I picked up an overtime shift today and got to work with a couple of old salty types that are both less than a year from retirement. We just got back from a "line down" call in an alley. Usually we get called when a powerline comes down, just to keep people back and safe until the power company comes to fix the problem. In this case, it was just TV cable lines and the distraught homeowner had called for anybody that would listen and it just so happened that 911 was willing to answer the phone AND send us out to pull the lines out of the way so he could drive on down the alley.
On our return, one of the old guys says to the other, "I see the window on that restaurant is still boarded up from when you crawled through it." Of course, that raised my question of why he had crawled through the window. Turns out, there was a pretty good fire that had broke out in the apartment above the restaurant.
"We did save the restaurant..." says one guy.
"Yah, they were pretty happy about that. They sent us a bunch of lasagna to eat. We had our families come in to share and it was really great," says the other.
After a slight pause..."yah, next time we are a going to burn a Chinese joint..."
As always, it is mostly about the food!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Pack Rats with Only Two Legs
Occasionally we find human pack rats. I have never quite understood this behavior, but it not real uncommon. Today, we went to a house in an older, but upscale neighborhood for an elderly female that could not get up from the floor. As we entered the large single-story house, it was apparent that we were not going to be able to get our gurney in at all. There was a collection of household goods, furniture, books, and general debris that occupied basically every inch of the house. There was a very narrow trail that ran from the kitchen to the bedrooms, with little side trails to the bathroom and front door. There were entire rooms and sections of the house that could not be reached without climbing over things piled about 4-6 feet high. Surprisingly enough, the house was relatively odor and dirt free. There was food in the kitchen and obviously they were able to cook and eat. We first wondered if they ever sat down, but then we discovered two chairs (his and hers) near what would be the dining area, just off the kitchen.
Having fought fires in a few of these houses, it is amazing that more don't die in the clutter and the mess. We did refer them to social services and hopefully they will get some help. In chatting with the elderly man, some of the behavior might be explained by the death of their only living relative, a daughter. In looking around, it was conceivable that they simply emptied all of the contents of her house into their house when she died.
Having fought fires in a few of these houses, it is amazing that more don't die in the clutter and the mess. We did refer them to social services and hopefully they will get some help. In chatting with the elderly man, some of the behavior might be explained by the death of their only living relative, a daughter. In looking around, it was conceivable that they simply emptied all of the contents of her house into their house when she died.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Tricks and Pranks
Sitting around the dinner table this evening, we were discussing some of the better practical jokes and pranks in circulation around the department. Bill, who is a senior engineer and looks like Santa Claus - although the twinkle in the eye usually has a slightly sinister hint to it, has always been a master of the subtle prank. Once while golfing, he went on at length how a wheel cart for the clubs was so nice since the golf bag got heavy during a long hot day of carrying it around 18 holes. After a couple of hours and his continued mentioning how a cart was so nice, I was beginning to agree that the bag did get heavy. After another couple of holes, I really was getting rather tired of carrying the heavy bag. As I went to put a club away, I noticed that it did not properly go into the bag. After a bit of investigation, I discovered about 20 lbs of nice round stones in my bag. Apparently, he had been slowly adding a rock or two every time I turned my back on my bag.
On another occasion, there was a new guy on the department that had a very and methodical way of doing everything. He would spend hours researching the most mundane purchase and agonized over every detail of everything he did. He soon earned the nickname of "Fast Eddie" since you had to set stakes and measure to see if he was actually moving most of the time. Once Bill saw the opening, he rapidly developed and executed a most diabolical plan. Preying on Fast Eddie's attention to detail, he began adding very minute particles of a particularly aromatic blue cheese to Fast Eddie's footwear. After a few weeks of this, Fast Eddie was rapidly (for him) working his way through all the known home remedies. He tried foot powder. He tried odor eater insoles. He bought a foot bath and spent a lot of time soaking his feet. At this point, it was time for Bill to raise the stakes. Bill started carrying a small container of cheese with him at all times and even when not working at the same station, they could end up on the same scene. So while Fast Eddie was lugging some poor hurting soul to the ambulance, Bill would be putting just that perfect touch to the essence of awful odor on the steering wheel. So, Fast Eddie now had to explain to his partners that "he had a personal problem" because even though there was usually not enough for others to smell, Fast Eddie knew it was there. Next, Fast Eddie sought medical help for this on-going embarrassment and actually went to a doctor to try to get a solution for the horror that was seemingly following him around. The end of the story seems to have been lost in the dark recesses of the minds of those who love to spend the evening around the firehouse dinner table laughing until it hurts...
On another occasion, there was a new guy on the department that had a very and methodical way of doing everything. He would spend hours researching the most mundane purchase and agonized over every detail of everything he did. He soon earned the nickname of "Fast Eddie" since you had to set stakes and measure to see if he was actually moving most of the time. Once Bill saw the opening, he rapidly developed and executed a most diabolical plan. Preying on Fast Eddie's attention to detail, he began adding very minute particles of a particularly aromatic blue cheese to Fast Eddie's footwear. After a few weeks of this, Fast Eddie was rapidly (for him) working his way through all the known home remedies. He tried foot powder. He tried odor eater insoles. He bought a foot bath and spent a lot of time soaking his feet. At this point, it was time for Bill to raise the stakes. Bill started carrying a small container of cheese with him at all times and even when not working at the same station, they could end up on the same scene. So while Fast Eddie was lugging some poor hurting soul to the ambulance, Bill would be putting just that perfect touch to the essence of awful odor on the steering wheel. So, Fast Eddie now had to explain to his partners that "he had a personal problem" because even though there was usually not enough for others to smell, Fast Eddie knew it was there. Next, Fast Eddie sought medical help for this on-going embarrassment and actually went to a doctor to try to get a solution for the horror that was seemingly following him around. The end of the story seems to have been lost in the dark recesses of the minds of those who love to spend the evening around the firehouse dinner table laughing until it hurts...
Friday, December 22, 2006
It was a Dark and Cold Night...
Last night we were dispatched to "man down" which is catch-all for anything weird related to people that are not moving or behaving in a proper manner. Usually, this is an intoxicated person that somehow failed to get out of sight before taking a nap. In this particular case, we were not exactly sure what to expect since the temperature was well below freezing and the average self-medicated drunk usually avoids napping on a sidewalk in that kind of weather. So, at about 10 PM we rolled out on the call to find a construction worker sitting in his pickup with the engine running. Since this was on a pan handle lot (driveway past one house near the street accessing a rear lot), we pulled into the drive and parked, proceeding on foot back to where the pickup truck was located. We found a DRT which in Paramedic terms means "dead right there". Apparently, he had finished work about 4-5 hours prior, went to the truck, and then had a heart attack or something of that nature. So after hours of sitting in the truck with the engine running, neighbors noticed the unusual behavior and initiated that ambiguous "man down" call.
As the neighbors gathered, along with the police doing their investigation, we took our cue from the freezing wind and tried to leave. At the point we opened the door to the fire engine, everything went dead. I mean, no lights, no engine, no starting, no nothing. So at this uncomfortable scene, we find ourselves stranded with the embarrassment of a dead engine.
To make a long story short, we spent the next two hours waiting in the cold for a tow truck to move our fire engine, and switching all of our gear to a reserve engine.
As the neighbors gathered, along with the police doing their investigation, we took our cue from the freezing wind and tried to leave. At the point we opened the door to the fire engine, everything went dead. I mean, no lights, no engine, no starting, no nothing. So at this uncomfortable scene, we find ourselves stranded with the embarrassment of a dead engine.
To make a long story short, we spent the next two hours waiting in the cold for a tow truck to move our fire engine, and switching all of our gear to a reserve engine.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Stories so Weird They Have to be True
I really believe that I run into so much weirdness in real life, that I have not a chance of making something up that would be as strange. I have a couple of examples to share:
Last shift just after our arrival on duty, we were dispatched to an auto accident on the freeway near the river. It was reported that a black Acura had gone out of control on the very wet pavement and had gone down a very steep bank and through the fence. With that much detail and with several calls to the 911 system, we were expecting to find a non-injured person sitting in their damaged car. When we got in the area, all we saw was a deep set of muddy tracks since it was raining hard all night and continuing to come down hard. Our curiosity dictated that we at least try to see where the car was, and we always want verify that no one was significantly injured.
After a bit of maneuvering, we managed to get onto the dead-end country road that meandered back along the river. The first thing we noticed, was the set of tracks came out of the cow pasture and appeared to head down towards the end of the dead-end road. As we followed the road it became extremely narrow to the point the fire engine was almost touching the fences on both sides. Just ahead, the trees became so overgrown, it was impossible to continue except on foot. At this point, significant alarms were sounding in my head. I really was wondering if I wanted to meet the person in a dark overgrown backwoods area who had just demonstrated a significant lack of socially acceptable behavior. I decided it was time to call for some reinforcements and we proceeded to back out the lane. As were traveling back out, it was noticed that the car had run off the lane and struck the fence at one point. It had left a door handle hanging on the fence, a mirror on the ground, and an Acura emblem just to underline our suspicions that the car was actually hiding out at the end of the lane.
The sad end to this story is that the real story might never be told. Once the police arrived, they were quite eager to investigate, since they had some known marijuana growing operations in the direction that the car had disappeared. We left the mystery in their capable hands and returned to quarters.
Last shift just after our arrival on duty, we were dispatched to an auto accident on the freeway near the river. It was reported that a black Acura had gone out of control on the very wet pavement and had gone down a very steep bank and through the fence. With that much detail and with several calls to the 911 system, we were expecting to find a non-injured person sitting in their damaged car. When we got in the area, all we saw was a deep set of muddy tracks since it was raining hard all night and continuing to come down hard. Our curiosity dictated that we at least try to see where the car was, and we always want verify that no one was significantly injured.
After a bit of maneuvering, we managed to get onto the dead-end country road that meandered back along the river. The first thing we noticed, was the set of tracks came out of the cow pasture and appeared to head down towards the end of the dead-end road. As we followed the road it became extremely narrow to the point the fire engine was almost touching the fences on both sides. Just ahead, the trees became so overgrown, it was impossible to continue except on foot. At this point, significant alarms were sounding in my head. I really was wondering if I wanted to meet the person in a dark overgrown backwoods area who had just demonstrated a significant lack of socially acceptable behavior. I decided it was time to call for some reinforcements and we proceeded to back out the lane. As were traveling back out, it was noticed that the car had run off the lane and struck the fence at one point. It had left a door handle hanging on the fence, a mirror on the ground, and an Acura emblem just to underline our suspicions that the car was actually hiding out at the end of the lane.
The sad end to this story is that the real story might never be told. Once the police arrived, they were quite eager to investigate, since they had some known marijuana growing operations in the direction that the car had disappeared. We left the mystery in their capable hands and returned to quarters.
Just this morning, the medic crew returned from the hospital with another tale so weird. While at the hospital, they were asked to assist with a combative female psych patient. This is fairly common for ER staff to enlist the help of any able and willing muscle in such a situation. The guys found the staff attempting to hold down a large writhing woman. They jumped in to assist and each got ahold of a limb so that some medication could be administered in hope of calming the patient. As usual some merciful person thought that too much force was being used and that if they would just ask nice, the patient would be compliant. As usual, as soon as the restraint was released, the patient attempted to get in a few good licks before once again being restrained.
It is important to this tale to point out that the patient was a "cutter". This is fairly common in severely depressed people in that they regularly cut themselves. This behavior is not necessarily suicidal in nature, but they will present with many large cuts, primarily on arms and legs. As in this case, the woman had many wounds of various states of healing, from scars to open wounds and many with multiple stitches.
Back at the station, conversation reverted back to the mundane. At that point one paramedic asked the other, "What is that on your shirt?" In utter horror, the paramedic looks down to find a two inch long scab from the patient somehow adhered to his shirt. Needless to say, after the creepy shuddering subsided, the paramedic changed his uniform as fast as possible.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Raisin Runs
We have been doing a lot of "raisin runs" lately. For those that are not in the business, "raisin runs" at a "raisin ranch" is our colorful description of those of the geriatric persuasion. This crowd tends to occupy a lot of our time, and not always because of anything close to an emergency. Somehow we have convinced the public that 911 is a on-size-fits-all for any problem, even if that problem is loneliness.
One of the newer ways that people have come to demand our services is when some poor little old lady trips and falls. Now, in many cases, she is not hurt and would gladly get up and go her way. But then in rushes the do-gooder crowd of senile cohorts that somehow got the message that it could be BAD if she got up and toddled off. So they force the poor shivering lady to lay on the cold concrete with rain soaking up her Depends while they wait for us to arrive. Once we get there, she normally says something like, "can I just get up now?" And usually, other than a mild case of hypothermia, she is fine with only minor bumps and bruises.
One of the newer ways that people have come to demand our services is when some poor little old lady trips and falls. Now, in many cases, she is not hurt and would gladly get up and go her way. But then in rushes the do-gooder crowd of senile cohorts that somehow got the message that it could be BAD if she got up and toddled off. So they force the poor shivering lady to lay on the cold concrete with rain soaking up her Depends while they wait for us to arrive. Once we get there, she normally says something like, "can I just get up now?" And usually, other than a mild case of hypothermia, she is fine with only minor bumps and bruises.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Unhealthy Living
Ran a rather interesting call on a 57 year old female the other day. Apparently, she had a history of back pain, and was known to use her pain medications rather liberally. That being bad enough, she also seemed to have a problem with mixing alcohol with those medications. This is a fairly common scenario and we often find people with a depressed respiratory drive and a decreased level of consciousness (LOC).
That was about the description we had rolling on this call where the woman appeared to be sleeping, but they could not wake her. On our arrival, we found her breathing at about 4 times a minute and with a heart rate of about 38. Those vital signs, being very marginal, prompted us to attempt to improve her breathing and heartrate. We also noticed that her arms, legs, and even head were cold to the touch in a normally heated room. As we began giving oxygen and starting an IV, her heart rate and respirations drastically improved to the point of being well within the normal range. With a lot of effort, due to the significant weight of the patient, we moved her to the ambulance and began transport.
Within a very short time, she suddenly took a turn for the worse, and basically died enroute to the hospital. In trying to analyze what happened, I worked up the hypothesis that this was probably caused by something we call "compartment syndrome". This occurs when a person is trapped and lose circulation to a significant part of their body such was a tree falling across the waist and leaving the legs without circulation for a period of time. When the person is "rescued" the blood that was stagnant in the lower extremities is introduced suddenly back into the body and death occurs. I concluded that this might have been the same scenario because of the lack of profusion with the obese woman just lying on her bed. Please feel free to post any comments you might have had with a similar case or just attempt to prove me either correct or wrong!
That was about the description we had rolling on this call where the woman appeared to be sleeping, but they could not wake her. On our arrival, we found her breathing at about 4 times a minute and with a heart rate of about 38. Those vital signs, being very marginal, prompted us to attempt to improve her breathing and heartrate. We also noticed that her arms, legs, and even head were cold to the touch in a normally heated room. As we began giving oxygen and starting an IV, her heart rate and respirations drastically improved to the point of being well within the normal range. With a lot of effort, due to the significant weight of the patient, we moved her to the ambulance and began transport.
Within a very short time, she suddenly took a turn for the worse, and basically died enroute to the hospital. In trying to analyze what happened, I worked up the hypothesis that this was probably caused by something we call "compartment syndrome". This occurs when a person is trapped and lose circulation to a significant part of their body such was a tree falling across the waist and leaving the legs without circulation for a period of time. When the person is "rescued" the blood that was stagnant in the lower extremities is introduced suddenly back into the body and death occurs. I concluded that this might have been the same scenario because of the lack of profusion with the obese woman just lying on her bed. Please feel free to post any comments you might have had with a similar case or just attempt to prove me either correct or wrong!
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