Because I'm a nut....

[Harpoon]

Thought I'd take just a moment to brag about how I've enrolled myself in a basic EMT course being offered by the local fire department through a SUNY university that's in town.

Oh, and because I was hoping to save a little money on the course and knew in order for it to be useful I'd have to do "on the job training" anyways, I've also signed up with said local fire departments volunteer rolls.

They've been running the usual background checks on me right now and I guess I'll be having an interview shortly.

The EMT course starts Thursday and is 2 nights a week, 3 hour classes, with a few Saturday morning classes.


My family seems to be encouraging me on all this, though my wife's not too sure I could handle "heavy lifting" even though I insist that I wouldn't be tasked with lifting a 300lbs+ body all by myself...


Next time I have to go for a blood draw, maybe I'll ask the techie/nurse if I could practice on HER arm just once....

 

[bvdr]

Harpoon, good for you! I think you find the experience very rewarding. I volunteered for years on a local rescue squad. One of the volunteers was in his 60s and had had a ruptured aortic aneurysm a few years earlier and, like a few on this board, lived to tell about it. Another of our volunteers was a a pastor of a small church that backed up to our rescue building. He and I were on the same team. He was a Vietnam vet and had lost a leg during his tour of duty. He had a prosthetic limb and still managed very well on the squad.

I know I couldn't physically manage it anymore but I have very fond memories of those years. I hope you are able to do it as I think you have much to offer to those you would work with and those you would help.

I was rescue not fire....do you think smoke would cause you problems? Do you have to do both?

 

[Harpoon]

I've signed up for one of the hook&ladder companies but I'm not expecting to become a "regular firefighter" in that sense.

I marked interest in EMT and they're also looking for fire police (which seems VERY dull and boring to me after passing them so much on the way to shoot fires and accidents for the newsapaper, just standing around waving light wands and holding styrofoam cups of coffee...)


I'm taking the EMT thing so I'm assuming that's where they'd put me.

Smoke doesn't bother me too much unless it's REAL heavy, again, I've shot enough fires here and there to know. I have to be a little more careful in the wintertime because cold air seems to tax my lungs a bit, but beyond that I should be find to do just about anything.

There are 8 paid (full time) firefighters and a volunteer corps of about 250+ so it's not like I'd be doing things all by myself. I've got a crystal clear driving record too so who knows, maybe I'll get to drive an ambulance or rescue truck....




At least until they figure out how INSANE I am behind the wheel...

But then again, I DO have that crystal clear driving record. Guess I just know how not to get caught!!!!

 

[Abbanabba]

Good for you Harpoon!! I hope the Karma Fairy is taking note...!

A : )

 

[Harpoon]

Oy, just read through the first few chapters of a rather LARGE medical style textbook for EMT's...

The last few sections for the assigned reading were cake though, anatomy stuff...

Even outside of all the heart related stuff I've been through in my lifetime, I know skeletal anatomy pretty well from my years as an art student in drawing classes...

Just kinda funny how I know a lot of stuff but have learned it from "untraditional" places...


So far it looks like it should be a lot of fun doing this, but there's some really serious stuff to consider too. Dealing with people's lives on a VERY intimate and critical level seems a little daunting to me, lots of responsibility there.


Challening too.


But then I know a few EMT's that are just NUTSO and they're doing it, so why can't I?

 

[Harpoon]

I had my monthly protime today, scored a 3.5 which is right where it's supposed to be.


Also took the opportunity to get some paperwork and immunizations cleared out for the EMT-B thing.

Got my tetanus booster and a tine test done plus the protime stick, all in the left arm.

I didn't feel like making BOTH arms sore.


Also submitted my request for records on my last physical and so forth. All of this has to get submitted to the state so I can take the testing and all for certification.

Fun stuff.

Last night in class we did spine immobilization stuff like if you were in a car accident and had to be extricated from the car. I got strapped down to the board and I got to strap other people to it. Woohoo...