can anyone with experience relate to this?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris Anderson on January 13, 2008 at 10:25pm

I am not sure that people relate us to god as much as just pure good. Why else are people so damn suprised when they hear of a firefighter/emt/cop that committs a crime? But like others say, we all have our faults and in the end we are just trying to do everything we can to make sure that our patients can have a chance at walking out of the hospital. Sometimes there is just that one patient that we can try everything on and nothing helps.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by greg on January 18, 2008 at 6:08pm

You are correct Kendra people in need do put alot of trust in you when you show up to help them in there moment of need. I beleave it amounts to the fact that we are expected to provide them with a positive outcome no matter what the situation may be. Most civilians only look at it as "if I call they will come and all will be well"! All one needs to do is turn on the t.v. and look at any rescue type show or movie after all it always turns out well right!?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Reggie Cervantes on January 21, 2008 at 10:05am

Kendra,
Ive been a patient and an EMT. I have both saves (7) and many more losses (9/11) both service members and patients. Never loose touch with the fact that while many patients will consider you a miracle or ray of light when you show up to help them in their worst time of need, we are but them by the grace of god.

Not only can this happen to us but also if we dont keep in perspective and that might mean not placing too much stock on those who throw in the God complex into the equation.

As a rookie EMT I was taken in by some of the older veterans who had 17+ plus years experience and taught to respect the uniform, the pain, the tears and keep it in perspective. You will have many good calls but you will have many bad calls. Try to remember the good and when someone walks up to you to thank you for helping them, saving them or being kind enjoy the feeling. The dead one's dont talk but I know some would have been grateful to have a kind person next to them instead of a paragod or worse someone totally preoccupied.

We are not gatekeepers but transport facilitators an old colleague taught me. Sometimes we are there because its our job, sometimes because its the patients job to be there and sometimes because a colleague needs to have the experience. Our only job is to go from A to B, quickly, efficiently and not becoming part of the trauma. This means vent, talk, learn and go on to the next call but never forget we have NO power. They just think we can control their fate but in reality we cant even control ours.

I am not a hero, only a survivor. There is a huge difference.
BE SAFE!
Reggie

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jessica Hart on March 20, 2008 at 3:27pm

Just don't let it go to your head....Thats how people mess up, they get cockie...Strive to be the best you can be,but never give a pt. false hope that no matter what you will save them...Don't get me wrong, most everyone I know would basically lay there life down right on the spot to save someone else or take the pain and suffering away that one feels.... But, we are not GOD...we can only do what the man up stairs allows us to....He has the final say on what happens.... Kendra, I truely hope and pray you always make the best descions poss. in the field, just never think of yourself as a paragod, when you get cockie, things go wrong..It becomes all about you at that point and you will make mistakes...You are human,no more no less...Good luck out there...

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Beckah Priebe on March 22, 2008 at 6:27pm

Well that is very true. It is an ok thing so long as we don't start to think that we are God.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Don Zimmerman on March 26, 2008 at 1:17am

That is one of the reasons I get into this job 27 years ago. It still holds up that we are the people that are suppose to show up when someone is at the worst and needs we have what we offer in help and abilities. Has not changed as yet!!! Zimm

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on March 31, 2008 at 12:14pm

If you set your expectations too high, you will fall farther.
You work within a skill set to affect an outcome.
Yeah; it's cool when everything goes right, but it won't always go "right". Lots can go wrong. Learning how to overcome that, adapting if you will, will help you keep your sanity.
If you try to live up to your adoring public's expectations, both of you will be disappointed.
That's why it's called "human kind".
I have many skeletons in my closet; real AND imagined.
They didn't make it.
I did.
TCSS.
Art

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Watts on April 18, 2008 at 7:22am

Hey Mike, You and I are the only people on our department that has ever said we do this because we care about people. Maybe some of the new guys might feel this way.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bill on March 31, 2008 at 1:50pm

Often people perceive first responders as their only hope in a bad situation. If the outcome is good, we are good. If we cannot make the situarion better, we wind up on the lawsuit list. I don't think they are relating us to God, they're just looking for anything to get them through.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nathan Enyart on March 31, 2008 at 2:50pm

Yes I can relate to this. but what do you do when you can no longer be a firefighter do to CHF and COPD. I am fighting this daily was in the hospital last week Dr. said it is getting worse. How do you stay in the brotherhood when you can no longer fight fires.
Nathan

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David Watts on April 19, 2008 at 4:32pm

There is some treatment out there for your situation, And there is a job that you can do. TEACH others what you have learned. I am sure you have thought about this, But I figured I would throw that at you again.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by J.R. Fitzgerald on March 31, 2008 at 4:00pm

Hi Kendra I dont really know how that question got turned like that but my personal opinion is that desperation is a weird thing. When you are at that moment in your life you will turn to anyone for help. I know I've been on both sides of the fence. And the image portrade of FF & EMS personel these days is that when you are in need of help we will be there like some sort of superhero, do I consider myself to be one (GET REAL) not by a long shot. But yes it is something that is strange to people who do this for the rite reasons. Remember its not a job its a passion!

▶ Reply to This

• First
• Previous
• Next
• Last