Last thing I remember was waking up this morning 10 minutes late for my 1 hour commute. It is 5 in the afternoon here at Engine 99. We've had 2 calls so far (unusual) but today is FLYING BY. I've updated both blogs, facebook, twitter and now back on Firefighter NAtion catching up.



Einstein once defined relativity using the example of a young boy looking at a pretty girl. Ask the boy to look at the pretty girl for a minute and it will seen like 10 seconds since he wants it to last.… Continue

I met Donald Noss Jr, author of Fire Faceoff, right here in the pages of FFN.



It is the story of a fire that swept through his apartment building late at night.



You can find out more by searching his name here to see his page or read the review at Happy Medic Head Quarters.



I have no association and make no profit from recommending this book, I just think responders should read… Continue

On the theme of "A lesson learned," I recalled a rough call that taught me more than I could have thought.

Here's a snippet:



My mentor there, I'll call him Bill, was a relaxed Paramedic who always talked about everything but the job. You know the type. Sports, family, anything, but when the bells rang he was all business and I soaked it up like a sponge.



Bill was the one who taught me that driving an ambulance isn't a race, but instead a challenge to see how little… Continue

Here is this week's You Make the Call from my home blog the Happy MedicFeel free to comment here, or there, or both. The results of what happened will be posted, as always, Monday morning.



I started this segment of my blog as a way to get ideas flowing and see how folks around the country and the world handle the same event. There is no "right" answer, only what you would do, compared later with what I did. Sometimes the best way to… Continue

OK everyone, you read right, Happy needs a tiller. Somewhere out there is my perfect rig, let me describe it to you:



circa 1976-1980 open cab or white top american lafrance 100' tiller drawn aerial ladder truck.

It needs to be in good running order and in decent body shape.



Here's the great part, the ladder DOES NOT need to be operable, tested, heck if it's missing, I'm still game.

If I have to drive it across this great land, or have it shipped, I will do… Continue

Medicblog999's concept of The Handover, a blog carnival for pre-hospital and ER/A&E staff was a great success.

For those of you not familiar with a blog carnival, it's a kind of wrap up or overview of blog postings around a topic or theme. If 999's doesn't spell out the idea, check out… Continue

Let's place a game of You make the call...

You can comment here and/or read other comments at my home blog, linkable from my profile page.



This call was one of the ones I look back on as a perfect example of why a blanket C-Spine protocol is never a good idea. Paramedics need the training and authority to "clear" C-Spine in the field based on proven assessment techniques.





I'm assigned to an ALS ambulance dispatched to a PD eval late on a Saturday night to a… Continue

Over at the Happy Medic we tried out a new feature that got a lot of attention, You Make the Call. Becasue of the popularity we're now doing it every friday, with the conclusion of each scenario on monday afternoons. Gives you the weekend to ponder.



Much like the old football game feature, I present a situation from my past and you, the visitor, tell me what you would do based on your training, experience and protocols or SOGs.

Its a great way to learn from others and get… Continue

Here is a post from my blog the Happy Medic.

The blog is called "You called 911...for this?" and follows the adventures of me, the Happy Medic, on what people think are actual emergencies. Sometimes it's ridiculous, other times serious, but laughter is the best medicine.



Units dispatched: Engine 99, Engine 98, Engine 97, Truck 100, Truck 101, Medic 99 and units to follow...



...to investigate the smoke alarm.…

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