I'm on call with the ambulance and my pager is broken. Ask me anything.

[Robb]

:eyes:

THIS is how our homeland security dollars are being spent. Or not spent. Whichever.

I'm a volunteer driver for EMS in my little tiny town. My pager, which I was already sharing with my wakeboard instructor (who is an EMT-I) crapped out on me.

Fortunately, I've got the scanner from work... unfortunately, it's also got to go through fire, police, etc.

So I'm stuck. Rather than the relative freedom to travel around town, staying within a few blocks of the ambulance barn, I'm planted next to this thing, forced to listen to the Friday night adventures in small-town law enforcement. Plus, it's homecoming tonight at the high school. :)

Ask me anything. But don't be surprised if I don't answer suddenly... it means I'm out helping save a life. Or at least doin' my dangdest. :)

[Spinzonner]

1. Yes, but somewhere a millionaire is having an extra serving of caviar

with the money. You should rejoice.

[lovedems]

2. We had an ambulance at our house a couple of months ago

and a fire truck.

My hubby had a heart attack and they had to use the paddles on him and everything. He had emergency double bypass. All of that and he is only 33 years old.

So, have you ever helped someone with a heart attack that was that young or close to it?

[Robb]

3. We had a fellow a few nights ago

...turned out to be a drug issue, but he was 35 and showing all the classic heart attack signs.

The next day we had a call to a 17-year-old basically having a meth-induced heart attack.

Busy week. I did do a workshop with the EMTs on the paddles... it's a cool machine, you attach the paddles and the little computer monitors and even suggests whether a shock would be appropriate. :thumbsup:

Bear in mind, I'm just a driver. My girlfriend (!) does all the dirty work. We're scheduled together so we can share one of the few pagers that works. Or used to work. :eyes:

[lovedems]

4. Rest assured, my hubby's wasn't drug related

but he did smoke cigarettes. Just a bad case of coronary artery disease.

At any rate, I have a new found respect for EMT's and Paramedics so I appreciate your volunteering!

[Robb]

5. Well, I do get 8 bucks for every call...

...average run takes about four hours from page to backing the re-tanked ambulance back into the barn.

$2/hour! Woo-hoo!! :bounce:

Of course, I do get to play with the lights and siren from time to time. :P

[Robb]

6. Scanner traffic update, 1900 hrs...

...just listened to an incredibly long conversation between a sheriff's deputy and dispatch. Some kids were pulled over with a ton of beer in the back... kids said it was dad's beer. None of it was open, so the deputy had dispatch call dad, who confirmed it was his. Deputy relayed he could either come pick it up or he was going to dump it all. Dispatch relayed back that dad wanted them to drop it all off at his house. Deputy told dispatch he wasn't "county beer delivery" and said he was pouring it out. :)