A good day to live.

Ken C.

Ken C.

Jack of all trades, master of none.
Staff member
Super Mod
Joined
Jun 14, 2000
Messages
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Yesterday I was called into work at the hospital on the EMS rig due to the foul weather. After arriving for duty we heard over the police band on the radio of a possible cardiac problem right down the street from the hospital. We started rolling prior to being dispatched and we were on scene in a matter of 2 minutes. The patient was a 44 y/o male who was complaining of chest pain radiating to his left arm. He stated he was shoveling snow a half hour earlier. When we got inside he was lying on the couch and was pale, cool, and sweaty. Given what he told us I knew he was a having a heart attack. I assessed his vitals and found that his BP was 70 systolic. Not good. The medics were still 3-4 minutes out. My partner and I made the decision to scoop and swoop and radio in our findings to the hospital which was a few minutes away. From the time of dispatch to the time he hit the ER and was getting worked up 13 minutes had elapsed. 20 minutes later he was in the Cath Lab. He had suffered an MI (myocardial infraction). Despite not having medics available he was well cared for. His wife showed up soon after she was called at work. She was frantically trying to get answers. The doc spoke with her shortly after he went up to the lab. About 45 minutes later she was looking for Wayne and I and thanked us for saving her husbands life and hugged us both. I never ask to be recognized or praised for the job I am paid to do. My reward is a person who will live another day. If I can walk away with a life saved I am happy knowing I did my best. This case had some extra meaning to it though; Feb.14 was their 15 year anniversary.

Cases like this make me stop and think about how short life is and that I should take advantage of each and every day. I can't save everyone and when it's your time..it's your time. I do my best and sometimes that's all it takes.

So do me a favor.. reflect on this story and try to respect yourself in both body and mind and live life to the fullest because you never know when the simple things will take you from this earth.
 
I'll make sure my kid reads this post. He is trying to get into the Fire Service here and I know he has made a wise decision. Good work matey!:thumbup:
 
Good job on the save. A lot of calls we do stretch way out into the county and when it take an hour to get there work them and arrive at the hospital you get to see a lot that dont make it. Its nice to see some of them make it. Glad to see yours went well.
 
Good work. I was scared my fat ass was gonna drop shoveling my driveway yesterday, I must've turned an hour job into a four hour ordeal, all the self imposed breaks I took. Ain't gonna die to get on the road.
 
"When one saves a life, it is as if he has saved an enitire world"


--the Talmud


:thumbup:
 
Thank you for sharing that story!!
At a very young age, I lost a lot of people that I LOVED at a very early age. That taught me early, how short life is, and to not take anyone or anything for granted. I DO let the people that I love and care about, that I love and care about them!! Life IS way too short!!

I like that quote Shaldag.
 
K.V. Collucci said:
Cases like this make me stop and think about how short life is and that I should take advantage of each and every day. I can't save everyone and when it's your time..it's your time. I do my best and sometimes that's all it takes.

So do me a favor.. reflect on this story and try to respect yourself in both body and mind and live life to the fullest because you never know when the simple things will take you from this earth.
Click to expand...

Hey, Collucci......Ya done good. You know it. Everyone else knows it. Keep up the good work. When you go out on a call, you have to be able to evaluate the situation, and then make the correct decisions in just a matter of seconds. Lives depend on that. It's a tough job that you do. I, for one, appreciate your efforts and especially the lives you save.

Structures can burn down. But they can be rebuilt. That's just material stuff. But having the ability to save a life is a gift. Once you lose that life, that's it. I am glad that you do everything possible to save those lives, even if it means a scoop and swoop with the EMT's minutes away.

Is it okay to say how proud I am of you? Well, I am just as proud of you as if you were one of my own fire fighters I dispatched for.

There just aren't enough words to tell you how I feel about what you did and what you do every single day you've got your turn-outs on working hard, or even if it is evening and you're sitting in a recliner watching TV. It is a very tough job you do and not every who is a fire fighter can do it well.

Yippee for Ken!!!! A new Hero for the everyday person.

TJ
 
Thanks for all the kind words. They mean a lot but by no means am I a hero. I put my pants on one leg at a time just like all of you. I am not perfect nor to I claim to be. I get up, go to work, do my best, and try not to get killed so I can go home to my family. But thanks again. :o
 
Hold on a second. I NEVER said that you are PERFECT. You're a Mod, aren't ya? Can't be both at the same time. :D
 
In EMS those success stories are few and far between so you have to relish them for as long as possible. Great job!!!!!
 
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