After years on the job, it isn't unusual for one of us to feel burned out. Things can tend to feel the same day in and day out. Often we just get tired of all the pain and suffering we see people go through. Sometimes we just need to take a look at the overall picture of life. It is only then that we realize what we have been missing or not "seeing" all that time. To all of us who have ever felt burned out or might one day feel burned out... let this song touch your heart and remind you why we came to this calling in our lives in the first place.
God Bless all the Firefighters and EMS workers throughout the World!
23 May 2009
19 May 2009
Duck all demands
Our Firehouse is one of the older Firehouses in San Francisco. Sure, we'll admit, sometimes we'd like to have a new and more modern and updated Fire Station. But we are quite fond of our Fire Station. We have so many great memories of this place. I'm not sure we are ready for any change.... although that could change at any moment.
My office is just down the hall from the kitchen...... about 500 feet. I am sentimental about this since the back of our Engine says "Keep Back 500 Feet."
Our Firehouse is adequately heated in the winter and somewhat cooled in the summer months. One good thing about the heating vents is that you can hear people talking in the kitchen through the vent in the floor from my office. Over the years, I have learned one thing: If you SMELL coffee in the Firehouse... you have to have some. We have great Italian coffee brewers here. THE BEST!
One day, I was feeling lazy. I smelled the coffee brewing one morning and I could hear some of the guys talking from the kitchen (through the heater vent). So I got on the floor and said to the heater vent: "Rick do you think you can bring me a cup of that great smelling coffee? Please???" Five minutes later he brought me a cup.
This scenario played several times over the next couple weeks with Seguace (our Firehouse duck mascot) watching and listening to each move and word I said.
One day, Seguace went to the heater vent and quacked for 2 minutes. He did this for several days with persistence. Then, the next thing I knew, Rick brought in a cup of coffee for him.
It dawned on me that Suguace had just ordered (and received!) coffee from the kitchen. To this day I still can't believe how smart that duck is. I have to be more careful in the future. I have to admit... I am so very happy I don't have to share MY cofffee with Seguace, since he leaves duck slobber in my cup every time he sneaks a sip when I'm not looking.
Still, the thought of Seguace copying my actions floors me. Who would think of a duck as a caffeine addict? :-)))
'Ya just gotta love this alternative "San Francisco Zoo" !!!!
My office is just down the hall from the kitchen...... about 500 feet. I am sentimental about this since the back of our Engine says "Keep Back 500 Feet."
Our Firehouse is adequately heated in the winter and somewhat cooled in the summer months. One good thing about the heating vents is that you can hear people talking in the kitchen through the vent in the floor from my office. Over the years, I have learned one thing: If you SMELL coffee in the Firehouse... you have to have some. We have great Italian coffee brewers here. THE BEST!
One day, I was feeling lazy. I smelled the coffee brewing one morning and I could hear some of the guys talking from the kitchen (through the heater vent). So I got on the floor and said to the heater vent: "Rick do you think you can bring me a cup of that great smelling coffee? Please???" Five minutes later he brought me a cup.
This scenario played several times over the next couple weeks with Seguace (our Firehouse duck mascot) watching and listening to each move and word I said.
One day, Seguace went to the heater vent and quacked for 2 minutes. He did this for several days with persistence. Then, the next thing I knew, Rick brought in a cup of coffee for him.
It dawned on me that Suguace had just ordered (and received!) coffee from the kitchen. To this day I still can't believe how smart that duck is. I have to be more careful in the future. I have to admit... I am so very happy I don't have to share MY cofffee with Seguace, since he leaves duck slobber in my cup every time he sneaks a sip when I'm not looking.
Still, the thought of Seguace copying my actions floors me. Who would think of a duck as a caffeine addict? :-)))
'Ya just gotta love this alternative "San Francisco Zoo" !!!!
03 May 2009
I'm losing my touch
"Engine 7, Rescue 2, an EMS response on the freeway. 32 year old male injured by an apparent pipe bomb, conscious and alert, bleeding from the arm." (We are given directions to the scene at this point).
"County Fire, Engine 7, Rescue 2 responding."
We arrive on the scene. A Chevy Malibu has impacted the center divide. Reports tell us that a bomb had been thrown into the Malibu from a passing car. It hit our patient in the arm. Our patient is lying on the ground near to his car. Passerbyers who had witnessed what had happened had pulled over to assist the man. His shirt is blackened and his arm is bleeding, obviously burned.
As we attend to the patient, we are told by the police that a suspect has been arrested and is in police custody. We were told it was a molotov cocktail that had been thrown into our patient's car. Our patient is prepped for the ride to the emergency room. He is in stable condition. During the ride, I realized how tired I was. The humming of the squad's engine just about put me to sleep.
Upon arriving at the ER, the attending physician asks for details and updates on the patient.
So I give the pertinent information to the doctor. "32 year old male, hit in arm with a masultov cocktail, BP 130/70, Pulse 85, Respiration 32..."
"Mazultov?" the doctor asks.
"Yes, but he is stable. There was more damage to the car than to the patient," I answer without thinking.
It just took three seconds to hear the giggling of the nurses before I caught on to my verbal mistake. I'm losing my touch. Usually it only takes ONE second!
"County Fire, Engine 7, Rescue 2 responding."
We arrive on the scene. A Chevy Malibu has impacted the center divide. Reports tell us that a bomb had been thrown into the Malibu from a passing car. It hit our patient in the arm. Our patient is lying on the ground near to his car. Passerbyers who had witnessed what had happened had pulled over to assist the man. His shirt is blackened and his arm is bleeding, obviously burned.
As we attend to the patient, we are told by the police that a suspect has been arrested and is in police custody. We were told it was a molotov cocktail that had been thrown into our patient's car. Our patient is prepped for the ride to the emergency room. He is in stable condition. During the ride, I realized how tired I was. The humming of the squad's engine just about put me to sleep.
Upon arriving at the ER, the attending physician asks for details and updates on the patient.
So I give the pertinent information to the doctor. "32 year old male, hit in arm with a masultov cocktail, BP 130/70, Pulse 85, Respiration 32..."
"Mazultov?" the doctor asks.
"Yes, but he is stable. There was more damage to the car than to the patient," I answer without thinking.
It just took three seconds to hear the giggling of the nurses before I caught on to my verbal mistake. I'm losing my touch. Usually it only takes ONE second!
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