Change of Pace
Unlike Holden my new fire department utilizes a transporting ambulance stocked at the paramedic level. On my shifts I cross man the ambulance and a Type III 4x4 engine. I spent my in station day tearing the trucks apart memorizing where everything was. And then I did again.
And again.
Earlier in the week I had driven the department owned suburban with my training captain to the various hospitals around the area. I was issued uniforms, ID cards, bunker gear, narcotic codes to be able to work as a medic on the ambulance. I was placed in the Pixis system at our resource hospital. In short we got everything done in order to allow me to work as a fire medic.
The town that hired me has a two lane highway that bisects it. Its six or seven lakes are spread out through out the community, ringed by multi million dollar homes. Mountains on either side form a valley in which the lot of it lays. The moutains also funnel the rain or snowstorms that tend to assault New Hampshire with ever increasing ferocity. In the winter its not uncomon for the town to be shut off from the outside world by record snow falls, transportation possible only in heavy duty four wheel drive vehicles such as the Engine or the Ambulance. In the summer tinder dry conditions and frequent moutain effect lightening can cause massive wildland fires. Conversely, torrential rains can bring flash flodding so bad the department has its own swiftwater rescue team (virtually every firefighter and firemedic, myself included, is trained in swiftwater.) The long flat highway devoid of any real turns or obstacles ensures that when a crash occurs it will most likely be very bad.
I had wanted to work for Truckee Fire District in northern California for a very long time. Because of the rugged mountain terrain and weather patterns it seemed to be the best place for me to get a lot of experience in different types of situations. After I had broken up with my ex, I had traveled down to the DC area in an effort to get on various county wide fire services. Then I met my now fiance (to be married in exactly 13 days but, shit, whose counting?). She established herself in New England as a Vet Technician, a nurse/paramedic for animals and I knew that trying to ask her to accompany me across the country away from our families wouldn't cut it. So instead Iwent to the most progressive New England state I could find. New Hampshire's EMS protocols rival those of California in their scope of practice for field paramedics. Firefighters in New Hampshire are able to afford some of the best equipment in the nation due to national funding and grants. So in lieu of California I moved north and ended up working in downtown Manchester. An application filed a while back with my current fire department totally forgotten by me but not by those who matter.
I've had a lot of false starts. I thought that things in the little town next to Manchester would take off and I could work as a firefighter/paramedic there. Though they did meet with me once or twice for training, it was impossible to make things happen there. I"ve been up and down the east coast, applied to various California fire services and hadn't gotten anywhere. And then I got a call asking me to come in for an interview.
Then things seemed to fall into place.
As soon as my inhouse training is done, familarization with department equipment and procedures, the layout of the town and those I work with have seen me perform as a firemedic, they will sign me off and I will be one of two people covering the town for 24 hours at a time. The department relies heavily on part time and call members to provide coverage, should the duty crew be away on a call.
While its a dramatic change of pace from the overdoses and busy shifts of Manchester I think that my new job will be a perfect fit in my life, allowing me to fully utilize all of my fire rescue and medical training.
And again.
Earlier in the week I had driven the department owned suburban with my training captain to the various hospitals around the area. I was issued uniforms, ID cards, bunker gear, narcotic codes to be able to work as a medic on the ambulance. I was placed in the Pixis system at our resource hospital. In short we got everything done in order to allow me to work as a fire medic.
The town that hired me has a two lane highway that bisects it. Its six or seven lakes are spread out through out the community, ringed by multi million dollar homes. Mountains on either side form a valley in which the lot of it lays. The moutains also funnel the rain or snowstorms that tend to assault New Hampshire with ever increasing ferocity. In the winter its not uncomon for the town to be shut off from the outside world by record snow falls, transportation possible only in heavy duty four wheel drive vehicles such as the Engine or the Ambulance. In the summer tinder dry conditions and frequent moutain effect lightening can cause massive wildland fires. Conversely, torrential rains can bring flash flodding so bad the department has its own swiftwater rescue team (virtually every firefighter and firemedic, myself included, is trained in swiftwater.) The long flat highway devoid of any real turns or obstacles ensures that when a crash occurs it will most likely be very bad.
I had wanted to work for Truckee Fire District in northern California for a very long time. Because of the rugged mountain terrain and weather patterns it seemed to be the best place for me to get a lot of experience in different types of situations. After I had broken up with my ex, I had traveled down to the DC area in an effort to get on various county wide fire services. Then I met my now fiance (to be married in exactly 13 days but, shit, whose counting?). She established herself in New England as a Vet Technician, a nurse/paramedic for animals and I knew that trying to ask her to accompany me across the country away from our families wouldn't cut it. So instead Iwent to the most progressive New England state I could find. New Hampshire's EMS protocols rival those of California in their scope of practice for field paramedics. Firefighters in New Hampshire are able to afford some of the best equipment in the nation due to national funding and grants. So in lieu of California I moved north and ended up working in downtown Manchester. An application filed a while back with my current fire department totally forgotten by me but not by those who matter.
I've had a lot of false starts. I thought that things in the little town next to Manchester would take off and I could work as a firefighter/paramedic there. Though they did meet with me once or twice for training, it was impossible to make things happen there. I"ve been up and down the east coast, applied to various California fire services and hadn't gotten anywhere. And then I got a call asking me to come in for an interview.
Then things seemed to fall into place.
As soon as my inhouse training is done, familarization with department equipment and procedures, the layout of the town and those I work with have seen me perform as a firemedic, they will sign me off and I will be one of two people covering the town for 24 hours at a time. The department relies heavily on part time and call members to provide coverage, should the duty crew be away on a call.
While its a dramatic change of pace from the overdoses and busy shifts of Manchester I think that my new job will be a perfect fit in my life, allowing me to fully utilize all of my fire rescue and medical training.
posted by Nick Stabile at 11:45 PM
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