The Fat Fireman Blog

Its a boy!

2010-12-12T10:57:00.004-05:00

Last week I responded to a pregnant women bleeding. She was 8 month along. We arrived to find a 30 something year old women sitting on her kitchen floor in a pool of blood. She had lost about 400ml of blood already. She had a blood pressure of 80/palpation and a pulse of 120. At this point we are just concerned with saving mom and figure that the baby is a lost cause. We get her on the cot and start large bore IV's and start our transport to the hospital. We elevate her legs and give lots of fluids. By now her blood pressure is 60/palpation and she is still bleeding. We have the ambulance moving as fast as it will go with a police escort.... We are all a little scared at this point.

We are able to bring her blood pressure back up to 90/50 with the fluids. My partner calls in report to the hospital. When we pull up under the awning to the ER there is a whole team waiting there for us. They decide to have us take her right up to labor and delivery. On a side note. Why is it that people who are not trained on it always want to push our stretcher? Twice I had to tell a Doc or a Nurse to let go of the stretcher on our way to the floor. We arrived on the floor and turned over care to the hospital staff.

We deconned the cot and the truck and wondered how our patient was doing. There was a great deal of blood to be cleaned up. We talked about the call the whole way back to the station, and what we could have done better. The next day my Chief calls me and tells me that the hospital was able save both mom and baby, and I'm happy to say it's a boy. Both mom and baby are doing great and are at home! JS

Some pics from Crzygrl's wedding....

2010-09-19T09:49:00.003-04:00

My summer in Pictures

2010-09-14T16:36:00.003-04:00

He walked to the cot!

2010-09-08T20:50:00.003-04:00

Let me start this post by saying I'm sorry. I know I have not posted anything in a while. I have not had much to write about.

Tonight we were dispatched to a patient not breathing, while enroute dispatch advised us CPR in progress. We arrive to find a 28 year old male laying on the floor, pulseless, and not breathing. He was ash in color and looked dead. The police officers on scene were doing CPR when we arrived. I told the officers to stop CPR. I checked for breathing and pulse and found neither. My partner was getting ready with the BVM and O2. I started chest compressions, my compressions were much deeper and well timed than the officers were. On my third compression the patient opened his eyes and looked at me and his color started to return. Before I could complete the next compression the patient was talking to me. We put him on O2 via nonrebreather mask at 15 liters per min. Then we put the heart monitor on him and it was showing a sinus tachycardia rhythm. This is a normal rhythm, but not for some one that was dead 30 seconds earlier. He was able to stand up and walk the two steps to our cot. We got him in the rig and started an IV. He was transported to the hospital without any problem.

This is maybe my 4th CPR save in an over ten year career. I have had another CPR save walk out of the hospital, but this is the first time I have ever had one that could walk into the hospital. It was very cool and I am geeked again about what I do! JS

Snorting it? Really? (pick of the shift)

2010-07-11T16:36:00.002-04:00

We Respond normal traffic to the jail for a 17 year old female that snorted xanax. She was very uncooperative with us and the police officers. We arrive to find her sitting in the cell yelling at PD. We ask her to calm down. PD states that she was picked up for disorderly conduct. Apparently she was yelling and screaming while walking down the streets. For being only 17 she looked like she was 30 and had been a heavy METH user. She states that she was not prescribed the xanax and had received it from her boyfriend. She stated that she crushed and snorted because it helps her relax. If this was relaxed I would not want to see her worked up! Her vital signs were all normal and she was A&Ox3. We had to force her onto the cot and restrain her. We started a 20 gauge IV of normal saline, and transported her priority 3 to the closest ER. When we arrived at the ER we gave report and suggested that she be put in an ISO room, but our suggestion was ignored and she was placed in a hall cart. That was until she started yelling again... Then the ER staff restrained her and moved her to an ISO room. Do they think that we make requests like that for our own sake? We try to help them out and we get ignored... Oh well! So please tell me, would you have done anything different on this call? JS

Thanks Dad!

2010-06-20T23:09:00.002-04:00

Let me tell you about the best man I know. He is a hard working, loving, family man. He has always been there for me. As I have matured into adulthood he has become a great friend. My Dad has taught me so much, including how important it is to do the right thing. I guess I just wanted to say thank you Dad, and that I love you! JS

Dialysis patient....and staff

2010-06-01T21:23:00.003-04:00

So, today I am working on a basic transfer unit for the private ambulance service. We get called to a local dialysis center for a prescheduled transfer of a patient going back to the nursing home after dialysis treatment. This patient is one of our regulars and we know her well. She is normally nonverbal, but responds to basic commands.

We arrive at her chair to find her flush in color, breathing at about 30 times a min and shallow, and it sounds like she is drowning in her own fluids. I mean she is outright gurgling.

The dialysis tech and the RN on duty want her to go back to the nursing home and don't seem even a little concerned about her current state. Of course we tell the staff that we are taking her to the closest ER. They seem dumbfounded by our assessment and decision.

We promptly move the patient onto our cot and sit her almost completely upright. Next we put her on 15 liters per min of O2 via mask and take her priority one to the ER. When we arrive at the ER they take her right back to a trauma room, perform RSI intubation and place her on a vent. She is later transferred to the ICU.

My question is "How long was she like this prior to our arrival?". Why didn't anyone at the dialysis center seem concerned about this? Why didn't anyone call 911? Do some of our fellow healthcare providers care this little about the patients we treat? What blows my mind was that the RN and tech were more concerned about us not getting a post treatment weight than why we were rushing her out of the center... What do you think? JS

Whats happening in my life

2010-05-27T23:37:00.005-04:00

So here is whats happening in my life. I'm single again, I think all women are crazy! we had our annual man weekend a couple of weeks ago, and it was a hoot. There really hasn't been anything exciting going on work lately at least no calls worth writing about. Besides, I haven't felt much like writing lately.

I did spend the Holiday weekend with my family. We loaded up in my parents motor home and headed to Traverse city. I really like it up there. I almost took a full time fire job there a few years ago. We visited the state hospital that had been turned into condos and shopping. I did a little SCUBA diving while up there. The water is crystal clear and the bottom is sandy, much better than it is down here.

We spent a day at Sleeping Bear dunes national lake shore on Lake Michigan. The views were breath taking! above are some pics from that day trip. We visited the ghost town of Glen Haven that is now operated by the National Park Service. It was a fun filled day of Michigan history. I recommend that anyone visiting northern lower Michigan go check it out!

Our trip was cut short by an electrical problem that almost started a fire in the motor home, but even with that happening it was still a great trip! JS

Paintball

2010-05-16T20:29:00.003-04:00

Every year I host a paintball and shooting sports weekend for my friends in public safety and the military. We have been doing this for about ten years now. This event has become way more popular with my friends than I would have expected. All I can say is that it was a hoot and I'm looking forward to next years trip already. Kyle, Thanks for the awesome food. Ribs one night and steak the next, all cooked over a wood fire, it could not have been beaten! So here some pics from the trip, hope you like them. JS

Instead of real content

2010-05-05T11:16:00.002-04:00

I promise I will be back posting soon, but untill then enjoy these pics! JS

Day trip to michigans west coast.

2010-04-16T10:30:00.005-04:00

So, I grabbed my girlfriend and picked up my parents and headed for the coast. My beautiful lady got the chance to meet the one and only Crzegrl! We stopped at a hanger and saw my friend Emily at work. Emily turned me on to blogging years ago. It was a great visit, my girlfriend and parents really seemed to enjoy the tour.

Saugatuck was our next stop. This town reminds of Key West, I don't know why but it does. By the way I love Key West. We did some shopping and had a great dinner overlooking the bay. The view was amazing and the food was OK.

After that we headed for South Haven. The beaches are golden sand with cool, deep, blue waters. We walked on the breakwall out to the lighthouse as the sun was hanging low in the sky. It was a perfect moment. As the sun started setting we headed home. It was a very good day. JS

We need helmets..... and Love?

2010-04-10T21:18:00.003-04:00

Well as you can see by the pic this is clearly the women for me. I know my posts are becoming few and far between. I've benn really busy setting up our new cadet program, and I have a wonderful new women in my life. By the way we are in need of fire helmets, gloves and boots for our cadets, if anyone is willing to donate these items please let me know, we are willing to pay for shipping. So I'm sorry, but I like spending time with her more than I like writing posts on here, but I promise there are many more posts to come... JS

The perfect call

2010-04-08T20:34:00.002-04:00

We respond to a heroin overdose. Onboard Alpha 2 is my Paramedic, a probie, and myself. As we are pulling up on scene P.D. reports CPR in progress. We walk in to see a cop doing chest compressions. The patient is purple in color and unresponsive. We tell the cop to stop CPR. I check for a pulse... she has a strong radial pulse at about 100bpm. I throw a BVM to the probie and tell him to start giving breaths, he does, I then hook the O2 bottle to the BVM. While this is going on my Paramedic gets his intubation kit ready. My partner drops the tube perfectly and I spike a bag of saline. We get the line on the first try. The probie is back to bagging our patient. As I secure the line, our second unit arrives and I throw the Medic on that truck the Narcan and tell him to draw it up. He gets the Narcan ready and my Medic pushes it. I held down the patient while the medic extubated her after she started to breath on her own. She wakes up! We transport to the local hospital and the next day she walks out.... Everything just went perfect on that call. It was awesome teamwork with a great outcome... yaa us! JS

My Life

2010-03-23T21:04:00.003-04:00

A picture of me in the fire academy

I am doing what I always wanted to do with my life. To some, where I am in my life is just a stepping stone, but to me, its where I'm supposed to be. A friend asked me the other day if I wanted to be more than I am right now? The answer to that is no. I love my life, I love my career, and I love my friends and family. He also asked if I wanted to make more money? Of course the answer to that is yes, but not if it means I have to give up what I'm doing now.

A great deal of people don't understand the desire to serve that most of us as first responders have. To them it is all about class and how much money you have. Money is not the driving force in my life and I hope it never is. To me its about the trust that people put in me because of the uniforms I wear, its the look of relief they have when we walk in the door. Its like they are saying to them selves that things are going to be OK because help is here.

I have seen my share of death and destruction in my ten year career in public safety, but that's not what this job is about. For me its the feeling I get when someones says thank you for saving a loved one, or protecting there property, or just making them more comfortable on there journey to the other side.

If I could change anything it would be to have started down the path I'm on earlier in life. I will never get rich doing what I do, I will probably die younger than most because of the way I have treated my body and the life style I have lived. But right now I think that it is all worth it. At age 31 I have done some pretty cool things and been to some really awesome places and have made a few life long friendships.

Now I'm at a point in my career where I just don't get to do it, but I get to teach it as well. I get to share my experiences with my future coworkers, and hope that they will be able to learn from my mistakes and my success. Whether its teaching at the Fire Academy, instructing my departments cadets, or teaching BLS courses. I can now save lives and property in the field by my own hands or through education and others hands.

I hope I have many more good years ahead of me in my career. I know that if I wake up sore in the morning its because I helped a sick patient down the stairs, or I saved someones property battling a blaze. To me that makes the aches and pains well worth it. Its safe to say my life rocks! JS

really busy

2010-03-22T20:57:00.002-04:00

I'm sorry....... I have new girl in my life, working more hours than ever, and heading up a new youth program at work, I'm really busy. I have some great stories to share, and in some free time coming soon I will put some new posts up. Please bear with me! JS

A stressful week

2010-03-07T16:09:00.003-05:00

A wise man once told me that you create your own stress. That being said, I'm glad today is beginning of a new week. Last week my girlfriend and I broke up, got back together and broke up again. I know that I miss her like crazy but I think it was still the right decision. My mom went into have her hip replaced, after a few days in the hospital she was released and is doing very well. I lost my alpha pager and had to put some money into my truck to keep it on the road. While all this was going on I was developing a cadet program for the fire department that we are launching on Wednesday..... Well I survived and I hope I don't create anymore stress for myself... JS

She died on my cot (pick of the shift)

2010-02-27T11:57:00.001-05:00

We get called at around midnight for a patient with trouble breathing. We arrive to find a 55 year old female at home breathing about 30 times a min and complained of minor chest tightness. Our patient has no medical history other than anxiety and was taking no meds. She is alert and answers questions correctly. Her pulse is about 90 and her blood pressure is 132/86. Her pulse ox is in the high 90% range. We put her on a nonrebreather mask at 12 lpm of O2 just because. She was having a hard time with the mask. She walked to the cot for us and we did a 4 lead ECG. The ECG was unremarkable and showed a NSR. We gave asprin and nitro per our dib/cp protocall. We loaded her in the truck and I got in the drivers seat. My paramedic partner was in back with her. We started our transport priority three, thinking she was having an anxiety attack. She was talking to my partner until we turned into the hospital. As we started to unload her she seized and stopped breathing. We started bagging her as we entered the ER. As we hit the doors to the hospital she lost her pulse. We started chest compressions. We took her to the trauma room and yelled for a crash cart and a doc. We moved her to the hospital bed and shocked her because the monitor showed v-fib. The shock put her into PEA. The monitor showed NSR at 60bpm but she had no pulse. The ER doc called time of death 20 min later. It was my last run on my last shift before going on vacation. Tell me, what would you have done differrently? JS

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pics from my sisters wedding in the islands

2010-02-23T22:16:00.003-05:00

So my sister got married last week on St. Thomas USVI, here are some pics!

Backdraft and my love for the job!

2010-02-03T21:31:00.004-05:00

That is an original "Backdraft" movie poster and it is hanging on the back of my bedroom door. I picked it up on ebay a few years ago. Backdraft came out in 1991, I was 13 years old and knew the first time I saw it I wanted to be a firefighter. To do this day it is still one of my favorite movies. Later in high school I took an interest in EMS and took an MFR course.

Now I have been on the job for ten years and I still love it as much as I did when I first started. Some days I forget how lucky I am to be doing what I really wanted to do..... Those are normally the days I pay my bills and realize how little money I make.

I am very lucky, I get the chance to make a difference in some ones life every time I go to work. How many people can say that? It doesn't matter if its making Grandma more comfortable on her way to the hospital or pulling somebody out of a burning building. I'm proud of what I do, but I don't think I'm as proud of it as my mother is!

Let me tell what I love most about this job. Its the look of hope and trust I see in peoples eyes when I arrive on scene, its like they know help is here and things are going to get better. People trust me simply because of the uniform I am wearing. What other job could you get that? I guess I'm just saying I love my jobs and my life! JS

I may question my faith, but my ears are still open

2010-02-03T16:52:00.003-05:00

I'm driving home from the firehouse this morning listening to the old AM news radio station. I hear an ad on the radio from the red cross. The ad says that there is an extreme shortage of type O neg blood and they need donors. I don't think much of the ad until I look out my window and see a sign for a blood drive at a local school.

Just in case you didn't know I have type O negitive blood. I made a sharp left turn into the school parking lot and donated a pint of my own type O neg.

I still don't know how I feel about God, but something tells me that I needed to give blood. So be nice to me, I gave blood today. JS

Like shooting rats in a basement

2010-01-28T20:21:00.003-05:00

I work EMS in the burbs for a private provider. My partner drives in from the country, needless to say he doesn't have a great deal of experience with the inner city culture. A couple of weeks ago we are taking a transport from the ER of a smaller community hospital to the ER of a major medical center in the inner city.

We arrive at the hospital and I tell my partner to make sure he locks the truck, reminding him of the story of my ambulance being stolen from the ambulance bay at a major hospital in the inner city a few years ago. I can tell he is a little uncomfortable with the crazies running around the ER. He looks at me and tells me to give report to the ER staff because I speak "their language". Now he didn't mean for it to sound racist, but the two black medics behind us didn't know that!

After tempers cool down we make our way back out of the ER. On our way out I notice a women sitting on the edge of the bed with blood oozing out of what looks like a gunshot wound in her lower leg. She is dripping blood all over the floor.

I decide to ask her how she got shot and she said it was her fault. I asked "what do you mean?". She informed me that she was shooting rats in her basement with a .22 cal pistol. That's right, shooting rats in her basement! Detroit rats can grow to be the size of a racoon. Only in Detroit does one shot rats in the basement for fun! She had dropped the pistol, when it hit the floor it discharged, shooting her in the leg. One thing about this job, I see something new every day! JS

I think like an EMT and not a cop

2010-01-15T22:57:00.004-05:00

As some of you know I get to dabble in police work from time to time. This call made me realize that I think like a Firefighter/EMT and not like a cop.

I open the door to the patrol car. I approach the wreck of mangled cars. As I approach the first car involved in this head on collision from the passenger side I notice that the car is running and both airbags have deployed. I glance over to the other car involved and see the driver has exited his car and looks to be OK. I open the passenger side door of the first car to see 4 young children as passengers and the driver still in the car. The oldest child, 9 years old, is riding in the front seat. His face is covered in blood. The driver and the other passengers seem to be shaken up, but OK. The 9 year old boy is scared and in pain, he can see all the blood out of his one good eye. My first thought is glove up. Then I realize I don't have gloves in the pocket of my trauma pants.... Why? Because I'm not wearing trauma pants. I yell for an officer to grab the first aid kit out of the trunk of the patrol car. He brings it over to me knowing that I know what to do for this child. I have Mom (driver) turn the car off and grab C-spine. I start dressing the wounds to the boys face and head. Something on my belt keeps hanging me up on the door while I'm trying to provide patient care. I look to my right hip to see what it is... Oh yea, its my gun, forgot that was there.

By now other police units have arrived on scene and I can hear the Q siren of the approaching fire rigs. Mom is a little freaked out looking at her son. While I'm waiting for fire to arrive I start talking to the boy about his dog, trying to keep his mind off of the pain and blood. I Then take C-spine from Mom as the Fire/Medics approach me. I give them report (After letting them know that I'm a firefighter/EMT). We collar and backboard the boy and load him into the rescue.

I take a step back, feeling sorry for our patients mother. I then realize that there is still another job to be done here. I quickly move to traffic control to allow the rescue to leave the scene and transport to the local trauma center.

Here is that part I don't like about police work. We arrive at the trauma center only a few minutes after the rescue. Make our way to the trauma room to find Mom. Her son is stable, he looked worse than he was. I find myself wanting to talk to Mom about her son and to offer my shoulder, but I can't. I must keep my distance. I'm keeping my distance because I'm not here to care for her son, I'm here to give her a traffic ticket. The wreck was her fault and as much as I didn't want to see her get a violation, it had to be done. It was at that moment I knew I liked Fire/EMS way better than law enforcement! JS

Where did my faith go?

2010-01-12T21:40:00.006-05:00

As I sit here listening to the Beatles I start thinking about god. I was raised Catholic and always thought of myself as a person of great faith even though as an adult I have not been very religious. Lately I have been questioning my faith. I asked my parents to join me at midnight mass this past Christmas. I was hoping this would help me find my faith. It did no such thing. If there is a god, I need him to answer some questions for me.

Lets start with the saying "God never gives someone more than they can handle." This is total bull shit! If this was true I would not have responded to great deal of suicides I have seen in my career. What is the learning lesson in a young mother cradling her lifeless baby on the side of the road. A baby that passed of SIDs while riding home in a car seat. Why couldn't I save this one, but I can always save the asshole that ODs on heroin? What about the child that is sexually abused by someone that is supposed to be a role model, If she survives her childhood she will never be able to have a healthy relationship as an adult. Where was god then?

Where was god when I saw the destruction from Katrina and Rita? All most of the people wanted at that time and place was clean drinking water, food, and shelter. This was more than some of these people could handle.

What about the many terminal cancer patients I have watched slowly die as they give every bit of fight they have in them for one more day here on earth... Where was god then? Where was god when my friend was forced to shoot and kill a child in combat to save his own life and the lives of the men he was serving with?

How do I find my faith again? I feel like there is hole in my life... No amount of preaching or church going will fill it. JS

My fav pics

2010-01-08T03:34:00.005-05:00

So instead of some real content, here are some of my favorite pictures.

Pictures from our morning pia

2010-01-04T10:49:00.001-05:00

Here are some pics from an mva we were on this morning.

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Wanderlust......... If that's even a word?

2009-12-23T23:25:00.004-05:00

pssst, by the way, my girlfriend hates the hat I'm wearing in this pic! I love it, its one of my favorite hats.

As the snow falls up here in the great white north, there is no doubt that it will be a white Christmas this year. I wish I was some place that I could hang Christmas lights on a palm tree. I have often considered myself an Islander without an island. I guess if I really wanted to I could pack up and head south for the Caribbean. The biggest problem with this plan is my friends and family are all up here and the idea of starting somewhere new without my support team, job, and a home just scares the shit out of me!

I could see myself as a charter boat captain in the islands or a SCUBA diving guide on the many reefs of the Caribbean. Either job would be ok with me. I think after a while I would start to miss the excitement of saving lives or fire fighting. Still, I find myself day dreaming, wonder what it would be like to see the reflecting sun off the sea and sandy beaches instead of snow and ice.

I seem to be more depressed today than normally in the winter. Its a combination of knowing that an old friend died this morning (it was his time), or maybe its that the holidays seem to hold nothing special for me anymore, or maybe its because I know its going to be six months before I enjoy the warm sun on my skin, behind the helm of the boat. At any rate I think I need an adventure. The loud Jimmy Buffet music and rum just isn't doing it for me anymore. I need to quench my wanderlust!

Don't get me wrong, I've had some great adventures, but the older I get the fewer they become. I'm going to spend a week in the Caribbean in about a month and a half, and that promises to be a great trip filled with my family and my closest friends. What can I do to quench this thirst on a public servants salary until then? I'm open to ideas (or donations) from you, my friends.....

I guess this post said a whole lot of nothing and really had no meaning, but this what you get when I sit down at the computer without a direction to write in. So, Happy holidays my friends. I pray the next year is better than the last! Fins up! JS

Unresponsive? (Pick of the shift)

2009-12-21T19:28:00.003-05:00

We had a busy morning today, this is the most interesting call. We get the call as an unresponsive female at BLANK address. We arrive to find a 38 year old female laying on the dinning room floor. She is purple and turning ash in color. She looked dead. But she was barely breathing at about 4 times a minute. My partner and I start working her asap. We talk to another women on scene to find out that our patient has a history of drug abuse.

The first thing we start doing is bagging the patient with a BVM at 15 lpm of O2. Her pulse ox was 20% when we started. We tried to intubate but she bit down as soon as we tried to open her mouth. I inserted a NPA to assist with maintaining an airway. My partner then started to attempt an IV in her left AC, but was not successful. Rather than try again in her arms we placed the IV in her juggler. She had a blood sugar of 537 and a BP of 106/64. She did not have a history of diabetes. her eyes were pinpoint and fixed. Her friend reported that she had smoked crack the night before and was using pain killers.

Bagging her brought her pulse ox up into the 90's. We pushed a total of 4mg of narcan, but had no response. While trying to push the drug our patient's mother arrived and started screaming at the other women on scene, then they started fighting while we were working our patient. It took the police department to break them up. We loaded our patient up in the rig and took off lights and sirens for the closest hospital. We took our patient right into the trauma room and met the code team where we handed over patient care. They RSI the patient and try more Narcan, but they seem just as stumped as we did..... What would you have done? Any ideas what was going on with our patient? Tell me what you think! JS

pics and quick trip to the tattoo parlor

2009-12-11T13:08:00.003-05:00

The pic above was taken of my partner joy riding around the ER at our local hospital.

So we go to pick up a patient from the hospital. Our patient is nonverbal and not alert. He is returning home after being treated for an infection. My partner is teching and I'm driving. All I have is an address on a major street in Detroit. As I am driving down the street I notice that this is not a residential area. All that I see is old store fronts suffering the wrath of urban decay.

I drive past the address because I am looking for a home. I turn around and drive back still unable to locate this house. I decide I'm going to pay closer attention to the store fronts.

I find the address. Its a tattoo parlor, not a house. It looks like the tattoo parlor is not open for the day yet. I get out and go around to the back door and knock. To my surprise a women with a shaved head and covered in tats answers the door. I ask if I'm in the right place, and she tells me that I am. We go in the door with our patient on the cot. At the back of the tattoo parlor they had built a small kitchen and bedroom. That's right our patient lived in the tattoo parlor. Can you believe that? I see something new every time I go to work. JS

Ped MVA

2009-12-02T12:51:00.005-05:00

As many of you know I work on a paramedic/EMT ALS unit. Most of the agencies around us are required to run paramedic/paramedic ALS units. We were granted special permission to run this way by our local medical control. This is important to understand. My department normally staffs one BLS unit and one ALS unit. In the event we catch a fire the four of us hop on the engine and the on-call firefighters staff the rest of the trucks.

I'm on duty the other night working on the ALS unit. The BLS unit is also up. We get toned out for a car vs women. Both units respond. We arrive on scene first. We are told right away that 2 people were hit, so I advise dispatch we have multiply patients. We requested mutual aid from our next closest station, we asked for one more ALS unit. My partner and I started working on the most seriously injured patient while the Basic crew started care on the other patient.

My Paramedic partner does his assessment of our patient. Our patient is A&Ox3, denies any LOC, but has a nasty open fracture on her left ankle, her foot was hanging on by the skin only. By now our mutual aid is arriving. I tell my partner I can splint the ankle and get her back boarded and he can go get his IV and other ALS equipment set up in the truck.

When our mutual aid arrives on scene they show up with 2 ALS engines, and a BLS transport truck. We only requested one ALS unit. We are not union and we are happy not being union, our city takes good care of us. Our mutual aid paramedics are IAFF union members and some times that creates some issues between our departments. Don't get me wrong I was a union firefighter for years, and I have no problem with the unions.

Our mutual aid personel swarm our scene like bees. Not asking once what we needed. I had three of there personel come up to me and try to take control of my patient from me. When I told them what I was doing and what was going on, I was told that I was not being talked to. I said to them that we were an ALS unit 3 times, they ignored me. I told them that it was my patient and my paramedic partner and I were transporting this patient to the local trauma center. They said they were putting our patient in their truck. I said no way, my patient was going in my truck and yet the continued to ignore me. Finally I had to yell for my partner to come out and help me. He forced our patient to our truck. Once there the medics from the other department saw the monitor and IV bag hanging they said "Are you guys ALS?". I could do nothing but shake my head.... We transported our patient priority one to the trauma center. Then we chatted about what had happened. So my question to my readers is how do we stop this from happening again in the future? JS

Bloody Trauma... For Bob! (Pick of the shift)

2009-11-09T15:47:00.003-05:00

We are dispatched to a fall at the local senior apartments. We arrive to find a 65 year old male patient laying on the floor next to a broken glass table with blood everywhere. Maintenance man is holding a towel to the patients head, the towel is soaked with blood. At this time our patient denies any LOC and is A&Ox3. I remove the towel to find his head squirting blood. I quickly apply a trauma dressing and ice pack to his head and wrap with cling. Next I grab C-spine, my partner and I collar and backboard him. We get him on the cot. By now he seems to have lost a great deal of blood, he bleeding through trauma dressing after trauma dressing. He is also getting confused. We start 2 large bore IV's for volume replacement. We also put him on 15LPM of O2 via mask. We transported him priority one to the closest hospital. On scene our patients vitals were as follows: 118/70bp, 72pulse, 18resp, and alert. When we got to the hospital he was 90/50bp, 110pulse, and confused. We rushed him into the trauma room and quickly turned over care. By the time we turned over care I was covered in blood, something that hasn't happened to me since I was a rookie... There was just that much blood! What would you have done differently? What could we have done better? Tell me what you think please... JS

I"m sorry

2009-11-09T00:06:00.003-05:00

Let me say I'm sorry. I have not been posting new entries very often. I have a great deal I want to tell you all about. I have just been very short on time. I'll be honest, I met a girl and she is taking up a lot of my free time... and I like it! I wish I could tell you more but I want to keep my personal life private. I promise I will start posting again, but give me a little time please. Thank you for understanding. JS

More pics from devils night in the D

2009-11-08T23:07:00.006-05:00

Devils night in the "D"

2009-10-31T14:36:00.004-04:00

A buddy of mine from another fire department met up with me and we headed for Detroit. The night before Halloween is known as devils night in Detroit. Back in the 80's and early 90's Detroit used to burn with arson fires. Today it is still a busy night but not like it used to be.

We stopped at a Fire bar for a beer to make our plan and to chat with some old friends. In the past when we have done this we would go to a firehouse and wait for them to get a call and follow them. We would chat with the crew when we arrived and told them what we were doing. They always seemed to welcome us with open arms. Firefighters come out from all over the country to chase DFD on devils night. Last night we met guys from Boston and Rhode Island.

Let me say that I love my Iphone. You can listen to Detroit fire online at Detroitfirefighters.net, there is a link to it at the bottom of my blog. There is an APP called emergency radio for the Iphone. This APP allows you to listen to many departments from all over the country, So we were able to listen to DFD live on my Iphone. This made our night, we were able to go to more fires than ever before. We had a few good ones including a fire involving four structures. I was not very impressed when we arrived at an electric pole fire to see a firefighter spraying water on a charged pole that as arching and on fire. It scared us a little so we moved on quickly!

I would like to thank the Detroit Fire and Police departments. They let us watch them work their trade and they welcomed us to do it. We had a great night and didn't make it home till almost six AM. Can't wait to do it again next year. I have some more pics and will upload them soon, sorry about the poor quality of the one posted, I took them with my phone. JS

Home invasion

2009-10-22T20:37:00.000-04:00

We responded to an injured person yesterday that was attacked in her home durring an attempted robbery. Two men pretending to be flower delivery guys forced their way into her home after she opened the door for them.

The intruders had a gun and told the victim to take them to the safe in the home. When she refused they beat her over the head with a gun in front of her grandchildren.

Then they duct taped her and dragged her by her hair to the safe. She refused to give them the combination to the safe.

Not being able to gain access to the safe the intruders fled the scene. When police arrived they found boot prints outside the home. Neighbors also stated that they saw a panel van parked across the street for hours before the crime.

Our unit arrives on scene after the police cleared it for us. We treat the patient and transport to our local hospital. Our patient's vitals are stable, and she has a nice bump on the top of her head.

She is later released from the hospital. The police are currently investigating. This was just one of our runs that day. It was one of the busiest shifts I had in a long time. JS

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dib (pick of the shift)

2009-10-16T09:42:00.002-04:00

We arrive at the local senior apts to find an 86 year old female laying down in her lazy boy chair. She is on home o2 at 2 liters per min via nasal. Her resps are at 28 and labored. Patient has no history of copd but does have a history of chf, cad, esrd, and dm. Patient has no visiable adema. What would you do!

This is what we did. We moved the patient to our cot and then sat her up. Sitting her up seemed to help more than anything. We gave her an albuterol sulfate breathing treatment, this provided some relief. Next we placed our patient on high flow o2 via non rebreather mask and provided rapid transport to the hospital! Tell me what you think. JS

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The test

2009-10-12T23:20:00.001-04:00

I'm trying out a new app on my phone for posting to my blog! Hope you enjoy the pic of my brother and me! JS

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pictures from our extrication class

2009-10-11T16:33:00.002-04:00

Katrina, FEMA, and freelancing

2009-10-06T20:15:00.002-04:00

I have been wanting to write this post for a long time. I haven't until now because it shows some of my fellow firefighters in a negative light during the Katrina response. I try to be as positive as I can be on my blog. Taking the recommendation of my friend Bob, writing this post is more for me to vent about my experiences and anger than to entertain my three readers. Also there was a group of firefighters from another south east Michigan department that deployed to New Orleans that were not happy with what I did down there. These firefighters didn't speak highly of me after they returned home. They seemed to make it into a union issue; I was a union firefighter at the time. So maybe if one of them reads this it might set the story straight.

Let me tell you a little about my brief career with FEMA and the USFA. I started as a DAE (Disaster reservist) with FEMA a few years before Katrina. This was a position that my former Fire Chief helped me get. I was deployed as a task force leader in Florida for the response of hurricanes Charlie, Francis, and Ivan. I was also deployed as a community relation’s specialist for hurricane Dennis the following year, and just before I was sent to Louisiana I was sent to the Carolinas to do damage assessments after Hurricane Ophila. Then I received my position as Operations Chief of the Incident Management Team (IMT) in LA. This was a position with the United States Fire Administration (USFA). Later I served as the leader of this team before returning home.

When FEMA asked for volunteers from the fire service to respond to Katrina for a community relation’s mission, they were told that this would be non-operational type work. Yet many of the firefighters took it upon themselves to freelance in operational type roles. Some didn't know they were freelancing because they were just following orders from their task force leaders. These task force leaders were operating outside of there given mission and thought they were doing the right thing.

My IMT was tasked with being the liaison between the USFA and FEMA, and was responsible for all firefighters assigned to the LA theater, including New Orleans. That was about 2600 firefighters. This team was not put into place until 10 days after FEMA started sending firefighters to LA. Needless to say we had our work cut out for us just tracking down and accounting for all the firefighters in the field.

I worked out of the Joint Field Office (JFO) in Baton Rouge LA, however my supervisor was at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg MA. My point of contact in the JFO was Thad Allen's (USCG) chief of staff. I did not report to anyone in the JFO and that really bothered some other groups working in the JFO. It seems like in the federal government everyone has built their own little empire and is really hung up on their job titles. This often prevents any work from being done. This created a great deal of friction and hindered my team’s efforts many times.

While serving in this role I took a trip down to New Orleans to meet with task force leadership and try to get a count of how many firefighters were working in the area. I also wanted to make sure our firefighters were working the correct mission. Remember that these firefighter were supposed to be doing non-operational community relations type work. FEMA has USAR, DMAT, military and mutual aid fire agencies to do the operational work, and these groups were doing a good job. I had gotten wind that many firefighters from community relations were riding on firetrucks in some of the smaller communities around New Orleans and doing operational work. This might not seem like a big deal, but they got hurt they would not be covered by FEMA, and could open us up for a huge liability. Remember that everything I'm about to tell you about was for the good of these firefighters, and to make sure they made it home safe and sound.

I arrive in New Orleans at the disaster recovery center (DRC) and met with the task force leader. The task force leader was a firefighter from another Midwest City that came down as part of the 2600 from the USFA. He had been informed the day before that we would be coming down. He put on a really nice dog and pony show for us. He took us out into the field to meet with some of his firefighters. He had several hundred firefighters under his command. He had members of his staff take us out and show us what his firefighters were doing. We went to a red cross station to see his guys handing out water and mre's, then we went to a school where his firefighters were cleaning up the school trying to get it open for classes. We chatted with the firefighters and helped them work out pay issues and lodging problems.

While we were touring the school a squad leader come to me and asked if we could talk in private. So I went and talked with this gentleman. He told me that he had a couple of guys reassigned from him after an altercation on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. He gave their names and told me that they had been reassigned to a firehouse in Algiers to work as firefighters. He was also aware that nobody was supposed to doing operational work. I thanked him for the information and told him that it would be kept private. After seeing the school we were taken back to the DRC.

When we arrived back at the DRC I again met with this task force leader. I told him that I thought they were doing some good work and to keep it up. I asked him if he needed anything from me or my team, and that we would be happy to help any way we could. So I then told him that I had been hearing rumors that firefighters were working in firehouses and that this was not our mission. I asked if there was any truth to these rumors. He told me "no!". He did say that he had some guys sleeping at firehouses because of the problem with lodging, and I told him that was not a problem as long as they were not working in those firehouses. He told me that as far as he knew they were only sleeping there. But he seemed uncomfortable talking about this issue, and that made me think.....

After leaving the DRC in New Orleans I decided to make a stop at the firehouse in Algiers to check on the validity of this story... Guess what I found? That’s right, I found two firefighter from Texas, one had a huge black eye! Story confirmed! I showed these firefighter my ID and started a dialog with them. They were very helpful and this was the story they told.

A few days before they were walking down Bourbon St. and saw a guy shoving another guy on the street. Remember, at this time New Orleans was a closed city and the only people allowed in the city were military and government workers, and for some reason almost half the bars in the French quarter were open. They were entertaining all the workers there to help. Back to the story, These two guys decided to try and break up the fight before it got out of hand. As it turned out the guys shoving were also USFA firefighters. When they stepped in one of them was clocked in the eye by one of the guys shoving, but they managed to keep their cool and break up the fight.

The next day these two firefighters went to the DRC to make a complaint about the fight and a statement. They were told by task force leadership that they wanted to keep this issue "in the firehouse", and if they agreed they would be reassigned to a firehouse. They were then told to take their US Government car back to Texas and pick up their Bunker Gear. They agreed. After returning to New Orleans they learned that the guy that had punched one of them in the eyes was in fact the task force leader himself. However they had decided to let sleeping dogs lay because they liked their new assignment.

I told them that they were not supposed to be doing operational type work and that I had to investigate the issue. I told them that if they got hurt they would be on their own. I also told them to stay put right now but let me know if anything changed. I then gave them my personal cell number. I also informed them that after this was finished I could put them on my staff and get them away from that task force. They agreed and I was on my way back to Baton Rouge.

On my way back to the JFO I received a call on my personal cell phone from these 2 firefighters. They told me that they had just been informed that the next morning eight more guys from the task force were being assigned to that firehouse to work as firefighters. So the next morning I returned to the Algiers firehouse. As I arrived I saw the guy that had given me the tour the day before talking to 8 firefighter outside the firehouse. I walked up to him and asked if we could talk in private. He told me that he was following orders and that these guys were now assigned to this firehouse. I said ok, and told him that none of the USFA guys were supposed to be working in firehouses. I got in my car and started back for Baton Rouge again. Before I made it 20 mins down the road my government cell phone was ringing, it was our task force leader, I told him I would chat with him after I returned to my office and hung up the phone. He tried to call me many more times, even blocking his number in hopes that I would answer. He started yelling union shit at me, and how we needed to stick together as union brothers. I told him I was not working for the union right now (I was the union steward at home dept at that time) and that I was working for the USFA and that I would chat with him when I got back to my desk.

A few mins after my last conversation with the task force leader my personal cell phone was ringing. It was my 2 friends in Algiers. They told me that they were ordered not to talk to me or anyone else from the JFO and that the entire task force was being told the same thing. I said thanks for the update and kept driving. Before I made it back to the JFO my personal phone was ringing again. This time the 2 firefighter were telling me that they were already receiving threats from other members of the task force. I told them to pack their things and head for the JFO ASAP, and when the got there to tell security that they had a meeting with me. Our security was being done by Blackwater at that time, and they didn't screw around.

When I made it to my desk I had over a dozen messages on my desk phone from the task force leader. However my first call was to my boss at the USFA. I asked what he wanted me to do. The first thing he said was that we had to get all the guys in the task force out of operational assignments, he then told me that these guys were freelancing and should be sent home. I told him they where just following orders from the task force leader and shouldn't be punished, but we agreed that they needed to be reassigned to community relations functions. I then told him about the fight involving the task force leader on Bourbon Street and about my visit the day before. I told him how the task force leader was lying to my face about firefighters doing operational work, and about the 2 firefighter I met in Algiers and about the threats they were getting. He told me that the decision was mine on what to do with the task force leader, but that the recommendation from him was to send the task force leader home and call his Department Chief at the Midwest city Fire Dept and tell him what his firefighter was doing.

About the time I was finishing up my conversation with my boss the two firefighters from Algiers were arriving at my office. I had them write formal statements detailing the events of the past few days. Then I asked what they wanted to do. I told them I could have them reassigned to Alabama, or another part of LA, or they could stay at the JFO on my staff or they could go home. They decide to work in the JFO for a while then moved on to another part of LA.

Let me tell you that I was pretty pissed off for being lied to, for the threats against the 2 firefighter, and most of all for the freelancing being done by the task force leader..... After I had a couple hours to cool down I called the task force leader. When I called him, I told him that his services were no longer needed and that was to report to the JFO the next morning to be out-processed. I thanked him for his service during his time in New Orleans. He did not take it well and started yelling at me on the phone. He asked who my boss was, and I told him, but he didn't seem to want to call the USFA. I told him if he didn't come to Baton Rouge in the morning I would be forced to get law enforcement involved and his Fire Chief at home. I told him the choice was his. He did report to the JFO in the morning and I took his government issued property away from him, including his cell phone and told him to go the demobilization center to go home. He decided instead to try and see the Chief of Staff at the JFO. I walked past him outside the Chief of Staffs office and entered the office. The Chief of Staff and I walked out to get lunch and our former task force leader was trying to get his attention. He was ignored. I guess he sat outside his office for almost 2 days before Blackwater took him to demobilization. He finally went home having never seen the Chief of Staff.

I promoted the Asst. Task force leader to Task Force leader. I told him what he had to change and he complied. To my knowledge he served as task force leader for the duration of his deployment. I was told that the firefighters from another southeast Michigan fire dept were also assigned to firehouses in the New Orleans area. They were told that I made the rule that USFA firefighters were not allowed to work in operations. That was not true! I just didn't want anyone I was responsible for to get hurt and not be covered. I didn't want that on my chest. I hope they can understand that. I was just trying to do what I thought was the right thing. Shortly after this event I returned home and resigned my appointment with the US government. I was burned out. With all the bull shit going on down there it was really hard to get anything done without some kind of interference. I guess you could say I gave up, but I feel like I did my part for King and country. I spent over 3 months down there, 3 months of getting paid for 12 hr shifts but really working 16-18 hours a day seven days a week, 3 months of MRE's, sleeping in tents on a cot, and using porta-Johns, 3 months of ignoring my family, my job, and my union. It was just time for me to go home! My boss was very upset about my decision but I taught my Asst. how to do my job, and I was told that he did it well! Tell me what your feeling are on this post and Katrina. JS

My trip to the V.A.

2009-09-20T13:02:00.002-04:00

I was doing a hospital transfer from our base hospital to the closest VA. Our patient was a 34 year old combat vet with terminal cancer. He was going to the VA because the government wouldn't pay for care at the private hospital. He was one of the nicest and most agreeable patients I have ever had the privilege of treating or transporting. We chatted all the way to the VA, talking mostly of his young daughter, family, and the military.

My patient lived in Reno, he moved there to find work after getting out of the Army. He had returned to Michigan to see his family before he passed, but while he was here he got ill and was forced to go to the hospital.

We arrive at the VA, and from the moment we entered the hospital we were treated like crap. Some one had already accepted our patient via the telephone, but admissions wasn't going to let him in without a copy of his DD-214 (military discharge paperwork). The problem is his DD-214 is in Reno. After much conversation they decide to accept our patient.

Our patient is ambulatory but is laying on our cot because he is a little weak. We arrive on the floor and approach the desk. The unit clerk tells us last room on the right. We proceed down the hallway and enter room. I turn down the bed for our patient and we lower the cot so he can take the 2 steps to the bed. Just after our patient lays down his nurse enters the room, looks at me and starts yelling "You should have waited for me before you moved the patient!". I told him that I could have him get out of bed, walk back to our cot and then get back in bed, if that was what he wanted. He just stormed off down the hall. I quickly caught up with him, and tried to give report. He refused to take report from me or even look at the chart. So I walked away from him and started for the desk. Then the nurse said don't you need my signature? Like he was going to screw with me any way he could. I told him no, I don't need you to sign, we are a county unit, not a city unit! I then told him that the chart would be at the desk! We then promptly left the VA.

Our Veteran deserve better than this! And if this is what government health care is like, then we are all in trouble! JS

My summer in photos

2009-09-19T18:08:00.012-04:00

Little Round Top

The National Fire Academy

Gettysburg

Hanging with D.C. Fire outside the White House

Lazy days on the boat

Recovered treasures

From the lake bed

Getting ready to get wet with members of the dive rescue team

On the range

Paintball weeked warriors 2009

Sunset from the boat

B-17 Bomber At Selfridge air base

World War II reenactment

Flying

With The

U.S. Army

Michigan west coast

Baltimore Harbor Fire Boat

Port Huron

Me and Mom at Michigans East Coast

Torch Lake... Thanks Kevin

Historic Fort Wayne (Detroit)

Party with health care providers, staying hydrated

Me and Crzegrl

Grab Life by the horns

Chillin with

my close friends

Fort Mchenry

It's safe to say I had a great summer! But I'm sad it's over. JS

My wrist hurts (Pick of the Shift)

2009-09-15T19:29:00.003-04:00

Let me start by thanking everyone that still reads my blog... Thanks for telling me.

We get dispatched Priority 2 for wrist pain at a local nursing home. We arrive at our patient. She is a 65 year old female. She is alert and has a normal LOC. She tell us that she fell over 14 hours ago in the shower. Staff gave her motrin for pain the night before. Her wrist is deformed, swollen, and bruised. Other than the motrin she had received no care for the injury. I splinted the wrist and put an ice pack on it. We then transported to the local ER, where we gave report and patient care to the staff.

What would you do?

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I'm going to do about the abuse. I reported it to the Doc at the ER but he didn't seem to care. JS

My friend Kristie

2009-09-14T23:20:00.005-04:00

So I have this friend that has been blogging for a little while, but I had no clue that she had a blog. She is currently in Japan with her husband and the US Air Force. I'm more of an Amry guy, but I guess the USAF is ok.....

Kristie works as a Vet Tech in Japan and has also become a SCUBA diver. I'm trying to tell her that real divers dive in the freshwater that stays 42 degrees all year, but I don't think she is buying it. So to all three of you that read my blog, please go check out her blog! JS

http://nordinsinokinawa.blogspot.com/

Blog interest

2009-09-13T15:55:00.003-04:00

Lately I have noticed a large drop in my blog post comments. This made me start to wonder, am I losing readers? Have people lost interest in what I have to say? Maybe I'm a little vain, but I was wondering if you guy would tell me in the comment section of this post, who still reads my blog.

If you are still reading, then thank you very much! I would really love to hear from my readers more often. I would also like to know what I can do to improve my blog as well. So if you don't mind, let me have it. JS

Remembering 9-11-01

2009-09-11T10:02:00.007-04:00

I'm sure that a great deal of people will be blogging about this today. These are my thoughts about it. I can tell you what I was doing on that Tuesday morning but I will not, besides you probably don't care anyway. I do remember wanting to grab my gear and drive to NYC to help. I was also concerned about my many friends in the military. Most of all I wanted to know when it was going to end and what would happen next.

I had the honor of being at ground zero a few weeks after the attacks. My fire department sent a few of us there. I'll be honest, it didn't seem real to me until I was standing in the rubble where 343 of my brothers went on their last alarm. It wasn't until that moment that I really understood what happened September 11th, 2001. It all became very real to me!

It's hard to believe it was eight years ago, it seems like it happened last month. It's still very fresh in my mind. I wonder if my grandparents felt the same way about pearl harbor? Both are terrible but important events in our countries history. I hope we are safer today because of these events. It seems that the events of that warm September morning are fading in the minds of our citizens. What happened to all of those American flags we saw in the days and weeks after 9-11? What happened to the love for our fellow countrymen we saw? America has gone back to being a place where everyone's out for themselves!

Let me get off my soap box. I think it's important that we remember the men and women that gave their lives at the world trade center, pentagon, and flight 93! That day and the actions of our public safety and military personal will never fade from my memory. JS

Head laceration (pick of the shift)

2009-09-07T23:10:00.003-04:00

We are dispatched to a 4 year old with a head laceration. We arrive on scene at a day care to find a worker holding a child outside. As we get out of the truck they rush to the back of the ambulance. The child has a laceration about 4 inches long above her left eye. The child is screaming. Staff says that the child was running and ran into the window sill corner causing the laceration. The staff also states that our patient did not have any LOC. All vital signs are stable and you are two blocks away from the hospital. What would you do? JS

Busy Shift

2009-09-03T11:50:00.003-04:00

I got into the firehouse a little early yesterday morning. We had just taken delivery of our new ALS transport unit (ambulance). The state inspector was there checking the truck so it can be licensed. The inspector approved the truck and it was cleared by the state for use. I asked the Capt if we could use the new alpha today, he said no because they were coming out to program the radios and re key the truck. We said ok. The Capt left to go home.

About five mins after the Capt left the tones go off for a 4 year old female with a bad head laceration. As we are getting into the old truck our Chief runs out and tells us to take the new truck! Then I say, "The Capt told us not to use the new truck.". Then The chief said "I don't care what the Capt said, I'm the Chief!". My partner and I make the flight of the bumble bee as we move the monitor and drug box over to the new truck, and we are off responding.

The only radio we have is a handheld clipped to my belt. As we get to the hospital, we notice that the ER is very busy. We give report to the nurse and hand over care of our patient. Then the radio on my side chirps up and says "Alpha 2 are you available for another call?". I respond and tell dispatch that we can be in service. Then dispatch tells us to respond mutual aid for ALS to BLANK city for a patient with chest pain. So we are off again in our brand new truck.

We transport this patient to the same hospital, Just as we are walking into the hospital The tone drop again. "All units respond to a smoke investigation at blank address.". We transfer care to the hospital staff, and then we are off again to the smoke investigation.

We finally catch a break and make it back to the station in time for lunch. Just as we finish eating, the tone go off again "Alpha 2 respond to BLANK address for syncope.". Like that we are off again!

We clear that call and get back to the station. Then the tone drop again, "All units respond to a confirmed structure at Blank office building, PD reports flame through the roof!". So we man the Ladder truck and respond. I spent most of my evening operating the ladder from the turn table. Above is a picture from the local paper of the fire.

I did get to sleep through the night, but I was awaken early this morning to "Alpha 2 respond to a barricaded gunman, stage in the area!". We are off again. I had to call in sick to my other job this morning because we were still staged on that call. As it turned out the police got him while he was using restroom. Just as we cleared that call the radio goes off again "All units respond to a fire alarm at BLANK address!". Thank god we got canceled en route. Needles to say I just got home from work! It was funny that I tweeted as I got to work yesterday that I hoped it was going to be a busy day. I guess I got my wish...... JS

unknown medical (pick of the shift)

2009-08-23T21:13:00.003-04:00

I had just fallen asleep when I hear "BeeeeeeP..... Alpha one respond to an unknown medical at blank address, PD on scene.". We arrive on scene to find a woman missing her index finger tip. I was told by our patient that her cousin had bit the tip off her finger off. They had gotten into some sort of fight, and now the cops were talking to her cousin in the kitchen. I asked if her cousin was hurt at all, she said she didn't know. My partner dressed our first patients wounds and gave her an ice pack. I went to check on the cousin. At first I was concerned by the blood that was coming from her mouth. As it turned out, the blood was from biting her cousin finger off! She was arrested and taken to the police department holding cell. We took our patient, minus one finger tip, to the local hospital. After we turned over care, then we went in service and returned to our beds.

I had just fallen back to sleep after our last call when "Beeeeep, Alpha one respond to an asthma attack at the police department holding cell.". I guess our biter from earlier that night decided she didn't want to be in jail anymore and tried to fake an asthma attack. She had an SPO2 of 99% on room air, and a resp rate of 18. She was clear in all lung fields, but tried to make a snoring noise with her tongue. She told me she was prescribed an inhaler but couldn't tell me what med was in her inhaler. Needless to say she spent the rest of the night in the jail cell and I went back to bed! JS

One of our Own, A repost from Bernice

2009-08-18T23:47:00.003-04:00

For those that are in the field of EMS we often wonder where all the "good" people are. Stuck with partners that don't care or just don't get it, we dream every day for the elusive soul that is not only good at what they do, but you know they have your back no matter what. The same holds true for people not in EMS. When you find yourself dialing those three numbers for yourself, your mother, your friend, your child - you want someone there who can connect with you and earn your trust in seconds. So what are we to do when that person everyone wants to come running when they call 911 can't? What are we supposed to do? Well folks, this is your chance.

There is one such woman who puts her heart and soul into the job day in and day out. Her heart takes permanent residence on her sleeve while she cares for you physically and emotionally. This woman has worked her butt off to attend medic school. And wouldn't you know it has been faced with a barrier I hope we can all help her overcome. She is strong, passionate, loving and one of the coolest people I know. And she needs our help.

I know money is tight. I know we most of us don't "know" her, but I dare you to take five minutes and read through Epi's blog and tell me she doesn't deserve a chance to make her dream come true. She has worked so hard to get where she is today only to be stopped in her tracks.

I'm challenging all of you to three fives. Give five dollars, tell five friends and take five minutes to stop by Epi's blog and give her some words of encouragement.

I have put a donation button in the sidebar. Every last penny goes to Epi and getting her to medic school. I HATE asking for money but I can't think of anyone else that deserves this as much as she does.

Thank you all so much!

UPDATE: Epi gives a bit more of an explanation here. There have been several people wondering why I have been so vague as to why we are helping her out financially as well as with as much love and support we can muster and frankly as much as I would like to remove any doubt from your mind as to why she needs us, I don't want to cross lines of revealing more personal information than she is comfortable giving out. The bottom line is we have all been there at one point or another. When everything seems to fall apart and the one good thing you had your sights on gets taken away. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask. But as I said before, I'm not sure how much I can truly share beyond what she has already.

Thank you for your understanding.

The link on the side car will send to Bernice's blog, just look for the paypal logo in the top right corner to donate to Epijunky! JS

Another Stroke (Pick of the Shift)

2009-08-10T23:34:00.002-04:00

This was the shift for strokes. We were dispatched to four possible strokes on our last shift. This run was dispatched as a man not responding but breathing. This is what we found:

We arrived to find a 58 year old man laying in bed at home. He was breathing at 12 times a min. His pulse was 68, his bp was 166/90. He was unresponsive to voice, touch, and pain. He showed a sinus rhythm on the monitor. He had bruising from the waist down. Bystanders stated that he was taking coumidin and falls alot at home. He was last seen before going to bed the night before and was fine.

What would you do?

This is what we did:
We placed our patient on 15 lpm of O2 via nonrebreather mask. We put him on the monitor. We started an I.V. with saline. Then we transported priority one to the local hospital.

A CT scan reveled a large brain bleed. The patient never woke up and passed on the next day. Just in case you wondered. Do you think this man could have been saved? Tell what you think. JS

An injured friend

2009-08-09T23:12:00.003-04:00

I got a phone call the other day from my Captain at my old station. He called to tell me that a friend of ours, a fellow firefighter, was injured in an MVA. Injured is understating the situation. He is bit of a biker and was involved in a motorcycle crash. As a result of the crash he lost his leg and spleen. I did hear today that he is awake and talking, but is still in the ICU at the local trauma center. I will be going to the hospital tomorrow to see him.

I would like to ask that you guys pray for Firefighter Randy to make a speedy recovery. JS

Diaries of a fat man.

2009-08-08T11:24:00.004-04:00

I had the worlds greatest partner once upon a time. Working with Buck was like hanging out with your best friend all day. He is the standard that I judge all my other partners by. Buck had my back no matter what. Let me tell you a little bit about him. He is a about my age and is married. He has an awesome son, and a great father and sister. Buck is the kinda guy everyone wants around at a party. He is a Firefighter EMT with a rural fire department in Michigan and a road EMT with a private ambulance service.

Buck was dealt a shitty hand, about a year ago he found out that he had M.S., but he has not let that keep him down. Buck should be in the prime of his life right now, instead he is trying to figure out how to take care of his family when he won't be able to work anymore.

The reason I have told you about the world greatest partner is because he has started his own blog called Diaries of a fat man. Here is the address http://brianbuckmcilvain.blogspot.com . Go check it out! JS

Step brother

2009-08-06T00:06:00.001-04:00

I received an Email this morning from my Dad's step brother. This is a man that I have never met and my father had not talked to in over 30 years. My father is still very angry at his step brother for things that happened a very long time ago, I think his feelings maybe justified, but how long do you hold a grudge? Anyway here is the Email I received, and my response to it.

Received:
"JS,
I could not believe my eyes when I came across your face book page while looking for information about XXXX city firefighters, you are the spitting image of your father when he was younger. My 15 year old son has asked questions about his grandfather and I have been searching the internet for some info or pictures of my father so I can show him, that’s how I came upon your page. All the pictures that I had were lost in my many moves across this country. I did find a picture of him in a book about XXXX city firefighters, but that’s all I found. I don’t know if you have ever heard of me or what you have heard but I spent a lot of my childhood holidays and weekends with your father, you see the grandfather that you speak of with such admiration who inspired you to be a firefighter was my father. My mother and father were divorced when I was young but I use to visit my father a lot when your grandmother Rita and he lived on 5 points in XXXX city. I also remember times spent with them at a little neighbor hood bar they owned called The Panama Café and of course I remember the firehouse. I know you don’t know me from Adam but if you have any pictures of my father I would be very grateful if you could post them or send some to me in an e-mail. I would really like to show them to my son, he has no living Grandparents nor has he ever met any of them, they had all passed away before he was born. If you have questions of me I would be more than happy to answer them. It sounds like, (from your blog) that you have a lot of love and respect for parents as it should be. When you see your father please tell him I said hello and I wish him well.
Best regards,
JW "

Replied:
"JW,

Let me start by saying that I was very surprised when I saw your Email. I have some of grandpas things and a couple of photos. I will NOT part with any of these items. My Dad has a great deal more photos of him. I sent my Mom on a mission to dig up as many old photos of Grandpa as she can find. She loved your father very much as well. I'll be honest with you, getting any help from my Dad or Aunt Kathy with this task will not happen. They are both still very upset about the past, and won't let it go. I wasn't there so that is between you guys. Besides it was over 31 years ago, and if my math is correct you were only about 20 when Grandpa passed. I think its great that your son wants to know about his grandfather.

I would like to ask you a few questions. Where are you now? What do you do for a living? Are you married? and how many children do you have? Just wondering, have you ever been to his grave? I try to keep his headstone clean and visit his grave site a couple times a year with my sister and 2 cousins.

Let me tell you about the stuff of his that I do have. I have his dog tags, medals, and his division ring from World War II. Other than the ring, the other stuff is packed away and will take some time to locate as I have moved recently. I also have his LT bars from his hat, his class a uniform tie bar and other misc. uniform parts from the Fire Department. His tie bar is on my Class A uniform. I also have some copies of stuff from his personal file at the Fire Department. I used to work for the XXXX city Fire Dept and was able to gain access to his file at fire headquarters. I have copies of 2 injury reports, his dept death notice, firemans fund beneficiary paper. I have taken some pics of these thing and will include in this email.

Let me tell you a little about my Grandpa, your father. My Dad never really new his birth father, he was only 4 when he died. Grandpa was the only Dad he knew, and to this day, 31 years later he still can't talk about him without tearing up. He loved him very much and still talks about him often. My mother just adored him, and he was pretty fond of her. Everybody I talk to about him always said how great of a guy he was. The guys on his crew at work loved him as well. The very first Fire job I ever got was because of him. My Chief served under Grandpa as a probationary firefighter, Grandpa was his Lt. His memories of Grandpa got me that Job. He was a good man.

I will be more than happy to answer any question that you may have. Feel free to ask.

JS"

Please tell me, what are your thoughts? JS

Thank you

2009-07-27T22:19:00.003-04:00

I was recently a guest of the US Army, as you read in my earlier posts. It was very cool to get to do the things I did during my visit. I have never served in the military, but most of my friends have or are currently serving. I think we take our Armed Forces for granted. I would like to thank them and everyone else who has served in our armed forces. Thank you for keeping me free. I will now thank them by listing there first name, rank, and branch.

BJ O-2 USAR
Jamie E-5 USA/USAR
Mark E-2 USAR
Brian E-4 USN
Kyle E-4 USMC
Sarah E-6 USA/USN
Emily O-3 USA/USAR
Justin E-5 USMC/USAR
Nit E-4 USMC
Mo E-5 USCG
Jim E-6 USA
Bill E-5 USA

USA=Army, USAR=Army Reserve, USN=Navy, USMC=Marine, USCG=Coast Guard

I know I have never said it when we hang out, but I want you guys to know that I'm thankful for your service. I'm thankful for the service of all Vets! JS

A day with the US Army

2009-07-24T21:55:00.010-04:00

I was invited up to an Army base in Michigan. I was given a guided tour of traning sites and lanes. I was also allowed to fly in US Army aircraft. I have been lucky enough to fly in a blackhawk and a chinook, both are way cool. I just want to say thanks to SSG Van Loon. So if I can figure out how to do it I will post some videos and pics. JS

The above video is from a chinook helicopter

This video is from a Blackhawk

Structure fire

2009-07-22T13:06:00.005-04:00

Last night at about midnight we tone out to go to a mutual aid structure fire. I'll be honest, I work in an upscale area of metro Detroit. As a result we don't see many working fires. Most of what we do are medicals, MVA,s, and fire alarms.

On this fire we rolled a rescue company and an engine company. I was on the engine. Once arriving our rescue company set up R.I.T. (rapid intervention team). This teams sole purpose is to be ready rescue down firefighters. They set up on the front lawn with tools and saws and stand by.

After setting up some exterior lighting I was sent to resource. Resource is where you go to wait for a job to be assigned to you. I was in resource for about five minutes. Then I was sent in to relieve the guy on the nozzle. I'll be honest, its been a long time since I have been on the pipe. I have spent most of my time in recent years on the pump panel. It felt good to feel the heat on my ears again, and to be the guy that put the wet stuff on the red stuff. There is nothing I love more than to do the job I was trained for!

I was beat when we got back to the firehouse. I got home this morning and went back to bed and slept until 1230 this afternoon. I did learn another thing last night, an Iphone can survive being in your pocket during the interior attack of a working structure fire. JS

Head Trauma (Pick of The Shift)

2009-07-21T20:11:00.004-04:00

I will be honest with all three of you, I called in sick to ambulance service this morning. I spent many of the morning hours in the bathroom, I'm blaming it on the greasy chicken I ate last night. As a result I got a call from the firehouse about noon wanting to know if I could come in and cover for a guy that needed to leave. By this time I was feeling better and headed off to the firehouse.

I was assigned to Alpha-2 today. I am going to tell you about one of our runs today. I want you guys to tell me what you would do, and I will tell you what we did.

Tones go off "Respond to blank city park for a man that has fallen". We arrive to find a man laying on his back on the sidewalk with a large crowd around him. As we approach we notice that he has heavy bleeding coming from his head. The patient is in his mid seventies and is alert but suffers from dementia. All of his vital signs are stable. He has multiple lacerations to his head and face, many that look like they will require stitches. The patient states that he fell while walking his dog. Other than his face he has no other complaints of pain. About that time his wife wonders over looking for him. The problem is he doesn't remember being married. Well, at least until he hears his wife's voice. What would you do?

This is what we did. We applied manual c-spine stabilization, and start dressing his wounds. Then we roll the patient on a long back board and placed him on the cot. He was transported BLS to the closest hospital priority three. Patient care was then given to ER staff. JS

Smarter people = unemployment

2009-07-20T15:18:00.003-04:00

I discovered a long time ago that stupid people, and smart people that do stupid things keep me employed. The other day I ran on a patient with a finger amputation. The patient had lost most of her middle and ring finger up to the knuckle. Now let me tell how she did this. She decided that she didn't like the position of the wheels on her gas powered lawn mower. So rather than turn the mower off to raise the wheel, she just stuck her hand under the deck of the running mower to lift the rear wheels. The result was hamburger. Where was her common sense?

Common sense is not so common anymore. Just listen to this story. We get dispatched to a possible hand injury at the local ice arena. We arrive to find a fifty year old man missing his right hand. This man was the Zamboni driver, this is a job he has had for over the last ten years. He tells me that the ice chute became clogged on the Zamboni. He then admits that he knew better, but was too lazy to turn the machine off. So he then decides to shove his hand into the ice chute with the blades running, the result is once again hamburger.

Both of these people were sober and seemed like intelligent people to me. What makes people do things like this? What I do know is that smarter people would equal unemployment for me! JS

I've fallen and I can't get up... Pick of the shift

2009-07-13T23:35:00.004-04:00

We are dispatched to a 19 year old male that fell while running and has pain. We arrive to find the 19 year old male laying on the street on his belly. Patient reports 9 out of 10 pain in his right front pelvic area. He denies any LOC. He states he was running and tripped and that he could hear a snap from his hip area. He originally denied any back pain, but upon palpation he stated that he had some tenderness in his lower back. The patient then started to complain of a sudden onset headache, but says that he suffers from migraines. What would you do?

Here is what we did:
First we applied manual c-spine immobilization and a no-neck c-collar. Then we cut away his pants from his hip area, this revealed no deformities but was painful on palpation. We then inverted a KED board and applied it to his pelvic area for immobilization. After that we log rolled him on to a long board.

Once we had him in the back of the truck we started an IV with a 20 gauge and gave 0.9 saline on a slow drip. we Checked the patients vital signs 3 times while enroute to the hospital, all vitals were in normal limits. We then turned over care to the ER staff. Would you do anything different?... JS

Save The Ta-Ta's... A repost from crzegrl.net

2009-07-10T21:21:00.003-04:00

Below is a repost from crzegrl.net. Emily is friend of mine and if you could help her out that would be great.

I want to thank everyone for the well wishes and support. As with everything else in my world, after my mother’s diagnosis it has been insane. With her permission, I will be writing more about her journey from the eyes of her eldest daughter.

While I am working through just how to do that, I am participating in the 3rd annual “Save the Tatas” breast cancer fund raiser at Premier Skydiving this weekend. It is not only giving me a way to do something productive, it has opened my eyes to the thousands of people breast cancer affects.

Although I am looking for donations, (SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!–please go read the page on the event) I am just as interested in seeing how many comments in support of my mom and or the cause you all can generate.

For everyone who leaves a comment by Saturday night at midnight, I will add your name or Twitter name on a flag I am sponsoring in honor of my mom’s fight. Please retweet this and help it go viral!

Thank you all for helping me make “Save the Tatas” a success!

Pick of The Shift... Where?

2009-07-10T21:02:00.002-04:00

So we have been incredably slow at work. I have not had a run worth writting about in sometime. But I promise that I will write as soon I have something woth blogging about. But while you are waiting for something from me go check out http://mystrongmedicine.com. I have really enjoyed reading this blog! JS

My 4th of July

2009-07-06T14:51:00.004-04:00

I spent my 4th with a lot of old friends. My weekend started on Friday with a trip to the dive shop. Then I met up with a couple of guys from the dive rescue team, and my best friend. We dressed in our wet suits, and drive out on the lake in the boat. We put our regulators in our lips and splashed into the water. We swam along the bottom of the lake to see what we can find. Visibility is only about five feet, but I'm glad just to be underwater again. During our dive we found a coca-cola bottle from the 1920's and an old canteen. After our dive we arrived on shore, and had the worlds greatest ribs... Boy can Kyle cook! We washed or ribs down with a cold beer or two and started telling our life stories around the fire.

I woke on the 4th at my friends house. It was another day filled with friends, boating, and great food. I did a little SCUBA instructing with my sister in-law, and my roommate. I think its safe to say that my room mate is hooked and I'm sure he will be going to get his c-card. When dark came on us that night, we burned off a few hundred dollars worth of fireworks over the lake. We again completed or night around the fire.

Sunday found me helping to replace the generator on my friends boat. After some boat repairs we found ourselves eating again, then on our way for another round of SCUBA diving. It was good to just spend this much time under water.

I finally returned my rental dive gear this morning, its safe to say that I got my moneys worth out of that stuff this weekend. It was hard to leave my friends this morning but it was time to head for home. There was laundry that needed to be done before I returned to work tomorrow! I hope everyone's independence day was a great as mine! JS

I'm sorry

2009-07-05T21:03:00.002-04:00

I promise I will start posting again in the near future. Life has kept me busy but given me things to write about. So check back soon. Js

Pure Michigan, The final installment of our safari

2009-06-28T16:19:00.003-04:00

We awoke refreshed in our hotel room, we were ready for our next day in the sun. We got packed up and headed off for Muskegeon. The first thing we saw as we enter the town was a parade driving towards us, it was the first time I was welcomed in such a way... LOL! As we are driving along the shore we see an old navy transport ship moored at the docks. We wander down to the docks and pay our admission fee to tour the World War II LST. This ship saw action in the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. It was then converted into a car ferry for the great lakes, and then restored as an LST and turned into a museum ship.

After visiting the ship we return to our trip down the coast. Our next stop was Grand Haven, this is a beachfront resort town. While there we toured both museums in town, ate lunch at a local pub, and walked the boardwalk. While on the boardwalk I receive a call from an old friend who tells me that she is in need of a minor rescue. As it turned out she had left her keys in one location and her car in another. We picked her her up. Some of you may know her as the blogger Crzegrl. We promptly informed her that she was like Peurto Rico on this trip. She could give us her opinion but had no vote in what was on the agenda, we did agree to return her to her man at some point so she could get to her car. Like that we were off again. Our next stop on our trip took us to Holland. Just like you would think, the city was settled by the dutch. We took in the views of the shore line and sang like it was going out of style. By now it was time to return Crzegrl to her man and we headed off to Fremont. The Fremont airport to be exact. You see Crzegrl's friends were all waiting to meet her for some skydiving. We introduced ourselves to our new flying friends and watched them and Crzegrl board a plane and take off. About 10 mins later we were watching crzegrl fall out of the sky. After she landed we went out for some drinks with our new friends. What a group of great people. I felt welcome right away, and Ben, thanks for the beer dude. As the evening drew to a close, we said good bye to Crzegrl and our new friends. It was time to move down the road and head for home. This was a great trip. We did so much in so little time. We saw lighthouses, sandy beaches, rolling hills, crystal clear waters, sand dunes, old warships, old friends, new friends, and rekindled our own wanderlust. All done by the waters of Pure Michigan! JS

Michigan west coast safari pt3

2009-06-27T09:30:00.003-04:00

We stayed longer in torch lake than we planned. We played on the waverunner and enjoyed the summer sun on the beach with a bottle of rum. We went for a late lunch and headed out. We started down the coast and watched one of the best sunsets I have ever seen. We sat on a sand dune and watched lake Michigan shallow up the evening sun. After that we stopped at a road side stand and bought some fresh strawberries. After briefly trying to feed strawberrys to a deer, we moved down the road reading historic landmark signs and taking in the view of the coast. We stopped in manistee and saw an old rail ferry ship. We stopped and had some chicken salad on the beach, then moved on to a motel for the night. It was a very full day and I'll post the pics when I get home. JS

Michigan safari pt2

2009-06-26T09:23:00.003-04:00

I awoke this morning to a mild hang over and the warm summer sun beating on my face. I had a loose rememberance of the night before. We stayed the night with a guy from my best friends army unit. We grilled some steaks and watched one of the prettiest sunsets I have seen in a long time. We drank beer and solved lifes problems late into the early morning. The view I awoke to this morning was breath taking, to see the morning sun light dancing across the surface of the crystal clear lake. It's safe to say that I like it here. We won't get too comfortable for there is way too much to see and do and we will be down the road.

Michigan west coast safari day 1

2009-06-25T20:21:00.003-04:00

Our view of Torch Lake

So I meet up with my best friend at his parents house. After helping his dad move some furniture and replacing a toliet wax gasket we load up in the truck and head off for torch lake in north west michigan. The drive has been fun. Driving in northern Michigan is beautiful. We have chatted most of the way and come up with solutions for all the worlds problems. Only have about 90 min left in this leg of the trip. I will update all three of you tomorrow on our adventures of this evening. Js

Do I stay or Do I go? Pick of the shift

2009-06-23T23:04:00.004-04:00

We were called to a large hospital for one going to a nursing home from the ER. After we call en route we get a page that says "Tx dispatch". So we call our dispatcher and she informs us that another crew took this patient off the floor a few hours ago. She then tells us that the patient bit and punched the tech on the other crew and the ECF refused the patient. As a result of this they were forced to take the patient back to the er. The care manager was now trying to send her to a different ECF.

We arrive on scene in the ER. I make patient contact while my partner goes off for the paperwork. While chatting with the patient I discover that the patient does not want to go anywhere but home. The patient is A&Ox3 and sharp as a tack. My partner is waiting for the care manager to come down from the floor with the paperwork. I go to him and tell him what I have learned from the patient.

When the care manager arrives we inform her that we can not take a patient anywhere against their will if they are alert, orientated, and their own guardian. The care manager then says "But she has dementia and is not A&Ox3.". So I asked the patient the same questions again, and again she is A&Ox3. Now I explain that if I take this patient I am kidnapping her. The care manager now sees the light. I told her that the patient may need to be petitioned, but unless she is under a court order or is not her own guardian then I can't take her anywhere. SO leaving the ER nursing staff upset, we head off to our bus and call ourselves in service.

What would you have done differently? JS

I spotted a Movie star!

2009-06-22T22:26:00.004-04:00

I recently watched the movie "Gran Torino". The Movie starred Clint Eastwood and was based in Highland Park, Michigan. For those of you that don't know, Highland park is a really bad area, as bad as any part of Detroit, as a matter of fact it is surrounded by Detroit on all sides. I worked EMS in Highland Park at one time. It looked like all of the movie was shot in the Detroit metro area. By the way It was a great movie, rent it!

Anyway, while at the ambulance bay at the hospital today I noticed that the ambulance from the movie was parked in the bay. The crew was aware that their truck was in the movie, but said that I was the first person to notice it. In one of the last scenes of the movie there is a Highland Park police car and this ambulance parked in the middle of the scene. By the way, this ambulance service doesn't do 911 or rescue calls in Highland Park. But they do work in the metro Detroit area. So watch the movie and tell me if you see it. Above are two pics of the ambulance taken from my phone. JS

The view from my office and fathers day reflections

2009-06-21T16:01:00.005-04:00

Today I am stationed in one of the best places in the metro area. We are the primary emergency car for a small upper class lakeside community. The only better place to be today is with my dad on fathers day. Since we are slow out here today, let me tell you about the greatest father on the planet. Growing my dad often worked two or three jobs so we wouldn't want for anything. Working like that he still somehow found time to be at home with us. He even served as my troops scoutmaster while I was a boy scout. A job I think he still has. To this day my now adult friends still go to him for advice and guidance. I don't think the man got a full nights sleep until I was in my twenties. I remember as boy growing up wanting to be just like him. As I got older I realized I could never be the man he is and the best I could hope for was to make him proud of me and what I have done with my life. He may not always agree with the chooses I have made in my life, but most of the time I think he is proud of me. So today I would like to tell my father that I love him and thank him for just being the great man he is.

I would also like to thank the man that served as a second dad to me. This is my best friends dad. As a teenager I could talk to him about things that I wouldn't talk to my own parents about. He always steered me in the right direction. And even though I was not his, he always treated me like one of his own children. I always felt welcome in his home and with his family. So bill, I just want to say thank you and send my love.

To my dad and bill:
happy fathers day!
Js

ps posted from my phone. Thanks dad. But I can't figure out how to add pics from my phone.

ps posted from my phone. Thanks dad.

My new iPhone

2009-06-20T22:50:00.003-04:00

Let me start by saying.. "I love this frickin thing!" I'm not very tech smart, but this thing is very user friendly. God bless my father for ordering it for me. I think it has a bigger hard drive than my p.c.! The bad part is that I am becoming addicted. I'm already twittering, facebooking, myspacing, and soon to be blogging from it. My dad started playing with it today, and now I think he is going to get one for himself. The darn thing takes good pics, and has great sound quality. What can I say.... I'm in love with my new phone! JS

The awesome EMS blog

2009-06-16T19:27:00.003-04:00

I am now a co-blogger at The Awesome EMS Blog. I know that the site founder is looking for other bloggers to share stories and post pics on the blog. So if you would all do me a favor and go check out the blog at www.awesomeems.blogspot.com. Let me know what you think. JS

flagged down (pick of the shift)

2009-06-15T23:32:00.003-04:00

While painting fire hydrants today I was flagged down by a person in a residential area. The person stated that she had an injured duck in her yard. She had called animal control but they had said they could do nothing as the duck was wild life. As I approached the duck I could tell that it was injured and was bleeding from an eye. I put my fire gloves on and picked the duck up and put it in a box. I then drove the duck to the closest vet. The women behind the desk said that she would not take the duck because it was wild. The duck was very calm and let people pick it up. As she finished telling me that, the female DVM entered the lobby. I told her that if she didn't take the duck I was just going to kill it. Honestly, I would not have killed the duck, but I thought it might encourage the vet to take the duck from me... and it worked.

What would you have done on this call? JS

Pick of the shift

2009-06-14T22:04:00.003-04:00

Pick of the shift will be a new regular topic on my blog. Every shift that I have a run I will post a blog entry about one call during that shift. I want all three of my readers to tell what they think and what they might have done differently.

Tonight's story:
We respond to a 60 year old male that is an umpire at a little league game. He has been hit on the top of the head with a 70mph fast ball. The patient had a small bump and laceration on the top of the head. Witnesses state that the man was knocked out for about 15 seconds. The patient is alert and orientated when we arrive and is laying on the ground. Patient denies any back or neck pain. Patient then stands on his own. We ask the man to take a couple of steps to the cot. The man sits on the cot and I give him an ice pack for his head. Patient vital sign are as follows bp 150/88, rate 88, resp 18, rates his pain at a 2. As we arrive at the hospital he tells me that he is dizzy and feels like he is going to vomit. We push him into the ER and turn over care. What would you have done? JS

Ideas anyone?

2009-06-13T00:12:00.001-04:00

So I hit a block again. For the last week I have been writing about a family vacation. While I enjoyed the trip, I know its not what all three of my readers want to hear about. So I'm looking for ideas again. Tell me what you want to know about me or my past. I would be more than happy to field question about the fire service, EMS, FEMA, and Katrina. Or anything else that comes to mind. Hope to hear from you soon. JS

Psych patient

2009-06-12T23:49:00.003-04:00

I'll be honest, I have never really thought about killing myself. But if I were going to do it, it would be with a large caliber hallow point bullet to the head. I would just want to make sure I did it right, unlike these other methods I have seen before.

Yesterday I transported a guy that tried to kill himself with a home made bomb. All he did was burn his hands and get some time in the psych hospital. Not a good way to try to kill himself.

Cutting wrists then running down a busy road yelling for help. I saw this in the beginning of my career. We treated her and transported her. She also did not die.

Try to hang yourself by tying an electric cord around the decorative molding in a hallway arch. Its decorative because its not load bearing. He fell and broke his leg when the molding snapped and he called 911 with his cell phone cause he couldn't get off the floor with with his injured leg.

I had a guy once that tried to kill himself by running out in front of a van, next to the van was an ambulance, my ambulance. He was in bad shape and almost didn't make it but he lived. So if you are going to try death by traffic make sure an ambulance is not in said traffic.

You got any funny attempt suicide stories, please tell me about it. JS

My holiday weekend pt4... The final day!

2009-06-12T21:44:00.004-04:00

We wake up to the sound of rain tapping on the roof of our home on wheels. We decide that on this day we will go to Baltimore Maryland. We really have no reason for the visit. As we come into Baltimore we realize we have no destination in mind. So, my father is looking at the map, (which often is not a good idea), and he says he sees Fort McHenry on the map. None of us knew the anything about the fort, but figured we had nothing better to do. We enter the parking lot an park the car. We then went into the visitors center and learned that the national anthem was written here during the war of 1812. It was written on a ship in the river while Francis Scott Key watched the fort get bombarded by British forces. In the morning "By dawns early light", He saw that our flag still flew over the fort. The fort never fell! While touring to fort ground he found the Baltimore fire boats. Of course I yelled to the first firefighter I saw, "can we come take some pics of the boats?". He answered sure and allowed us on the docks with the fire boats. The funny thing is that the guy we talked to on the docks had family about 2 miles from where I live in Michigan. I then asked if there was a station that sold fire dept t-shirts. He pointed us in the right direction. We arrived at the fire station. This was one of the largest firehouses I have ever seen. 2 engine co.s, a truck co, a rescue co, a haz-mat team and truck, 2 chiefs, A tech rescue unit, an air tender, and 2 ambulances. 48 guys on shift in one station! Of course while I'm looking at trucks and buying a tshirt my mom is getting chatty with the guys on duty. I walked up to find her talking with a guy on the rescue and a Lt. From there we went to the Piers. Down there we toured a World War II submarine and the USS Constellation (wood vessel). After that we went out for some dinner and returned to the RV, for tomorrow we would be heading home! JS

My holiday weekend pt3

2009-06-11T22:00:00.005-04:00

The sun rose and day three started on our Shepp family safari. This morning we were headed off to Emmitsburg Maryland. Emmitsburg is the home of the National Fire Academy and the national fallen firefighters memorial. We enter at the gate and trade our ID's for FEMA visitor passes. The academy was once a catholic college. While touring the grounds we found 2 Secret Service blackhawks staged on the grounds. We also chatted with some other Firefighters that were attending classes. Next we packed up and headed back to Gettysburg. We went and watched the sunset from little round top. It was the hold out of union snipers during the battle. While up there we ran into a civil war reenactor in regular clothing and his wife. This man was a wealth of information and told us many things about the battle. We stayed there until dark chatting with our new friends. It is really amazing what you can learn by meeting new friends, and that is one of the best things about safaris. JS

Above are some photos from that day.

My holiday weekend pt2

2009-06-10T22:25:00.004-04:00

So day 2 of our adventure saw us loading up in the car and driving to Washington DC. We decide it would be a good idea to park in the out laying area and ride the metro into the city. This is my moms idea. My mother doesn't like enclosed spaces, so this kind of surprised me. We park the car and walk up to the elevated platform at the metro station. We board the train and find a seat, about 30 seconds into the ride the train goes underground and my mom starts to freak out. I said if this bothers you, why did you suggest taking the subway? She said she didn't know it went underground. I can not believe this because my mother is a very intelligent women. So, we change train and decide that our first stop should be Arlington national cemetery. Here is a little history: Arlington was the home of CS General Robert E Lee. It was a plantation his wife's family owned. As a way to get back at Lee the Union dug a mass grave for civil war dead right behind the house thus making it a national cemetery. The US government took the land by saying that taxes were owed on it, but it was just a way to make Lee pay for leaving the US army and the union.

I had not been to Arlington since I was a child. We saw the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknowns. It was just as breath taking as I remember it. What really bothered me was the lack of reverence taken by other visitors. It seemed to me that they thought they were in a theme park and not hallowed ground. I was very upset. I have very few pictures of Arlington because I believe you don't take pictures in a cemetery! I did get some pics from Lees house over looking the Potomac and the national mall.

Next we walked from Arlington to the Lincoln memorial, crossing the bridge over the Potomac on foot. We went to the Korean war memorial, then the Vietnam wall, then the Washington monument, and then stopping in front of the White house. During our tour the helicopter "Marine one" was leaving the White House lawn. I got some video of it and will post it on YouTube in the near future. While in front of the White house mom had to stop and talk to the Secret Service agents on the lawn, while she was doing that I found a crash truck parked near by. I wandered over and had a conversation with a great DC firefighter. He and the truck were on a standby detail for "Marine one".

We started walking to the nearest metro station and then boarded the train to our car. When we got back to the car we had a picnic style dinner and drove to Annapolis so I could put my feet in the Chesapeake bay. We returned at about midnight to the RV. We had a great day filled with Americana! JS

Above are some pics of DC. a few from Lees house, one with me and the crash truck, mom and dad with a ranger at the Korean war memorial, and one of Marine one.

My holiday weekend pt1

2009-06-09T22:25:00.004-04:00

So I loaded up in the motor home with my parents for a Shepp family safari. We headed out east and set up base camp near Gettysburg PA. I'm a bit of a history buff so this was a very cool trip. We arrived early Friday morning and headed off to tour the battlefield. We went to the new visitor center, I say new because I once visited to old center and it was free. The new Visitors center charges admission. This really bothered me because I thought our tax dollars funded our national park system. So we didn't tour the visitors center, we went to the gift shop and purchased the driving tour C.D.. It took us a little over 3 hours to complete the tour. I would recommend this to anyone interested in visiting Gettysburg. Anyway the battlefield was breath taking, above are some pics from the battlefield. JS

I'm back!

2009-06-07T20:08:00.003-04:00

I got home from work today and comcast finally connected my Internet. So I promise that blog posts will soon follow. Since my last post I have been to Baltimore, Washington DC, Gettysburg, and the National Fire Academy at Emmitsburg. I have also moved, and been on a few more runs... I have a great deal to write about...

PS
Does anybody know what happened to crzegrl.net? Or Emily? I seem to have lost contact with her...... JS

away from my bloggers

2009-05-31T14:30:00.005-04:00

I'm sorry for no post lately. I am moving and have no inter net at either place. I am just awiting the install at my new home. As soon as I have access I will put new posts up! Thanx. JS

Man weekend pt 2

2009-05-10T18:19:00.003-04:00

Friday was great, it was warm and sunny. We woke up Saturday morning to cold temps and a good soaking rain. It rained until the afternoon. So we were all cold and wet! But everyone seemed to have fun, and are already talking about our next trip. We had the biggest turn out ever. It was still a good time even if it was wet and cold. Thanks again for cooking Kyle. JS

Warriors pantball... Man weekend

2009-05-07T08:32:00.003-04:00

This weekend is our big man weekend. This is where 10-20 of us go up to northern Michigan and go camping. Alot of us look forward to this trip every year. I think this is the 5th year we have done this. Most of the guys that go are Firefighters, cops, medics, or military. Who would have thought that this many alpha males in one place would be so much fun? Its a great time. No women to complicate things, Its just a truck load of male bonding. We will be playing paintball, shooting skeet, drinking, eating, and telling war stories. I'm not sure that the weather is going to cooperate. Every time I check the weather for the weekend its gets worse. Friday looks good 74 and sunny, Sunday looks good at 65 and sunny, but Saturday is forcasted for 55 and a 40% chance of rain. I hope it doesn't rain! Or at least only rains at night. Anyway pray for good weather for us! JS

Swine flu... lets get real.

2009-05-02T22:28:00.003-04:00

Do you see how stupid I look in the gas mask? Thats how stupid this whole thing is!

WTF? Let me start by saying you can not get the swine flu by eating pork, But yet some European countries have banned pork imported from North America. Really? Ever heard of research? My next issue is the media. Is the flu really news worthy? More people died yesterday of the common flu then have died total from the swine flu outbreak. What makes this flu so important? The media has turned an illness into a global panic by using words like "outbreak and pandemic". Why? All this does is overload the EMS and hospital systems with people that are needlessly scared and have nothing more than the common cold. There is no cure for swine flu or any other flu, just take care of yourself while you are ill. All I can say is that I am really pissed off about the coverage that this thing has been getting. Why can't we all just act like grown ups? JS

AHA BLS Instructor

2009-05-01T23:11:00.003-04:00

So I finally finished it. I got my BLS Instructor card today. I'm told that I can now tech CPR to other health care providers. I hope I don't screw up! I guess its just one more teaching tool in my tool box of life! JS

Overdose

2009-04-20T22:15:00.005-04:00

The alarm sounds.
"Medical team respond to --- address for unconscious patient."
So we load up in the rescue, turn on the ol' whoopy-whoopies and we are off.
We arrive to find a 19 year old female, naked, in the bath tub of cold water. Apparently her boyfriend had seen one too many movies. He thought a tub of cold water would revive her. He had waited 45 minutes to call us. Our patient was very lucky that she was not dead. For the past 45 minutes she had been breathing 6-8 times a minutes.

First thing we do is tube the patient and start an IV. We grab the BVM and start assisting with ventilations. Then we break the seal on the drug box, crack it open and grab the Narcan. We draw it up, and push it. And like magic the patient awakens and starts biting and fighting the tube. We extubated the patient and of course she asks "Why are you here?" We respond that she had O.D.'d on heroine. She then says "I didn't do heroine!" We then told her that she was not breating when we arrived. She says, "Uh uh!" We struggled with her all the way to the cot. We get her loaded into the ambulance, naked and soaking wet. We cover her with a blanket and we take her to the hospital. And of course she is combative the whole way to the hospital but that's ok cuz i'm driving and don't have to sit in the back with her. We get to the hospital and give our report.

So... we saved another one. Just like always we can save the over doses, save the people we don't really want too, but can't save the ones we should. Save a junky, but not a three month old who drowned. This job can be so unfair. JS

Wish I was on the boat instead of dealing with a broken car!

2009-04-16T09:21:00.005-04:00

Last night I am driving from one job to the other and a warning light pops up on my dash. I pull the truck over to find that it has thrown the fan belt. The problem seems to be the tensioner. I call my dad, yes at 30 I still call my dad with car problems. I tell him to bring a tool box and come down and get me. He gets there. I pull the bad part off of the truck and we head to the parts store. We buy the needed part. We go back to my truck and I install the new part. We get the belt back on. I then thank my dad for coming to my rescue and we are on our separate ways.

I get about 6 or 7 miles down the road and my truck starts smoking under to hood. So I pull off the freeway and into a parking lot. I grab my fire extinguisher from behind the seat and pop the hood. As I open the hood white smoke comes rolling out. Thank god the truck was not on fire. The power steering pump seized up and the fan belt was smoking. So I grab my water bottle from the cab of the truck and start to dump it on the pump to cool it so that it would not catch fire. I call my dad again. Again he comes to me with a tool box. But this time it is to dark to work on it and the parts stores are closed. So I lock the truck up and he takes me back to his house.

I wake up this morning and borrow my moms car to go to the parts store. Now I think I have the parts I need to make it work but I have to wait to try because I have to take my mom to work in about an hour. After I get her to work I will drive to where my trucks is and try to repair it. Lets hope I can get it fixed. Keep your fingers crossed. I don't want to have to take any more time off work. Pray for a quick fix please. JS

UPDATE:
Yaaaa... The truck is running again. I only had to use one day of PTO! Thank you for the prayers... JS

Rules for the Fatboy Express.

2009-04-09T20:15:00.004-04:00

So, my partner got the new shift and I didn't. We often refer to our rig as "The Fatboy Express". So here are some rules for our rig. Some are inside jokes.

1.May our eyes never meet.

2.Don't play with our Richard without our permision.

3.Why walk when you can drive?

4.Never take another fat guys twinkie.

5.Never diddle in a fat guys honey pot.

6.Never drink a fat guys Capt, unless the fat guy has an altered mental status.

7.Why wait in line when you can be first for seconds?

8.Why rush to a CPR? They will still be dead when you get there.

9.Never eat another mans cheese and crackers.

WTF?

2009-04-09T08:50:00.003-04:00

So the last 3 days I have awoke to find snow on the ground. WTF? It is the middle of April. I know I tend to rush summer, I am so ready to put the boat back in the water. Mother nature just will not release me from the winter. I tend to get the winter blues as well, so snow in April makes me want to break things. Please pray for warm weather and for my sanity. JS

My partner

2009-04-02T09:11:00.002-04:00

Let me tell you about my partner. His name is McLovin (not really, but spelled closely). McLovin has become a great friend. He is the kind of partner you hope to have. He has always got my back. McLovin is also a firefighter.

We recently bid a new shift at work. It just dawned on me the other day that he has more seniority than I do. I think he will get the new shift, and will be stuck on the old shift. If I was him, I would take the new shift, I don't blame him for that. I'm just not happy about losing him. I kinda feel like I'm going to lose something. I'm not looking forward to working with a new partner. Oh well.. Life moves forward. Mclovin I wish you the best of luck on your new shift! JS

My number #3 reader

2009-03-29T22:07:00.004-04:00

I received this wonderful email when I was asking for ideas. I thought I might try to respond to it tonight.

Hi -I'm your third blog subscriber and saw your last posting. (I've never responded to a blog before so this is kinda neat.) I can't remember how I lucked onto your blog but am so glad I did. I would like to read more about your calls and all the bs you must deal with from not only the patients but hospitals, etc. I'm a nurse but too chicken to do er/trauma stuff but love to read about those who do it on a regular basis. I have a few friends - some nurses- who run calls, as they say down here. I had you pegged as a southern boy and was surprised to find you're not. I'll keep reading anyway! I love the way you write and mix it up and am always happy to see a new post from you in my blog post file. You don't shy away from the more reflective side of things that all of us who work in medicine need to have to survive. But most of all, you make me smile. Great job!

From Virginia,
Johna

Let me start by saying thank you. I don't think I have ever had so many ego boosters in one Email. Writing about calls can be a little tough for me. I wish I could remember every run I had been on. But honestly, They all start to run together after almost 10 years.

Some times I wish I was a southern boy. I could see myself on a beach on the Gulf coast. I do enjoy hunting and fishing, and I try to spend as much time in the woods as I can.

There is a lot of BS. To the hospital staff, we are just "ambulance drivers". I hate that term. And it seems like on scene every family member is a doctor. Some of my closest friends are nurses, but that being said, I tend to disagree often with discharge nurses. Some of them seem to be more interested in emptying beds than caring for patients. On the other hand, the ER nurses seem to be wonderful care givers. They are normally interested in our assessment. I do tend to believe that nurses are over paid. You can be come an RN in 2 years and make $50,00+ a year, and work in a controlled environment. It takes at least 2 years to become a Paramedic and starting pay for Paramedics here is about $12 an hour. Ems providers don't get the luxury of working in a well light, controlled environments. We are often working in the cold by flashlight. I hope I didn't upset any of my nursing friends or readers. But let me say this, I love my jobs! I just wished we got paid more. I guess that is the same for any job.

Normally I try to keep my negative feeling to myself and not put them on the blog. Anyway I really enjoyed reading your email and I hope to hear from you in the future. I hope you didn't mind me posting your email. JS

Medic Fawn

2009-03-25T22:53:00.002-04:00

Medic Fawn and me on vacation last year.

A very good friend of mine recently started her own blog. You should go check it out. You can find her blog at www.gowmedic.blogspot.com. Medic Fawn has had a great deal of experiences and I look forward to reading about them. We have a bit of history together and I promise you that she will not disappoint you! Go take a look. JS

Teaching and education of the fire service and EMS

2009-03-23T22:09:00.006-04:00

This was a suggested topic from Ambulance Mommy. This was her question: Do you enjoy teaching new firefighters and young EMTS, and if so, what is your favorite teaching story?

The answer to this question is simple, Hell ya, I love teaching. It is often said that those who can't do, teach! I hope this is not the case. I like to think I'm a good firefighter and an ok teacher.

My teaching started over ten years ago when I worked for the Boy Scouts as a climbing/ rappelling instructor and a backpacking guide. Since then I have taught at many Fire Academies, lead a Fire Cadet program, been a C.E.R.T. instructor, and worked as a Field Training Officer.

After taking over the cadet program, I decided that I should go back to school and become a Certified Fire Instructor. It was easier than I thought to become an instructor, and well worth it. Working with the cadets is one of the best things I have ever done as an instructor. I started working with these kids when they were 14, I have seen many of them grow up to become great firefighters. There is one in particular that I am proud of. His name is Jake and he is now in his mid twenties. He started in the program when he was 15, a friend talked him into joining. Jason was an awesome cadet. He did what he was told and did it with a smile. He knew how to pump a truck before he could drive a car. He was so eager to learn. When he turned 18 I recommended that he be hired as a part time firefighter with the department. I was so proud to watch him graduate from the academy. Then he went on to EMT school. He did some of his clinical rotations with me on my rig. Then he put himself through Paramedic school. At age 19 Jake was offered a full time job with another fire department as a paramedic/ firefighter. This is unheard of, for a 19 year old to be a career firefighter so young! We are still friends today.

There are other former cadets that have become great firefighters. I am proud of everyone of these guys. I have since left that department and moved on to a new one. I am currently developing a cadet program for my new fire department. I hope it is as successful as the last program I ran.

I love being able to pass on my knowledge to the next wave of Firefighters and EMT's. As a teacher you are always learning as well. I have learned many thing from my cadets and students. I also enjoy teaching the public about fire safety. I like working with young kids and showing them the basics, such as; stop, drop, and roll. Educating the public is also a lot of fun. I hope this answers your question Ambulance Mommy. JS

feveral seizure

2009-03-19T00:05:00.003-04:00

A great deal of people said that they wanted more clinical stories on my blog. So here is one.

My crew jumps on the rescue, we are out the station in a hurry. The Capt. is driving, that is not normal. We are on our way to a nine month old seizing. We ask dispatch where the ALS is coming from. Dispatch gives us a location almost 15 miles away, so the Capt requests an ALS echo unit from the next station. We figure they can jump on our truck and we can transport if needed.

We arrive on scene. We are met on the lawn by a crying screaming mother. I grab the jump bag with my partners and run into the house. Our patient is in dads arm. Our patient is postitical and wheezing. I start blow by O2 while my Sgt. gets a set of vitals. Vitals are as follows: 140 HR, 44 resp, 100/60 bp, 101 temp.

The echo unit arrives on scene. Family states that they want the patient to go to Big major medical center less than 10 miles away. Als crew says "no way, we have to go to small community hospital" less than a mile away. They then say if you won't go there you will have to sign off and take the patient by car. The crew was rude and down right mean. My crew all look at each other with a disapproving looks. My capt. trys speaking to the officer on the echo. He ignores him. This really upsets my crew.

Luckily, dispatch never canceled the other als unit. So as the ALS transport unit arrived on scene. My Capt., being the highest ranking officer on scene, told the echo unit to leave the scene. While they were very pissed they left. I'm sure the Capt. will be calling their Chief in the morning. So, transport als unit crew takes report from us, they start a line. I call Big major medical center and give report for the transport unit. Big hospital accepts the patient and tell the crew to transport. Now everyone is happy.This also shows that maybe these paramedic need to step back and take a look at their career, maybe its time for a change. JS

Part 2: The Home Life.

2009-03-17T22:11:00.005-04:00

This is the second part to emt-dan's request.

How does EMS effect my home life?
That's a great question. I'm not sure I even know how to begin to answer it. It makes for interesting dinner conversation. My sister is also an EMS provider so discussions about bodily secretions happen quite frequently over a meal. Family dinners often consist of critiquing each others runs and Mom and Dad looking confused.

I'm very lucky to be as close to my sister as I am. She seems to be able to absorb the bad stuff from her own career as well as lend a shoulder to me as I vent about mine. I have been very lucky, my friends and family are very supportive and listen to me ramble about work.

Trying to explain to my mother, my friends, and significant other about why I cannot give an exact time I will be home for dinner is increasingly annoying. You'd think after this many years, they'd catch on and understand "hold over" and "late call" and that I have no control over either situation. It seems like our friends and family some times forget that when you call 911 some one has to show up and save your ass.

Everyone and their brother comes to me with medical questions. The first thing I tell them is to call their doctor. My favorite question I get from my friends is "Does it look broken to you?" I often respond with "I don't have an x-ray machine in my back pocket."

When I'm out in public, chatting with new people, I try not to discuss or bring up my career as it tends to monopolize the conversation. It seems like everyone wants to know about what you do. I would rather just sit back and listen to others talk. I hate being introduced as "This is my friend JS, the firefighter". Why can't I be your friend the SCUBA diver, or boater, or outdoorsmen?

I absolutely HATE the question: "What's the worst thing you've ever seen?" I had somebody ask me that the other day. And I asked them "Are you sure you really want to know?" And of course they said "Yes" So I told them. You could tell by the expression on their face they were sorry they asked.

But back to my home life. Most of the women I have dated work in some form of public safety. So that makes it easy to talk about work. Seeing what we see makes me enjoy life more in my off time. We are often reminded of how quickly our lives can be taken away from us.

I'll be honest, I like to drink and so do most of the people I work with. I don't think I have a problem. My drinking is always while off duty, always social, and never alone. I have learned that life is too short not to enjoy it! I hope this answers your question. JS

I'm sorry

2009-03-14T19:19:00.002-04:00

Let me start by saying I'm sorry. I have not been on my blog in some time. I am currently working on a big project for the city that I work for and it has been absorbing a great deal of my time. I will be finishing the second half of my last post in a few days about my home life and the job. I will also finish answering all of the questions and comments I recieved from my readers. I also have some new stories I want to post as well, but please just give me a little time to wrap this project up. Thank you. Fins up. JS

Fire based EMS and the home life

2009-03-05T19:19:00.003-05:00

This one is for you EMT Dan. This will be a two part post.

Part one, Fire based EMS.

The fire service has been around for a very long time. In the United States it can be traced back to Ben Franklin and before. The fire service is very much based in tradition, to see this you have to look no farther than our helmets. With modern turnout gear there is no reason for the large bill on the back of our helmets. The bill was there originally to stop hot embers and hot water from running down our neck, now its primary purpose is to get in the way of our SCBA bottles, but we keep it because of tradition.

As I said in my last post, the fire service is one of the only industries dedicated to putting ourselves out of business. We keep making fire codes tougher, building construction better, and increase public education of fire safety. However fires still happen and always will, they just happen less often. Because of that public officials view fire departments as a good place to cut on a budget line item. They don't think about us until they need us.

So the question is "How do we save our jobs?". The answer most departments have turned to is "Lets run EMS". In theory this is a great idea. But what we do on fire runs differs very much from what we do on EMS runs. Because of this it is almost impossible to keep up on training for both. I like to think I am as good of a firefighter as I am as an EMS provider. I try to stay up on the latest in both fields. But not everyone can or wants to do this. As a result you will often get Firefighters that run EMS or Paramedics that are also trained in firefighting. It is tough to keep the balance.

Now I have worked private EMS as well as fire EMS. I can tell you that there are just as many burned out shitty paramedics in private EMS as there are in fire based EMS. I think all fire based EMS providers should have a love for both jobs, if they don't then they are in the wrong career field and should look for another job. I think fire based EMS is here to stay and we should embrace it. If you don't want to treat patients and fight fire, then go to a major city like New York or Detroit and just run fire. If you don't want to fight fire than work in private EMS. I think the fire based EMS system can work and can work very well. But only we can make it happen.

Watch for part two on emergency services and the home life to come soon. JS

How did I get here?

2009-03-03T21:24:00.004-05:00

EMS-Bear asked me "how did I get to where I am at?", and if I had to choose between EMS or fire fighting what would I do?

I guess you could blame it on Lord Baden Powell. I entered into scouting at a young age and stayed involved in the scouting movement as a youth until I was twenty one years old. I have really bought into the teachings of scouting such as loyalty, honor, duty, and selfless service. So I guess it is fitting that in my adult life I have fallen into a career that is based on the same teachings.

I remember as a little boy wanting grow up to be a Firefighter. I used to play fireman all the time. At about age ten I received an old fire helmet from my uncle and found an old long black coat. That helmet still hangs on my wall today.I always had the garden hose out and was searching for victims. My father's dad retired as an acting bat. chief from the Detroit fire department. I remember hearing stories about him on the job from my grandma and my dad. They would tell stories of what it was like for him being a fireman during the riots in Detroit, and stories of how his men loved him. He always said that if any of us ever worked for the city of Detroit he would kill us. But you could tell that he was proud of what he had done. I wanted to be just like him.

So more than twenty years after his death I started at the Detroit Fire Department. But that is not where my career started. I didn't last long in the DFD. I got hurt during the academy and was forced to recycle into the next academy. Well I still have not gone back, and don't think I will. Maybe it was his way of telling me to get the hell out and stay in the Suburbs!

While in high school I widened my potential career field. I decided that I wanted to be in law enforcement, ems, fire service, or the military. Well, I never ended up in the military but did work for the Federal government. I spent my first couple of years out of high school working for the Boy Scouts. Then I got into security and private law enforcement. That was not for me, but I still do some high end security work on the side.

I had a lead foot when I turned 16 and started driving. within a year of getting my driver license it was suspended due to many speed infractions. About the time I was 21 my driving had gotten better but I still had 6 points on my license. Six points is the max you can have in Michigan and still be employed as a Firefighter. Most department would not hire a guy that already had his drivers license suspended once, still had six points, and no fire or EMS training. But someone did!

As I was driving one day I saw a sign in front of our local fire station that said " part time positions available". So, stopped by and got an app. The Chief of the department met me, but he seemed to lose interest after I told him about my driving record. He asked me why I wanted to be a firefighter. I told him I wanted to help people, and started telling him about my grandpa. As it turned the Chief had retired from the DFD as well and knew my grandpa. He had nothing but good thing to say about him. I guess the Chief had served under my grandpa. Needless to say he hired me and told me to keep my driving record quiet. So, John if you ever read this thank you!

The department paid for my fire academy and my EMT. Shortly after finishing school my Chief retired from our department, I moved out of my parents house and started with a new department.

I spent eight years with that new department. I started as a probie, when I left I was a Field Training Officer, head of the cadet program, and a certified fire instructor. It was also about the time I started with that department that I also started working for a private ambulance service. I saw a great deal of rescue work with that ambulance company. I got the junior coder worked out of my system there. It was also during my time at this fire department that my then Chief got me hooked up with a friend of his at FEMA and got me a job as a disaster reservist with FEMA. This was a great opportunity for me. I responded to a few disasters including Hurricanes Ivan, Charlie, and Francis in 2004, and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. However the ambulance service wouldn't grant me leave to respond to Katrina and I resigned so I could respond to the gulf coast. If you would like to know more about my life with FEMA check out my blog posts regarding Katrina and FEMA. It was also about this time that I started teaching at the Fire Academy. I found that I really loved to teach. I have since taught many classes and taken even more myself.

When I returned from the gulf I found a job working for another ambulance service in inner city Detroit and returned to my fire department. While working in the city I saw alot of crazy stuff and got burned out. While I stayed at my fire department I took a new security EMT job for a major bank and got off the road.

I then applied for a job with the DFD and was accepted, it was also during this time I resigned from my last fire department because of possible conflicts of interest. When I got hurt I had to find another job until the next academy started. So, I went to work for yet another fire department in the burbs and got into the ambulance service I currently work for. I like where I am now and make good money for my industry and have great benefits. I might stay where I am now, but the future is not written. That is the condensed version of career. There is so much more I could tell you about my past but that would take way too long.

As far as If I had to choose between Firefighting or EMS? Firefighting would win. Don't get me wrong, I love EMS, but I am a better firefighter than EMT. There is more brotherhood in the fire service and a lot less drama than in EMS. However, the fire service is the only industry dedicated to putting its self out of business. We make fire codes tougher and increase public education. If the public fire service is going to survive we have to provide other functions to the people, and one of the best services we can provide is EMS and technical rescue. Because of this I try to be a good EMS provider as well as a good firefighter. I hope this answers your question on how did I get here. JS

Why I'm not married?

2009-03-02T22:45:00.003-05:00

I would really like to know who asked this.. so Anonymous, this post is for you.

There are a few reasons I'm not married. The first is that I have not met the right women yet. I have been in love twice. I spent six years on and off with what I thought was the love of my life. We just were not meant to be together. As a result of 6 years of history we have become good friends and talk almost everyday. Besides I have to be her friend, she took me on an 8 day cruise last year, almost 2 years after we broke up! The second person I fell in love with was someone I dated while I was on a break from the other one. I think I screwed that one up by trying to rush things, we are also still good friends but her husband doesn't like me too much.

I have dated other women, and I have loved a few, but was not in love with them. Needless to say I won't be with someone in a relationship if I'm not in love with them.

The next reason I'm not married is my parents. But not why you may think. My parents have been married for almost 35 years, and they still can't keep there hands off each other. I want that and I'm not willing to settle for less than that.

Reason number three is I'm shy when when it comes to the opposite sex. I don't know why. I can run into a burning building, I can rappel out of a building. But talking to women that I'm interested in scares the shit out of me. I think I fear being rejected. Lets not forget that all women are crazy.

But I am always looking for my soul mate, I hate being alone but have been for a couple of years now. I just keep waiting for the right girl to walk into my life. I hope this answers your question on why I'm not married. JS

Ask the reader Pt 2

2009-03-02T22:27:00.003-05:00

I want to say thank you to everyone that sent me some ideas. It is going to take me while to respond to all the emails and comments, but believe me, I will. Please keep the ideas coming either via email or in comments. I will be answering these in no particular order. But I will get to all of them. You can email me at (John.Shepp.IV@gmail.com). Please keep the Ideas coming in. JS

By the way, thats a picture of me riding a donkey in the islands... I don't think he was very happy.