Type of Organization

Fire/Rescue Department - Volunteer

Job Function

Safety Officer, Firefighter / EMT-Basic, Hazardous Materials Team Member, Driver / Engineer

Years in Fire/EMS:

19

Primary Fire/EMS Department:

Trinity, Alabama

Years With Department/Agency

4

My Training:

FF/NREMT-B
ACLS
BLS Instructor
BTLS/ITLS
Swift Water Awareness
Rescue Equipment
Initial Response to Haz Mat Incidents: Basic Concepts
NFA: Training Ops in Small Departments
Extrication
Pump Operations

About Me:

My dreams as a child were to work for the CDC. Those dreams changed as I grew older and graduated high school. After I graduated I started working at the community hospital in the ER. I was 18 and noone thought I would last. I have been with the hospital for 19 years now and I can not imagine life anywhere else.

I married my knight in shining armor (after an awful divorce mind you) and he worked for one of the local amublance services. I had not had the chance to go to college until I met him. Once we started dating I took a part-time job dispatching with the ambulance company and hence earned the nickname "Trauma Magnet". All of the EMT's hated when I worked cause if the unimaginable could happen, it would. They loved it though cause it kept them from the granny calls.

We moved to the country but within the same area and he talked me into joining the local volunteer fire department. I have been with them now for 4 years. My "breaking in" call as a rookie was a life changing experience, both for me and the person I saved from a burning vehicle. The chief sent me to EMT school to finally get a license for what I already knew, and the rest has become history.

I can not explain what I feel when I am helping others and NOT getting paid. It is just AWESOME. I still work full time at the hospital, but I work with cardiovascular and pulmonary now and that has changed everything. I am better on a medical scene when it comes to finding the "true chest pain" or the "oh, I just wanna get out of the house" kind of call. Traumas are still my calling though. I can work better under pressure and keep my patients calm enough that their injuries seem only minor to them, even though they are life threatening.

Basically, I just LOVE helping others. That's me in a nutshell and I would not have it any other way.

Peace

Day Job:

Cardiology Tech

Relationship Status:

Married

Facebook or Other Online Profile:

http://myspace.com/ashiesmom

Why I Joined Fire/EMS

The joy of helping others.

Why I Love Fire/EMS

Being there to help others~bottom line.

Top Issues Facing Responders:

We do not get the recognition we deserve. The pay is unbelievably low for that training you go through to save a life. Even though I volunteer my time, I chose not to get a job with a paying company just because of the pay. My "real" job pays the bills better.