Being a paramedic is….

A lot of different things, but today we are going to focus on the pet peeves of the paramedic.

First of all when you see lights and sirens… pull to the RIGHT and STOP. This does not mean stop right where you are or pull the left and stop. This does not mean try to out run us so you can make your left turn. Don’t block our only way through the intersection either. Don’t panic we aren’t going to run into you (as long as you pull to the right and stop).

Just because you own a cell phone does not mean you need to be a “cell phone hero”. The most annoying calls we get are from “passer-bys”. Meaning people have no idea what is going on, they were driving down the road, saw something that may or may not be an emergency and called 911. Hey guess what, that fender bender you called 911 for – the people are usually gone by the time we get there. The “man down” you called for – that’s Bob, he is homeless, that is the bush he always sleeps under and he gets annoyed when we have to wake him up. Unless you are sure that there is an emergency (meaning someone’s life is in danger) please put your cell phone away.

We are called “paramedics”. We are not “ambulance drivers”, the “guys from the ambulance”, or any other version that does not sound like “paramedic”. Yes we drive an ambulance, but do you call police officers “police car drivers” or firefighters “fire truck drivers”, I didn’t think so. You also don’t call an ambulance, you call paramedics. Again would you say “quick call the police car”? We also hear “oh good the ambulance is here to take you to the hospital”. The ambulance itself is no more than a vehicle. It by itself will take you nowhere. The paramedics take you to the hospital in the ambulance. And finally the vehicle is called an “ambulance”. I have heard it called a wagon, buggy, van, truck, etc. It is an ambulance I am a paramedic.

We are here to provide a service, to help you in an emergency. A medical emergency is when you are sick or injured to the point your life is in immediate danger of ending. A few examples of medical emergencies are – uncontrollable bleeding, heart attacks, breathing difficulties, strokes, head injuries, major multi-system trauma. We are not here as a convenient ride to the hospital. If you have a fever, cough, cold, the flu, tummy ache, a sore toe, etc, we are not your people. If you can ride in a car to the hospital, then do so. If you are well enough to complain about how uncomfortable an ambulance ride is, you are not sick enough to need an ambulance. We will not get you seen any faster in the emergency room if you come with us. Most likely we will drop you off in the waiting room, then send a bill to you for paramedic services you didn’t need that your insurance won’t pay for.

Wow, that was a lot of ranting! I really love my job and the good things about it are an even longer list that someday I will get to.