A Day in My Life

21 August 2005

I always think that my life is boring by comparison (comparison to whom I am not sure...) but it seems to be that I do more "living" than many people. This is sad for other people, unless they can truly say that they are contented. I may not be living in a way that others want to, but I am living - most of the time. I will admit to using some time unwisely but as long as I am happy with it, then it's all good.

Any way, this day has been a mix of really living and wasting some time. I suspect that the down time was needed, however, and so it was not truly a waste. In any event, here is today:

Some time after midnight, Rescue & Recovery got a call, but all I heard was "Standby, Car 69" and tones... no message. More brilliance thanks to the township vetoeing the new communications tower...

At 05:00 we had a call. It was routine, nothing special. I am surprised and very pleased with the crew I am a part of - even though they both worked today and had mentioned that they were unavailable at 05:00 to take calls, both came out to play on this one. Otherwise I'd've had to ask dispatch to blow out Car 65 to take it (I'm on Car 66).

I got back in at 0625, so it was pointless to try to sleep. I had to be over at the Rescue & Recovery building at 07:15 for a water drill.

Before you are wondering about this, I am an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) with one of two first aid squads in northern New Jersey. We do have formal names, but for this it will be Car 66 (one third of the town) and Car 65 (the other 2/3 of town). And then there is Car 69, the Rescue & Recovery squad. Some few enterprising souls will figure this out... dispatch is 480 (I'm not giving the total call sign). There is a paid day crew (Car 67) and then there are the 6 fire districts in town as well.

I am fully certified and I even drive the ambulance. (Those who know me will understand why the sentence is structured so.) It's extremely rewarding work. But when I was uncertified except for CPR, I took the first responder class - with almost ALL of Car 69's members. Thus I know them all very well. Except for the FNGs, whom I met today.

Anyway, the Chief of 69 asked me if I wanted to be a drowning victim for today and I said I would love to. I love to swim. At 5'4" and 181lbs I am a bit bulky and ungraceful on land but I love being in the water. And I am much more graceful in it. (I'd like to think so, anyway...) So I came along in a sundress over my bathing suit and brought a towel and we all trooped over to one of the many lakes in town. There was another member's 12-year-old son with me to play victim and he and I had a fun time.

We went over with the Chief's truck with a flatbed hitched to it and the small blow-up boat (seats two) and the larger blow-up boat on it. The larger boat is a rescue boat and has two wooden boards to serve as seats and another that allows one to attach the motor to it. It is a lot longer than one would think to look at it in the water - about 12 feet long. This allows about three rescuers and two patients.

We went out in a small blow-up boat and let the rescue guys come out and get us. We did a total of four rescues, and I gave input as to what needed improvement from the patient's and the EMT's viewpoint. It was a fun, educational and interesting process and definitely a fun day.

The first time, Kelly and Franco (I think) were the rescuers and I was away from the boat; the other victim (I suddenly have blanked on his name, I'm sorry to say) hung onto the raft. Poor kid, he was very nervous at first and did not want to be on his own or out of the boat - but he did very well. He had on a life-vest, same as me and he was a great victim. We also had Todd in full diving gear just a few feet away to provide any additional help if it was needed. I was about ten feet away and thrashed about and really did not make it easy. Just as they came up to me and got a hold of my vest, I allowed myself to go limp.

This did not make it too easy, as I am a good weight and it was not easy for them to try to wrest me onto the boat. Kelly opted to grab me by the vest - which ellicited all kinds of commentary from me - I hated that! Ignoring for the moment the friction burns that it gave my armpits (!), I was also put off (to say the least) about having the front cut off my windpipe. I am quite enamored of breathing and this was not conducive to doing so.

The second time it was Franco, Jack, and someone else. (I wish I could remember who...) Jack is a funny guy and we are always kidding around. This time, however, I got to see him in his work, doing his part as a rescuer, and I am impressed. He is a good, calming influence and communicates well and constantly with the victim/patient. He kept asking me if I was OK, was the boat going too fast or too slow, and was I feeling alright? He advised the others on what to do and how to hold me. This time they did not lift me onto the boat but had me hold on to the outside. This was a considerably better experience.

The third time all three FNGs came out in the boat to rescue us, although the boy remained at the dock and I swam out with the tall guy. I held onto the side again while "little" Brian talked to me and kept a good, solid grip on my arm without hurting me. He was great - excellent "bedside" - or should I say "lakeside" - manor. This went much more smoothly, although they did not communicate at all with each other nor were they confident in physically handling us but that comes with experience.

The last time I did not go as a victim but swam around (sans life jacket) the dock. The water was delightful and just deep enough for me to swim as well as stand. The only fly in the ointment was the bottom. It was a silty, sucking quagmire that would allow one to sink up to their ankles and felt terrible. I had on a pair of the neoprene booties and I found it extremely distasteful - in bare feet it would have been unbearable.

Instead of me, the kid and what's his name, the really tall guy that joined (I'm sorry, I am terrible with names!) went out to the deeper part of the lake. The boy as an easy rescue - he was alert and lightweight - but the other one was unconscious and injured and this was work - he had to be placed on a backboard and collared and brought in while maintaining C-spine precautions and inline stabilization. Not an easy task. They did do quite well with it, though.

At that point we all got out and cleaned up. It took Todd a little while to extricate himself from all the diving gear and the neoprene wetsuit - the suit is several pieces, a full ankle to shoulder piece, a separate pair of leggings and a "jacket" piece, plus gloves and booties. I needed Brian (poor hung-over Brian) to help pull off my booties and half of that bloody lake came out with my feet!

After that we returned to the main squadhouse and the guys put everything away or hung to dry. I changed into my sundress and we hung out in the crew room. I had run home to put on a bra (what can I say - gravity works) and collect some Alleve for one of the 69 guys who had a little too much "fun" at the Wetdown for Districts 1, 5, and 6 (I think that was it - definitely for 5 and 6). I have not seen someone so painfully hungover from a good time out than this one... (you know who you are!).

Luis came over while I was asleep in the crewroom. I had a good breakfast in the morning but ye gods, all that swimming and struggling and paddling in the lake for two full hours was a lot of expended energy and I was ravenously hungry to boot. I was out like a light... and then pizza arrived and we ate. Luis and I came home after and he went to City of Heroes (his choice of online gaming for the moment) and I went right to bed!

I woke up at 14:40, read, and then Luis joined me around 15:20 and we had a nice time, followed by a bit of napping and then I had a soak at 16:40 and here I am, third addition to my blog. Fast, aren't I?

The rest of today? Who knows... we will just have to wait and see what I do!