Well folks, it is time for me to be brave and make an admission to you all. I only have 24 days left at my current station. My soon-to-be husband and I are planning to take some extended leave to travel and volunteer. We are staying open minded about what life holds for us next;…
This story happened early in my career and has weighed on me from time to time since. The disease responsible crops up all too frequently in my own family. I am afraid something of similar caliber will happen to me one day. It was late evening, maybe 9pm, when the call came through, “Code 4:…
A friendly reader, interested in joining the paramedic profession as a second career, recently asked me a series of questions. “I want to find a job where I can directly help people in a health-medical/hands-on field. I’ve been conducting very thorough research in the paramedic career (given my anxious and perfectionist self; not wanting to…
I want to share this recently uploaded video from Toronto Paramedic Services. Considering my last couple weeks it feels quite timely. Wouldn’t it be great if the PAC made a national video like this? We know this is not a region specific issue. Now from my personal files, more examples of Making the Wrong Call……
My height: 5 feet 1 inch…just brushing 155cms. Not surprisingly, “You’re too little!” is a comment I hear a lot in my profession (not to mention all my life). I once let an elderly lady (who weighed all of 100lbs) give my bicep a squeeze to gain her confidence before picking her up. I’ve always…
I love driving but we all know that sitting for a long time is bad for our bodies. EMS providers, depending on their area, often sit in vehicles for looong hours. In my area one typical interfacility transfer can last from 6-8 hours plus. The problem is compounded when you are expected to do heavy…
Over the past year I have spent a few hundred, possibly thousands of hours traveling the highways of Saskatchewan (Hwys 1, 4, and 7 repeat). A big part of my paycheque is thanks to inter-facility transfers. Basically we scoop up our patient at a hospital or care center in one place and transport them to…
Many of you have probably seen the news article regarding a California police officer arresting a firefighter at an accident scene because he would not move his truck when asked (ahem- FIRE truck). According to news sources, “The city’s firefighters were first to arrive on the scene, where they parked their fire trucks in a…
Lately my calls have been fairly routine and my days off have been over taken by training necessary for re-licensing- hence the blogging silence. However, here are some highlights from the past week for your amusement. 1. Turns out those mini-beavers I’ve been seeing on the side of the road are actually giant rats. Nature-…
With Remembrance Day upon us I can’t help but think of the many things I am grateful for. Many members of my family fought in WW2, some returned home to tell about it. It is a long held tradition to attend the cenotaph and take a moment of silence together. Today I marched alongside my…
Medic15 