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can anyone with experience relate to this?
Its amazing the trust people give you. You’re a complete stranger to them, yet at the moment which is the worst part of their life’s they trust you 100 percent to be there for them. They relate you to god. They think you have this unspoken power to control fate. That some how some way you are invincible.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by MIKE TOIKA on
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Hi Kendra, Yes, I think anyone who has been in this job long enough has had to have felt that way. Its because of the way we treat people, and reason we became firefighters, paramedics, nurses, etc. We care about everyone, and when the shit is hitting the fan, we excel in compassion and kindness, no matter who the person is. We believe this, we live for this, and we die doing this. Thats compassion, find a bad situation, stick it all on the line, and no matter the outcome, remember the victim. Its the brotherhood....BEST ON EARTH
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Permalink Reply by Kendra on
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how do you feel?
i'd like to see the other side. Also im writting a final related to this and i think you can help me expand and this topic.
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Permalink Reply by Ken on
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We only wish we could control fate, or be invincible, but, as you know that's not the case. I don't think there is a "god syndrome" in us(at least not most of us) its a feeling of we didn't do enough, even if we did great we can always do better. We are all perpetual students always looking for the best way to do anything, to improve our firefighting skills, emt skills, leadership skills..etc. But, no have never felt godlike, or even quasi-godlike, nope just doing a job just like anyone else would do at a normal job. I love this, I've given up birthdays, holidays, family dinners, you name it I've left it to go on a call. Love it so damn much. Helping the people ain't so bad either...lol
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Permalink Reply by LEE on
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SIREN,
I dont think this is paragod syndrome .... I work on an ALS unit and I have heard more patients commend, complement and even cheer our "family" for what we do. I dont look for glory, i feel every job on the FG is equally important from staging to water supply at a rural pond or lake getting icicles where you shouldnt be havin'em. The reaction from civilians is the same "i couldnt do that" or "god bless you for doing what you do".....do we deserve it 100% YES.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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From a public perspective, you are right. When things are out of control many of us call on God to help us, right? I personally believe we are instruments of God here on earth, helping others in their time of need. So people call us when things are beyond their control, and we come and make things as right as we can for them. As Siren said, sometimes everything works out OK, sometimes it doesn't.
Now, if someone new to the emergency services has this attitude, they are setting themselves up for a fall. It is not at all unusual for someone new to have the feeling of invincibility and omnipotence. "We can do anything, anytime" or "I'll save you" attitudes. But, this business has a way of kicking your a** until you get your mind "right" if you stay with it.
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Permalink Reply by Chief Phillips on
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Kendra,
The job? God? I believe what you are referring to is the PERSON. We are all people and those of us that choose to give up a dinner, birthday, holiday spent with family, or numerous other events to help a perfect stranger is not a job, or us acting in God's name, it is us being decent human beings! What really helps the people that we care for is our demeaner. If we are calm and talk to them as if we have known them our entire life they tend not think about the situation they are in.
I don't usually do this, but I think it fits here. We were toned out for a 2 car MVA with injuries. Upon arriving we found 1 patient with serious injuries. While removing her from the carnage she looked up and saw a female firefighter (my wife) and smiled. When she looked at my wife, it was at that point (i believe) that she relized she was going to be ok. Was it the reassurance of my wife with her soft, gentle voice, or the "happy fluids" flowing through her veins? I'll never know. I believe that is what you are refering to. People look at us when they are in trouble and know (from TV, movies, etc.) that we are going to get them through it with the best of our ability!
Sorry for dragging this out.
Be safe and happy holidays.
Douglas "Redwolf" Phillips
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Permalink Reply by Tiger Schmittendorf on
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I don't know about relating us to God. That may be a bit of a stretch.
I think and hope they relate us to that which is GOOD. Good about people, good about society and good about America. And in that, we bring them hope.
The fact that they place their trust in us is not a burden, but a tremendous honor and blessing to those entrusted with, yes, on occasion, their fate.
It is simply a trust that must be handled with the highest level of respect and reverence, never to be tainted, discarded or breached.
EVERY SINGLE THING we say and/or do either ensures or destroys that trust. Once you lose it, good luck getting it back ever again.
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Chief, that story really captures the essence of it all. Thanks for sharing with us.
Are you getting this down, Kendra?
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i have had 1 flat to a wiggly that is living 7 years later, and 2 that made it about 6 months. I fully understand what youre saying and if any of us think we're gods or invincible my advice is to find a good psychiatrist and have'em check your brain bucket for contents. I think we're all great no matter what we do.
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Thanks for the compliment.
I understand what you're saying and agree with the "degree of difficulty" in dealing with these life-threatening (for them and life-changing experiences.
But the burden is never ours, it's the victim's. We always have to remember that there is always someone else having a worse day than we are, no matter how bad they get. Our job is to make the best out of what in many cases is the worst day of the customer's life, and too often, the last day.
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Permalink Reply by Coty Anderson on
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Hi Kendra yes I think everyone in FFN can relate to this I think that any firefighter, emt, medic, flight nurse any of them can look at you and say it doesnt matter when the shit hits the fan cuz all we have is each other out there.Compasion and kindness is who each of one of us truely is.we have a job that we endure everyday and all we get to see is the bad side of things, which isnt alwayz true.it doesnt matter about the skin color the way you dress its the care you need we care about.we care about everyone it doesnt matter the face that they carry.I believe we believe in what we do, its who we are.when you look back and can say that you have positively influence or possibly even saved a live whether you think its paragod syndrome or not we are godlike we are the best of the best out there, and we deserve every thank you or you guys are like gods or whatever they may say we have earned every ounce of compasion in it....this is who we are each and every one of us paragod syndrome or not..
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