How I got in to EMS

For a long period of time after high school, I struggled, trying to figure out what I wanted to do for a career. I enjoyed people, and I noticed even from a young age, tv shows such as Rescue 911, were the types of things that held my attention. I would often picture myself as being one of the rescuers making a difference in someones life. I started doing some research on the internet, looking at different career fields. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that becoming a Paramedic is a career I would enjoy most. To be sure, I started of small. I went to an American Red Cross class where they were offering a child/adult CPR and Basic First Aid course. I decided I would take that to see if Emergency Medical Services was really where I thought I would like to be, before pursuing anything further. After the Basic First Aid course, I had learned a few things I did not previously know. It was comforting to know that if a loved one were to have a problem, I at least knew what to do for them until help arrived.

I started searching around to see where I needed to go to school, or what I would need to do in order to reach my goals. I found out that a local ambulance agency, based almost entirely on volunteers, was looking for people to train. The choice was to pay a course fee of $350 if I remember right, or the option I went for; The agency would train you to become and EMT-Basic in exchange for a minimum of 2 years of service with at least 20 hours per week. Knowing that field experience would be a very valuable asset for me, I began to go on runs as a student for many more hours than required until I became fully licensed. Even after I had my license, I enjoyed what I did so much that I would often volunteer evenings for sometimes 40 or more hours in a week.

It was a heartbreaking day for all of us at our agency when we found out that the company needed to dissolve and become a county EMS system. Because the new people in charge had friends from the next city over (who agency also had no choice but to dissolute in to the county system), the friends of the new people in charge got hired. A few years later now, the county system is over half a million in the hole. I hate to say that it serves them right after taking over a well functioning EMS system, but at least some of the individuals I have met working under it are VERY decent, caring providers. It was those of us who worked as volunteers and those who were paid employees from the next city over that could no longer work due to a poor new structure and not enough jobs for everyone, that were the most deeply effected and greatly saddened.

I have since moved on and received EMT-Intermediate training, and have taken CECs (Continuing Education Courses), but need to get back in to the field. I have spent the past several months rehabilitating from a devastating back injury. Although I may never be 100% again, I plan to hold on to my dreams. even if they take longer to reach than I had first anticipated. If it comes down to not physically being able to do what I enjoy, theres always the possibility of cross-training in to another medical specialty that I will be suited for. Only time will tell what direction I should ultimately go in.

Previous partners, friends and others who I used to work with have moved on. Some are now interning at hospitals and working on getting their degrees in Paramedicine. Others have switched careers. Several, I have just lost contact with over the years. Ultimately, the memories and differences we made in peoples lives will never be forgotten.

EMS calls/runs and stories

Every EMS provider has stories that stand out or seem to stay within our memories. Here, I have shared a couple that I have been on. (Any names used have been changed from the original to protect the identity of the patient.) There arent too many stories here, but where many original calls I have been on are similar to ones already found elsewhere on the web, Id rather keep these different from the ones youve probably seen. I will attempt to update this section as I remember.

I was under 25 years of age when I was running on calls, and at the time, was rather small. (funny how things like that change over the years). One particular night we were called out for an elderly gentleman who was having a seizure. Upon arrival, our patient was in a postictal state. We administered oxygen and followed our local protocols. As he was coming out of it, he looked me straight in the eye and asked in a very serious tone "Are you old enough to be doing this????" My partner and even his family got a good laugh on that one.


Dispatchers can be quite amusing in the information they give. One night, tones went out as a code red for a female (late 20s) with a femur fracture and in convulsions. At the midnight hour, your mind really starts to race, trying think what in the world could a person do to fracture their femur, and unless theyre epileptic, hit their head so far that theyre having convulsion- Especially in the middle of the night. When we got to the residence, the situation was a little bit different than dispatch had reported. The actual story was that the girl and her husband had been out snow skiing during that day. She had a bad fall where her ACL had completely torn. She already had a leg splint on from a hospital close to the ski resort. That evening, she was having some very painful muscle spasms. In conclusion, they decided to sign an RMA and wait until her surgery already scheduled for 2 days later.


All EMS providers have had their share of overdose calls. While there is the accidental pill overdose, the majority Ive seen have been intentional. On one particular evening a young male was very distraught after the break-up of his long time girlfriend. His girlfriend was concerned about him, and went over to his home that evening to find that he had punched out and taken approx. 20 cold/flu tablet, drank an entire bottle of cough syrup, and swallowed any and everything else in the way of pills that he could. Upon our arrival, Dougs skin was flushed, but he vitals were stable and he was able to communicate with us. He kept repeating over and over: I was just trying to get rid of the pain (meaning emotional of course, as Doug was a healthy individual). Upon arrival to the hospital, the staff and our crew all seemed to think the I was just trying to get rid of the pain comments were amusing, especially when the large bore OG tube was being inserted. Talk about a kid with good lungs. You could hear him screaming all the way across the ER!


We had one diabetic emergency where the middle-aged gentlemen was not coherent (due to low blood sugar) and the family was less than helpful in giving us any medical history. Our on call Paramedic came, administered glucose and got his sugar up to 50, but he was still in trouble so we made the decision to transport him. We strapped him to the gurney, and got him to the hospital without incident-or so we thought. It turns out our patient had a colostomy bag which was full and had gotten popped under his clothing when securing him to the gurney. The ER nurses were less than thrilled about the code brown they had to attend to.


During my testing before becoming licensed as an EMT, we had our skills assessment day. Mixed with our class were other groups from around the area, also testing for EMT-B and First Responder. During the AED test, one of the guys testing for his FR actually had a mild MI in the middle of the AED test!!! Had all the classic symptoms, was pale, diaphoretic, etc. He of course was upset about not being able to finish up with his testing, but was was released from the hospital a few days later doing okay.

Quotes and stuff

Air goes in and out, blood goes round and round, any variation on this is a bad thing.

All bleeding stops....eventually.

If the patient is sitting up and talking to you, then the patient is not in V-Fib, no matter what the monitor says.

If its stupid, but it works, then it isnt stupid

When dealing with patients, supervisors, or citizens, if it felt good saying it, it was probably the wrong thing to say.

The severity of the injury(s) is directly proportional to the difficulty in accessing the patient, the number of stairs as well as the weight of the patient.

Asystole is a very stable rhythm

All people will eventually die, no matter what you do.

If the child is quiet, be scared.

Always follow the rules but be wise enough to leave them sometimes.

If the patient is going to vomit, try to hold their head on the side of the rig with the equipment that is least difficult to clean.

If the patient looks sick, then the patient is sick.

At the beginning of your shift, your main O2 tank, fuel tank, and stomach will be empty...but the call volume will be full.

If you think the cost of education is expensive, check out the cost of ignorance

If you respond to an MVA after midnight and you don't find a drunk, keep looking - you've missed a patient.

Being an EMT means you get to expose yourself to rare, exotic and exciting new diseases

There is no such thing as a "textbook case".

You can't cure stupid

Just because someone's EMT or Paramedic original license date is before yours does not mean they know what they are doing.

If it leaks and isnt supposed to, plug it up.

If it bends and it shouldnt, stabilize it.

If its ugly, then cover it up!

The majority of people who are constipated dont give a cr**.

If it is wet and sticky, and not yours, do not touch it.

Patients that crash in separate vehicles should be transported in separate vehicles.

Here is a simple ETOH test: Hold your hands about 6 inches apart with thumbs and forefingers touching and ask the pt. what color string you are holding. If pt. indicates a color it is a positive test.

For every 25 calls you run, only 1 will be exciting.

They said, " Smile, things could be worse." So we smiled and sure enough, things got worse!!!

Remember, when it comes to venipunctures (Needles), its better to GIVE than RECEIVE!!!

If you don't have it, don't give up. Adapt, improvise, overcome, (then call for a second unit)

You know you are in trouble when the directions to a patient's house include... " turn off of the paved surface..."

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean your supervisor's not around the corner.

Full spinal precautions were custom made for obnoxious drunks.

It is generally bad to use the words "oh crap" in reference to the patients condition.

If someone dies by chem. hazards, electrical shocks or other on-scene dangers it should be the patient, not you.

If I'm up, EVERYONE is up!

Some EMS Links

The Lunatick's EMS/Fire Website (not a part of the Lunatix-Online game). Great EMS Site!

Less Stress Instructional Services. Online EMT and CPR Simulators.

EMT City - large amount of EMS material found here

Medic Tim's EMS page for EMS Providers (Great Site!)

Paramedic Heather's EMS Circus

Medic37's Website

the EMS House of DeFrance. - Another great EMS site I've enjoyed.

A site with stories and more information dedicated to the field of EMS

Click here to go to a pretty cool site located in the UK

Link to a large list of EMS and medical related links