|
|
Posted by Arthur P. Bloom on Monday, February 09, 2009 at 22:51:52 :
This morning I decided to sleep in. At 0815, the ambulance pager activated. I got up in a groggy stupor, got to the ambulance barn in two minutes, and drove the rig to the job. I am only a driver, not a medic. A few of us firefighters have volunteered to drive because the ambulance squad is undermanned in the winter. The EMT's can go directly to the scene and the rig shows up right at the same time, saving a few minutes.
It was a cardiac arrest at a close friend's house. He was 68 years old and had a few health issues, like diabetes and circulation problems. He was beyond help by the time the cop on patrol got to him and began CPR. We got there 5 minutes later, and the EMT's worked on him for 20 minutes on the way to the hospital.
It just points out how fragile the whole deal is. One day you're here, and the next day you wake up dead. I'll miss him. Sorry for the rant. You guys can relate, I'm sure.
Follow Ups: