Friday, August 24, 2007

My hands are tied

After spending many hours on the phone last night, (about 20mins with a friend) I realized that sometimes changes is not always good.
It's like this, Paramedic have always done more things than an EMT can do. They start IV's and push medications and intubate as well as learn how to read cardiac rhythems on the monitor. And a few advanced skills needed for other emergency, And don't get me wrong that's what they went to paramedics school for. but the down side to this first the school. (9 months) and the fact that they are stuck in rescue for the rest of their career. as well as the headache of dealing with more report writing, So I guess it's not all the glamor that it sounds like.
Now I have riden with a lot of paramedics in my time on the job. and most will tell you they would rather have a good EMT with them when the stuff hit's the fan. And most EMT want to do a little bit more to make both jobs a little bit easier to do. So what's the problem well we (EMT) like our job we ride a combat company and go on all kinds of calls from bloody noses to child birth. I have seen more in my time then I ever care to share (MY CURSE) but throught it all I have strived to learn more to do more with out taking the paramedics progam. I just don't want to be one. I like what I do.
So here comes the hand tie. a directive was just put out stating the EMT were not to start IV. I know it sounds simple, but it's not. it's something that would make everyone's job easier, Check this out. 4:30am Engine and a rescue are called out to a male 40 years old unresponsive. apon arrival engine company find the wife up set that her husband won't wake up, after calming her down information is obtained that he is a diabetic, after checking his blood sugar level it's at 42 (normal is 80-120) which is why he now needs a boost of sugar. Since he won't wake up we can not give him anything by mouth. Now what? well I forgot to tell you that the rescue is comming from the hospital because durning the night they have had many calls and the next closet rescue is on the other side of the river so the rescue advises in route from the hospital. well that could take about 8 to 10 min's, Oh and don't forget the wife whom is waiting for you to do something to bring her husband out of this unresponsive state. NOPE CAN'T DO IT> I have all the stuff right there in my bag. IV's Dextrose50 it will give him what he needs. he could be up and talking by the time rescue get's there. Which means that the wife can take him to his doctor in the morning after feeding him and monitor him for the next couple of hours. But no. He will go to the hospital and set around there for about six hours clogging up the emergency room. where they will finaly tell him to go see his Regular doctor and sign him out 2 hours later.

Now that whole story was using a fictional charater I can not use real people in my story because I have a sworn oath that says I can't give out information, but this has happend more than 3 to 4 times a day everyday. Go to your local emergency room if you don't believe me. just look around. Now take this same story spread it out all of the city and you have rescues doning this all the time and transporting and clogging up the EMS system ,
So why does it not make scence to just give alittle more training and let us do what we know we can do. I tryed for seveal hours to rally support for this, so many people that I thought had a great education. and some level head understanding of the whole situation. I might as well have been talking to a wall. GOD I AM SO FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!! So that's when I call my friend. maybe because he has a great way with words and maybe just a little weirdness about him that he might be able to help me put it into plain english. because I speak russian so well that now one here can understand me. lol.....
So John. I am sorry for the call. I just knew somehow you could help. and you did. and that's why I am writing this.

So please someone untie my hands and let me do what I am good at.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Unknown

I guess I can't say what ever I want. if you offend someone. by saying the truth. hey that's not right how dare you say something that might offend someone. and when you do offend someone they want to find you and beat you up or worse. but that's ok. I guess a baseball bat to the head is nothing compared to offensives such as words, the truth. honesty, those are wrong but hey I can get a big crowed of people and picket outside your place of business or home and throw rocks at you or burn a cross in your front yard. but hey don't throw words at me cause thats the worst offense ever. drag them word thrower into a dark ally and beat him/or her to death. That's ok. because you didn't throw words or the truth out there.

Come on people. Think about it.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Playing Cards

Why is it that, so many people play cards, I guess that when all you have left is to play the card that's what you do. Don't put me into the I hate Black people line, I have worked so hard all my life doing my best to save them. Yes I said them. I have been in the trenches with the boys in the hood. I have tryed to figure out what makes them tick. It's not about roots, or history or culture. It's about what can I get from the system. And when I play the race card, well everybody will coward down to me because they don't want Jessie Jackson to come into my town and start a riot and blackmale the system to make his pockets fatter. He is someone whom takes race and biggotry and turns a profit. Really if you want to say that I am a racist. Then you have to call most black a raceist too. Yes I said that. I said that black people can be just as bad as whites.

Have you ever really been around black people. Not african American's but black people. They want nothing for this county or others in this country but they want the American Dream without having to work for it. Yes they want what I have worked very hard for and made something for myself with out ever having to work for it. When was the last time you have been in a school with all blacks and watch what they do. No wonder all their schools are failing. And another thing. What about the parents. Excuse me Parent. Mother. That's the only one they know. Because The grandmothers. which aren't much older than 35 years old are the grandmothers because they worked the system and they can now tell their kids the way to work the system. Hey if you have a bunch of children and don't claim a daddy then you can have welfare. and the more kids you have the bigger the check. and hey don't worrie about the medical expense because the state will pick that up and hey don't worrie about educations because the state will pick that up and hey don't worrie about your son or daughter going out and getting into a gang because the state will burie them for free. Someone tell me please, But only after doing some research and come ride with me for a short while to see how most of the black poor live and what they do to get by. You just might be suprized I have so much more tell but like most American White people They don't want to hear the truth. They will call me a racist ..... Tell That Black 8 year old that I pulled out of a house fire. Or what about the five year old that I pumped on his chest for over 20 mins trying so hard. when my arms got tired and could not compress his heart any longer, Did I give up. No I kept going but I guess if I were a racist I would not have tryed to save his life. How many Young Black people have you saved today. Can you tell me. Well I can tell you . I kept count.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Part two

There we were. fire working it's way up the way. fireman posed to begin the fight. slowly he pulls the handle back on the nozzle and water begins to flow, sweeping from the ground up he pushes back the flames that now don't look so big. taking steps toward the building he pushes even harder until the fire retreats to smoke, the last of the flames fight hard to continue to burn but the determineation of the firefighter wins out, Now all that is left is to begin the tear down of the burned area trying to find any hidden fire inside the wall. Clean up and smoke removal to finish the job.

The other part of the job is not so glamouros but has to be done. now just a few minutes before the fire, we were in the cab picking on each other, cutting the fool as it were. perhaps the last meal that was cooked or something about the way he talks but to pick on each other is something we do. firefighters deal with something that most want to see until they see it then it's the worst thing to have ever seen. blood guts gore. death and distruction, the things that we have seen are always in our heads. the young girls just a few weeks ago that was shot dead center in the chest. Didn't have a chance in hell to survive (AK-47 automatic assualt rifle) took every chance this young lay had from ever growing up to be a mother,wife. friend. or who knows finds a cure for aids or SIDS. Guess we will never know. So with that and many other things in our memories, you have to understand we will laught joke play and even pour a bucket of water on the new recruits. but it's all done to bond just alittle closer, so that we can face the next nightmare.

We often don't get to leave our briefcase at work with all of our work in it. we don't take a shower and just wash off the dirt. hell we can't just tear out the page and start new. This is what we are and what we are willing to give up is more than anyone on the outside looking in will ever understand. So those quite rides back to the station from the hospital where we worked for 20min's trying to do everything in our power to give that girl a chance to grow up after she has been shot, stabbed, not including the ones we can't even fight for, The ones DOA, and you hear us cutting the fool. Well that's just our way of saying sometimes it's ok to laught and cry. But when the bells go off or the sight of smoke rising up in the air or that call for help from down the steet while were out washing the fire truck. How about just a head nod. We understand.

Where not hero's, Where not supermen. Where Husbands,Wives Dad's and Mom's.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Boring to roaring

Finished up another run. stopped by the store, One of the firemen needed some toothpaste at the store we were close to after completing the run. a young man fell off his bike and the chain cut a small gash in his let, why exactly we were there I am not sure.

When I was a kid if you fell down and got here you picked yourself up and got a bandaid and tryed to hide it from your mom and dad. because if you got hurt you were probably doing something wrong to get hurt in the first place. And yes they were usually right.

Now headed back to the station after stopping by the store. I look up into the sky and see black smoke, at first thought a train station close by usually put off some black some when they first start to leave the train station, but this smoke was different, it had a constant sourse and the smoke went straight up. if it were a train it would move along the tree tops as the train excellerated. No this was somthing different, something I had seen before this fire was just getting started and from the look of the color of the smoke it had a blackness to it. Yes there was some kind of patrolem product burning. Moving down the road slowly, I reach up and hit the emergency flashing lights that seem to surround the fire truck like a shield giving me the right of way, glancing at my mirrors looking out for other motorist comming up from behind me. I continue to look back off the road to try and find this fire. moving and looking finely down a dirt road behind the trees I see the flames crawling up the side of the house, as I begin to make my turn down this road the firefighter in the back begins to put on his fire gear, stepping into his boots he pulls up his fire pants and begins to put on the heavy fire coat next. about 65lbs of fire gear on what he has to put on before he dons his air tank mask and fire helmet which ands about another 45lbs of gear. now most of the time we don't think about all this stuff we have to put on. it's just another peice of equipment that we put on the fire truck when we show up in the morning.
Now easing down the dirt road we draw closer to the fire the outline of the house becomes visiable throught the smoke. fire is starting to work it's way up the wall into the easment, shingles on the roof start to smolder and smoke. flames licking at the trees that overhang the house. Pulling up along the house the firefighter finishing up putting on his safety gear. I put the fire truck in park and engauge the firepump to charge the hose line, as I reach the front of the fire truck where two 1 3/4" lines that are preconnected for fast deployment are stretch to the front of the garage where most of the fire is at. The firefighter picks up the hose and nozzle and waits for me to charge the line. as he stares at the fire almost hipnotized by it's beauty, the hose jumps in his hand's now he has the swarn enemy of the fire.

Sorry have to finish this later. still at work and have to finish night clean up duty's

Stay tuned.

Who am I

I wanted to start writing about how angry I am with people. But I can't do that, you don't want to hear me rant. So Anna is doing well. life at home is good and work is work. However most people don't get up in the morning and look forward to going to work. Our wives look at us and say why are you smiling your going to work. Thats right,

Working around people that you share a bond with. not just I have to work with you, but hey if something bad happens today and my life is on the line, will you be there to pull me out. what about the calls we respond to what will be the next call. who's life will be hanging by a thread and will we work together ( which means that most of the time on a call not much is said we all have a job to do and not much has to be said).

If you see the way we take chaos and turn peoples lives into a careful dance of life saving. I wish I could find the words to describe what it looks like to see someone lying on the floor with a bullet hole in their chest and blood everywhere. family standing there looking at you, because you have all the answers and you will save his life and he will come home and have chores and tell jokes and be worried over their next date with a new girl. All these things are what people think about while you are tying to do what ever it takes to save a life.

It's a cool job and one hell of an adventure to come to work and do things that not many other people get to do. and at the end of the day sit down with my fellow firefighters and tell jokes over dinner and enjoy things around the station.

Well not much more to add right now, I have other things I need to do. I want to find the right words. I would love to be able to express what it's like to be and do the things I do.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Lawsuits and bandaids

Today was at the station, A few runs nothing to get excitied about. Some people think that just because you dial 911 and a fire engine and rescue unit show up that it makes for great law suit material.

You see in this world you have two types (many but for this blog two) The ones who believe that you should have to work for what you get and those that just want to take the easy road "Settelment" sure why work when you can sue. and that's why they call rescue to make it look good on paper.

When I took this job I felt like I wanted to help people. whom were sick or injured. not fatten their wallet.

Annabug is doing good today she spent the day with the babysitter, slept till noon so she is full of energy, to bad mom is not.

Where are the days of firefighting and Saving lives. I guess no one really wants to hear about the non-excititing life of medical calls to someone whom does not have insurance and needs a ride to the emergency room to get antibotics for their ear infection or a bandage for the cut to their hand.
Well not going to rattle on about the boreing stuff. just leave it at that.

Keep the faith.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

From a hero to a zero

Well, went to first concert with Annabug tonite. Aly&AJ at the Florida times union theater.

Here I sat two rows back from the biggest speakers they could find on the planet and which ment they had huge magnets that made my fillings feel like they would shoot out of my mouth if I were to try and sing along with the song. While trying to keep the metal in my mouth, I looked down at Annabug and smiled at her, She had that gleam in her eye while gazeing at the stage of the opening band. James and somebody. I knew when I saw that, that I had done the right thing. Dads a Hero. We did the whole meal deal, First the dinner then from there we got to the concert early and so we wandered down to the river and watch the water and the boats go by, life was grand. wandered back just in time the first doors opened into the building, got a few noveltys T-Shirt with Aly&AJ and tote bag with hello kitty, even a necklace. Dad was on a roll.
So here it goes, the concert was a hit so many girls and screaming and fun and dancing, But close to the end Annabug was at the stage with all the other girls of many shapes and sizes trying with despirations to touch one of the Aly&AJ proformers bump and grind and push and shove, Only inches away just a bit more and she would have been touch on the hand by her idol.

Here Come the tears. eyes welled with fluid, not the life giving but the flood that will wash away the hero's good deeds.

Home at last with the ringing still pounding my ear drums from the inside out. Annabug sniffed a bit ran her arm throught and past the underside of her nose removing the last of the drainage from her nose. Looked up with half a smile and have a tear and Said Dad Thanks I had a great time............... Eight years old ?

concert, broken shell.and tear drops

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Overtime

Once again. I have been called to work overtime at the department. I enjoy this time because it gives me a chance to work with some of the other's that I have not seen in a while.
The feeling of family it so strong with the poeple that I work with. A brotherhood that can not be found else where with the exception of the milatary.

The day is long working on a ladder truck. I am what they call the Irons man. When a fire comes in I have an ax and a halagan tool to open doors and force my way in to allow the hose team to get at the fire, I am at the forfont of the attack. no protection from the flames as I make my way into the house and continue to pave a path for the interior attack team on the hose.
Once I have made a path for hose team, I begin the search for victims overcome by smoke and heat, at the same time trying to find ways to vent smoke from the building.

But thats getting off the story. I continue to look into myself and try and find the answers to what will be next for me. I have to work on not being such a Jerk. and make a difference in the lives of people that support me and give me strenght in my life. My wife and daughter are that and more. I have caused such pain in both I don't know how either one of them is going to ever forgive me.
I think that most of what I do to them is out of anger, or anguis, but the fact that I think that it's ok to take it out on them is something that I will have to work on.
That's why I have been reading my good friends Book (John Cowart's blogs-2005, )I feel that some highter power brought me to his house. Or maybe it's the fact that Some how someway I feel better when I spend sometime with him.

Either way I have been reading his book as a guide to family life. Not his family but how he handles some of the problems and stresses of his life, maybe in someway I can find the same patients and compassion that he shares with others to rub off on me.

Anyway John if you ever read this I hope you know, That although your daughter and I did not remain together, She was a good wife and companion and I hope see can forgive me..... I know the reason we did not stay together was totally My responsibility. as a husband and friend I failed.

Maybe getting some of this burden out in the open will make my life better in the future a little lighter to carrie.

HOPE>

Friday, August 10, 2007

A new day

This is the first of I hope many blogs. I have been inspireded please keep an eye out.

I work for a fire department and I have some many things to blog about. I can express my view. share my life with other blogers and hope that someone might get something out of this might help someone . even if its me.