate so far, and we are expected to lose several more by next week. I guess this line of work just isn't for everyone... As for interesting things that have occurred so far? I am in the process of driver training for the ambulances at my fire company, once i am approved to start i plan on hitting the ground running and getting cleared as an EVO (emergency vehicle operator) as soon as possible... look for videos in the future on fire calls as i try to figure out this crazy helmet camera i was given for my turnout gear!

See y'all around, hopefully not in the back of my ambulance...


-Burnout


Song of the Week: Fury Oh Fury By Nico Vega

Hysteria in Schools

Let me just dive right in to my rant; Has anyone else thought about how ridiculously over-reactive schools are nowadays? it is understandable to be more vigilant after recent events, but there comes a point when we are just inhibiting and punishing children's attempts to grow, experiment, and learn to adapt and react appropriately to their environment. I speak about this as lately i have seen that a child in Maryland was suspended for BITING A PASTRY INTO THE SHAPE OF A FIREARM, REALLY?! among other things kids lately have been suspended or warned about playing tag, and bringing a hello kitty toy gun that blows bubbles to school. Now the worst of these offenders would be a school in Florida that suspended two teenagers for several days, when they intervened in what could have been a lethal encounter on their school bus. Another student aimed a .22 caliber handgun at someone's head while on their school bus, and these two brave teenager tackled the suspect and disarmed him, possibly saving a life. The school system deemed it necessary to suspend them because it is their policy to apparently suspend anyone involved in a violent incident... reading such idiotic words gave me a head rush.
Rant over.
I'd like to hear my readers thoughts on this...

--Burnout

Long Night...

Nothing quite like getting puked on, coated in blood and bleach, and run with less than two hours of sleep for more than 6 emergency calls in a 24 hour span... Just another day in the life of a firefighter.




Song of the Week: Kitten Air by Scott and Brendo

Cardiac Arrest

Hello All! just want to post this up so you don't think i have forgotten about you, my faithful followers.

It has been an interesting past month with me working mostly on my medic unit, i have run at least calls for 10 strokes that were legitimate strokes and not another issue, and have run quite a few car wrecks as well. ( I have taken a sabbatical from my law enforcement volunteering to build my resume on the fire side, i will continue to post stories of my law enforcement experiences as stories that i recall pop into my head, if you're interested in my fire stories as well let me know!)

I have been absent due to me recently assisting with a cardiac arrest of a pediatric patient, there is just something about seeing a child with so much ahead of them in life pass away that bothers me significantly. After seeing this i slowed down a little and stopped working calls for a few days in order to properly manage myself and work through it, i am no good protecting others and performing life saving treatment if i'm not squared away mentally and emotionally. I am comfortable saying now though that i am back on my game and ready to get back to doing what i do best.

Hope Y'all have had a good start to 2013, and please...do not call 911 because you got your fancy SUV stuck in less than a foot of mud...


--Burnout

Song of the Week: We Are by Hollywood Undead

Insulting your Medics...

Folks, it is never a good idea to insult your medical providers after they have just pulled you out of a multi vehicle wreck and are transporting you to a Level I trauma center... saying our driver drives like a grandmother and insulting me and an experienced paramedic who are working on bandaging your injuries, managing your pain level, and splinting your injured arm might make the difference between us attempting to gently roll up the sleeve on your very expensive jacket to inspect your arm visually before we splint it, or just cutting through said jacket with trauma shears.

In other news...

I ask you to keep the members of one of my Fire Companies in your thoughts and prayers, in the last few weeks one of our larger apparatus was involved in a serious car wreck which injured several members, and another member recently passed away in an unrelated incident.


Song of the Week: Perfect Life by Red

Sandy Hook

I thought it appropriate to be respectful and wait at least a week before posting again out of regard for the tragedy at Sandy Hook. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families as they deal with this tough time, and for the Fire EMS and Law enforcement personnel who witnessed the horrific scene and must investigate it to discover the motives behind such an act.

I ask to all to not jump on the media band wagon, do your own research regarding these laws your politicians want to put in place. I found it totally disgusting that people such as Mayor Bloomberg were already attempting to turn this massacre as a justification for gun grabbing and getting on the airwaves before even all the victims were buried...

Out of respect for the families i will not debate my opinion regarding this tragedy at all, it is not appropriate to use 6-8 year olds deaths as political rhetoric, especially so soon.

To all, it may be difficult with this event so fresh in our minds still but i wish everyone a Merry Christmas, I and other first responders will be doing what we do best even though it's holiday season, stay safe, lock your doors, and pray for a White Christmas this year.

for this post i decided to end it with a quote in addition to the regular song of the week...
" Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first" - Mark Twain


Song of the week: Ain't no Reason Brett Dennen

Medical Provider

Officially passed my course to become an Emergency Medical Provider in my state and now have my card in hand. Looks like i'm moving up in the world...

On another note:

When on midnight patrol with an officer working the rural area of our jurisdiction, we came upon an extremely low hanging tree branch over the road. The officer then, i kid you not, pulls over, turns on his lights and pulls a hacksaw from the backseat and proceeds to cut this two and a half inch or so tree branch off the tree and toss it on the side of the road.

When i asked why the hell he keeps a hacksaw in his trunk he replied "cause the city maintenance guys ain't gonna do it, and we're out  in the countryside anyways"

While this was hilarious to watch the rural end is quite boring especially on a 10pm-6am shift, i prefer to run in the areas where every officer keeps a patrol rifle in their trunk and every call requires lights and sirens. Around other areas that morning were reports of shots fired and car pursuits while we sat relaxing and surfing the web...

Meanwhile...
 My Fire Company has been running fire calls like no other as of recently, we have so far worked in the past two weeks a fatal house fire, 6 other dwelling fires of sorts, and 3 significant car wrecks which all required transport to the nearest Level I trauma center (the highest level of care) and we have nearly lost a piece of fire apparatus several times to idiotic drivers when we are backing our pieces back into the station. It seems that an engine or a large SUV or pick-up truck with it's lights on is not a cue to stop your car and allow them to maneuver but to instead floor it past them, nearly severely injuring the driver of the fire vehicle in the process...

Song of the Week: Call You Out- Flyleaf