Beth's Blog

A few weeks ago, I made the decision to end my career in EMS. It was something that I struggled with for over 6 months. It was one of the hardest thing I have ever done. I have many reasons that back up my decision, the number one risk was that odds never seem to be in my favor for not having an allergic reaction at work. I am allergic to vanllin, artificial vanilla, and it sucks. It’s in everything. Baked goods, candy bars, root beer and scented air fresheners. All I have to do is be exposed to it and allergic reaction, here I come! I can’t count how many times I have had to go to the ER as a patient while working, because of my allergy. Doesn’t make for a fun shift. If you’ve never had your throat close on you, then you wouldn’t understand. My idea of a good time is not being doped up on Benadryl, Solumedrol, Epi and sometimes Magnesium Sulfate. I have enjoyed my time in EMS. I have met some awesome people along the way. I have worked for great companies, and...

No job is perfect.  Every job comes with different trial and tribulations and EMS in no exception.  You always hear about the “Glory” stories in EMS, but never the nitty gritty stories.  Did you ever the story of the two EMT’s that carried a stroke patient out of his apartment, down a flight of stairs, onto the stretcher while covered in vomit, urine and poo?  I didn’t think so.  If you are doing this job to be a hero, or to be in the spotlight, get out now.  This job is not for you.  Even though it is always an adrenaline rush to pull a victim from an MVA or get pulses back on a full arrest patient, those calls are few and far between in this county.  With so many different companies, and so many ambulances covering the same area, you would be lucky to pull those calls in a months time.      For the most part, our job is very boring.  You can have a lot of down time.  What you do with that time is up to you and your par...

       For the duration of my EMS career, I have had almost every call imaginable.  From the most ludicrous to the most serious.  I’ve had a 66 year old woman call 911 for a stubbed toe, a woman who used Wed MD to self diagnose her cold and she was convinced she had a pulmonary embolism, to more serious calls like shootings, stabbings, and pediatric full arrests.  If you are one of the lucky ones, you have not yet had that one call that makes you question what you do for a living.  Everyone has bad calls.  The ones where after your shift you need to tell your loved ones you love them or hug and kiss them when you get home.  If you are not scared of what could come over that radio next, I don’t want you on my ambulance.  If you are scared, you will do what it takes to save a life.      I remember my “questioning my career choice” call like it was yesterday.  It really wasn’t the call itself that messed wit...