%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |  34 Years as a Paramedic. 6 Years as a Patrolman. These are the stories. |
|
When I was 8 my Mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told her "A Paramedic, a Policeman, a Fireman and a Cowboy". Hell, I couldn't decide which one I wanted to be, I was only 8. Well here I am 56 years old and I almost achieved my goals ! I joined the volunteer fire department on my 16th birthday where my Dad and brother were serving. My Dad was the Assistant Chief. My friends at school were volunteers too. Some FFs (firefighters) and some EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) They convinced me to join the volunteer EMS (Emergency Medical Service) I refer to that as the best decision I've been paying for my whole life. I served as a volunteer FF for 15 years on 2 departments. When I got a car I transferred to the department my friends were at because they had a rescue truck. (Plus I could put blue lights on my car and get girls to notice me) There I trained in basic and advanced vehicle rescue, special vehicle rescue (semi trucks and busses mostly) trench, high angle (ropes and pulleys) and collapsed structure rescue. I learned how to be a mask man too because I thought the action at the fire scene was at the hot end of the hose. My best friend at the time was a fellow named Mike who I met in first grade. He got me through EMT class then talked me into the Paramedic Program. We took it together. We were both too young but our Chief made some phone calls and pulled some strings and got us in a year early. I was a dedicated volunteer and as years went by jobs opened up and I chose to do it as a career. I took a 6 year break from EMS to try my hand at police work. In The fall of 1992 I graduated Valedictorian of my Police Academy, and received the "Top Gun" Award for achieving 3 consecutive perfect scores during hand gun qualifications. I eventually returned to my original love, being a Paramedic. I would still be one today if not for a young man on a cellphone who failed to see a huge Ambulance painted with reflective yellow and white paint and pretty red lights blocking his entire path on a sunny cloudless afternoon. Kids. People asked about my time in public safety. About the worst, biggest, funniest and most bizarre. I told them stories but not the bad stuff, no need for them to throw up on my shoes, right? Usually I'd tell them the weird stuff. Most of them would tell me "You should write a book." So instead of being a cowboy, I'm an aspiring author. Besides, horses have weird eyes, like they can read your mind when looking at you. Creepy. |
The BEER Miracle ! Starring The 3 Stooges. December 14, 2017 at 9:51am Miracles happen all the time. In public safety we get to witness them first hand. This blog (and eventually my book) will tell lots of stories of miracles I've witnessed with my own eyes in my 37 years of service. This particular miracle is about beer.
We had three brothers that were what we refer to as "frequent flyers" I can't recall their names because after the first contact with them I referred to them as "The Three Stooges" and the label stuck to them like g... [Read more] Am I My Brother's Keeper? November 21, 2017 at 10:13pm I was responding to a one vehicle accident at 4 am on a straight, flat stretch of road not known for being dangerous. A couple things were a bit "off" already. The location wasn't a well traveled route at this time of the night. It was a stretch of farm land with no bars or clubs within miles in all directions. And the usual time for drunk driving accidents was between midnight and 3 am. Midnight, because some people thought erroneously they could slip past the police who wouldn&... [Read more] I was just a kid... November 14, 2017 at 9:27am I was just a kid, maybe 10 or 11. So much has happened since then I don't recall how old, but young. Too young for this.
I knew my father was a volunteer firefighter, he left often when the fire whistle blew across the highway that I was sure would kill him. He drove way to fast to fire calls trying to get there first and make the first truck out. He told us stories sometimes about his calls, but I learned when I had kids of my own that he only told us what we could handle at the time. S... [Read more] One call, one save. November 12, 2017 at 7:46pm I'd had a couple calls as a FF before I started on the ambulance. Not much to brag about though. A brush fire, a car fire (I like car fires tho) and a couple fender benders where I watched the senior FF's direct traffic while I sat on the tailboard of the engine. Junior FF's aren't allowed to do much, which is why I joined the ambulance service. That's where my friends were, and they guaranteed me some action. My first shift I got nothing. We had pizza and watched the movie &... [Read more] |
 Log in to Leave Feedback |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
