Saving Lives

The fall

I walked I to the house and was in awe, the foyer was decorated elegantly. I stopped in my tracks for a moment and looked around at the pictures on the walls and cherry wood furniture. The police officer jestured for me to continue down the narrowing hallway that lead to the staircase. I assumed it was were the patient was, because there was a crowd of police officers and fire fighters talking to one another. Two were knelt down, assessing the patient and quickened my pace to see what damage had been done by the fall. "Good evening gentlemen"  I greeted everyone briefly. There was a path made for me to reach the patient and I quickly made my way to her. "Ma'am can you tell me your name and date of birth?" I asked the question as I knelt down and pulled my pen light out my shirt pocket. The question was really for me to find out if she was alert and oriented. "Sandra Pedman, December 15th 1975." She responded weakly. I flashed the light in her eyes examining her pupils. "I see that you have several scars and bleeding on your face, did that happen during the fall?" I asked her as I pressed lightly on her body to see where her pain was and what her face showed me about the pain. Normally I would start with her head, but I didn't have the c-collar yet so I didn't want to move her head in anyway."Can you tell me what day it is?" I asked as I scanned her body for the things that seeded tending to immediately. "Umm it's January 2nd 2023 or I mean 2024" I nodded my head and breathed a sigh of relief when Patrick stooped down and tore the c-collar out the plastic wrap. "Alright Sandra were gonna put a c-collar on you. What this does is keep you from moving your neck and head in case you have any spinal injuries from the fall." The staircase was long and had atleast one turn that I could see. "Alright everyone let's get ready to move her." Eveyone got in postponed and on Raichelle count they moved the patient onto the backboard and attached it to the stretcher. Patrick made sure all the safety belts were secured and they loaded her onto the ambulance.

"I'm glad you have this nightgown on so I don't have to cut your clothes." Raichelle told the patient once they were situated in the ambulance. "Pat I'm gonna take her blood pressure real quick and then we could go cold to the county." She informed her partner as she wrapped the cuff around the patients left upper arm. She position the stethoscope over her artery and pumped the cuff watching the gaze closely. Releasing the valve she listened for the sound of her heartbeat then quickly recorded the numbers in her company laptop that they call a tough book. "Alright were good" She called up to Patrick who was now in the driver's seat. "Radio 561 cold to the county." He transmitted. Raichelle proceeded to access the woman for injuries, starting with her head. Each time she noticed a new injury or bruise she notated it in her tough book. While she did her work she was also updating her personal information and insurance information for billing purposes. She needed to make sure her notes were accurate and any equipment she used was documented.
After a 15 minute ride the ambulance came to a stop. "561 out." Patrick alerted dispath and open the back doors of the ambulance to unload the stretcher and allow his partner to exit. Rai grabbed her toughbook and together they wheeled the stretcher into the er with Patrick leading and Raichelle at the back. Patrick took the patient temperature and Rachelle went to the nurse to get her triaged.

"Ohh Gosh I'm exhausted. Thank God that was the last call of the night. You think if we clear now we'll get status ten?" Patrick asked typing a txt on his phone to his fiance. "Ummm....maybe we should wait another 10 mins, cause if we clear before 45 and they have a hot call holding were definitely getting assigned." Raichelle said as she finished her personal care report on the toughbook. "Yeah, but we need gas, so I'll just tell dispatch were about to fuel up." Rai chuckled "You know you do that every time we take our last call. They're gonna get hip to it." Patrick hunched his shoulders. "When they give us status ten I don't wanna have to stop for gas. I just wanna head back to base unload the truck and be done with it." Status ten is when dispatch allows a crew to come back to base 10 mins before its time to clock out so they won't be available for calls anymore. If they don't have enough ambulance to match the call volume crews will get "held over" for a maximum of 2 hours after thier shift ends. "Suit yourself." Rai huffed as she posted her PCR and and put her seatbelt on."Radio 561" Patrick transmitted. "Go ahead 561" the Joanne (the dispatch supervisor) responded. "We're gonna fuel up real quick." Raichelle put her hood on and sat back getting comfortable in the seat. "Copy 561. I'll show you at the pumps." He put truck in drive and pulled out of the ambulance bay headed to the gas station.
"You don't ever fuel up, why don't you  do it this time." Patrick said handing the company issued gas card to Raichelle. "Hmm...well when you fuel they ask for the drivers number. So since your behind the wheel, that would be you." She commented putting her hands in pocket of her hoodie. He smacked his teeth and hopped out the truck. He swiped the card and entered the mileage from the truck then his driver number as requested before pressing diesel and filling up the tank. Raichelle text message went off.

Daddy🥰: Could stop and pick up grits and shrimp for breakfast. And were out of syrup and coffee creamer.

Me: Good morning.
Me: Sure

She put her phone back in her shirt pocket as Patrick was buckling his seatbelt. "Radio 561 clear the pumps." He turned right out the gas station in the direction of headquarters. "Your clear 561. Status ten. Have a good night." Patrick smiled big "Thank you, you have a good day." Raichelle shook her head "You must be fucking her, cause that shit doesn't work when I ride with anyone else." She said turning to see the expression on his face. "Why I gotta be fucking a broad for her to show me favor? I'm making hard worker and I clear the hospital quickly." He asked turning down the street the base was on. "All the dispatchers fuck with me cause they never gotta check my status. Ey, back me real quick." He said pointing to the  parking spot he intended to pull into. "If you say so.." She respond and hopped out the truck going around the back of the ambulance until she could be seen in his side mirror. She signed driving directions so he wouldn't hit any of the other trucks and put her hands in an x when he was in the correct position, letting him know to stop pulling back.

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🥰😍😘❤️❤️ hey guys. I'm really excited about this one. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it.
I put a little more detail so you guys can get a feel of how a normal call goes on an ambulance. I won't be as detailed in the future when it comes to the call, because although this is a book about an EMT, it's more focused on how the main character juggles the different aspects of her life while maintaining such a demanding career.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned...
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