Showing the new Rookie how to save a life.

OK,

On friday, ;we got a call for a possible heart attack at a residence. We arrived and a elderly man (70ish) was sitting in a chair "barely" breathing. His wife called 911 because after eating he said he was going to lay down due to not feeling well. She went to check on him and he was blue & cold. Anyways, we started our care/rescue and all the e.m.s. stuff that we do (like Ive done tons of times), but again - this one was different......I had a rookie partner....who has never seen this before.

Well, after working and loading the patient we got him to the hospital. The E.R. doctor said that if it had not been for our good care and if we hadnt got there when we did he would not have made it. It looked like he could make a good recovery in the next week or so.

Sounds like a great day right.......It was...............But...........the only part of this that make me mad is the fact that Ive been a fireman for 13 years, have see lots of good runs and some bad. I have had 13 people die in my hands and really didnt get my "first save" till after 3 years on the job. This rookie gets is "first save" on his first run. Maybe it was good way to break him in - had it of gone bad, maybe he wouldnt be able to do the job anymore - I dont know.

Things always have a way of working out, some good some bad...............This was a good day to be a "Fireman".

Copes

Posted by Copes @ 8:15 pm EDT | Permalink | 7 Comments

New MySpace account

Ok,

Still new to this blog stuff, so the Wife and I thought it might be good to start a "Myspace.com" acount. Now she can get into the fun and share with her friends who are not on 2o2p and we can link to others.....so check it out http://www.myspace.com/andyc29

Copes

Posted by Copes @ 3:09 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

New rookie started on my Fire Dept. this week.

Ok, Ok. So I havent been keeping up with my blog very much. I still need to be very selective what I write and keep track of due to laws and stuff like that (no names, locations, medical info).

A.... F.N.G. (Fucking New Guy) started this week and guess who gets to train him for the first week  - me. Its wierd, Im 30 yrs old, have been with the F.D. for 12 years now. Ive trained tons of guys in the past, but this one is different. This new guy is older than me (38 yrs old). He is fresh out of the academy - no fire experence at all. He was a computer I.T. guy (which I know nothing about). He started on monday and is a good guy - well today he got his "cherry popped" as we say in the fire service.

His first call is a 4 vehicle injury accident with multiple injuries. 

Oh I might have forgot to mention that it was just us on Squad #2 with approx. 3 cops. The rest of my crew (Engine #2) was on another call on the other side of the city. Also did I forget to mention that all our command staff (Asst. Chief, Capt., Shift Supervisor, ect.....) was all tied up and didnt/couldnt respond.

I was in charge, on a Medic Squad, with a rookie, on a call that needed approx. 2 Engine Co.s, 1 Command officer, and several more Fireman for manpower.

Needless to say he did ok. He followed my orders, we had alot to do, and got it done. All patients made it to the hospital ok. Still some things he needs to learn but I think he might turn out to be one of the best rookies Ive ever had.

Its really unbelieveable how things can turn out in my line of work on any given day.





Posted by Copes @ 10:01 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments

Idea for first blog

Thinking about starting my first blog. What does a firefighter talk about ?. Well how about some of the fire runs I go on. Ok I'll start a blog "log" (sounds funny) of fire runs I go on. Will not be able to give names or addresses or stuff like that but basic details of fire calls I go on.....

Stay tuned for more....

Copes

Posted by Copes @ 3:38 pm EDT | Permalink | 0 Comments