Where Were You? Times We Will Never Forget…

SHIFT 18...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

At the 'Reflection Ponds'...a somber moment...

Its September 10^th, 2001…just a typical ‘B’ Shift…to be honest I cannot remember anything from that shift until we’re awakened at approximately 6am the morning of the 11^th to an announcement over the PA of a plane crash in NYC into the North World Trade Center Tower. Within the next hour three more planes would crash and over the next several hours we, along with the nation…and the world, would become numb once again at the painful reality of man’s senseless destruction upon himself. Portland International Airport…along with all domestic aircraft movement throughout the U.S. was brought to an absolute standstill. They would remain this way for another three days. It was an eerie silence having worked at the time for over 20 years at airports. I will experience only one other time in which the airport will be completely closed…that was for a major ice storm in 2004.

'343' at the FDNY Museum

There have been times that we would pray at the Fire House…most often at dinner, but this day as I stood and looked around at my fellow firefighters…I remember asking “can we pray?” Even that prayer I do not remember…other than that it was about the anguish that so many were experiencing. We would come to find out that 343 of our fellow firefighters would unselfishly pay the ultimate sacrifice.  

2,973 names...Peace...

As I move into the next 'Twenty-Seven’ chapter of life (see November 29^th, ‘Shift 27’), I look forward to what the Lord has in store. I believe that it will largely include His gospel of peace…something the world is in great need of. Might we all be pursuers of peace… ‘peace on earth, good will toward men’. The video is of the 'Tribute of Light' at the Reflection pond.

Good night! Might 2013 have be happy year...not just a happy New Year. 

Vick and the Zap!

SHIFT 19...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

“R82 respond to a CH1 outbound Airport Way at approximately the 9500 block. You will find your patient sitting in their white four-door sedan." While responding dispatch adds another message saying, “R82, be advised that Police are now on scene and state that both husband and wife, in their 70’s are experiencing chest pain.” Now how strange is that? 

VT...Ventricular Tachycardia

We arrived and position the Rescue in a way to protect us from oncoming traffic. I take the driver (the husband) and my partner takes his wife. My patient is very diaphoretic (that’s sweaty in layman’s terms), he complains of chest pain that began about 15 minutes ago, and it radiates into his neck and back. All these are symptoms of (perhaps the obvious) a likely cardiac event. I placed the paddles of our LifePak 5 onto the patient and see that he is in V-Tach. Basically, as you can see from the picture, it is a very regular looking rhythm that is coming from the ventricles and not what is typical, that is from the atrium, called ‘normal sinus rhythm’. V-Tach, if left to itself is not able to sustain life. This patients symptoms are such that we needed to respond immediately. I begin charging the monitor to 100 joules and then shock the patient. His rhythm immediately converts back to a normal sinus rhythm and he smiles just about as fast, saying “thanks...man that feels much better!”

You ask, “what about his wife?”…oh, she was only having sympathy pains. It would be two weeks later that I would be given another name to add to my repertoire. It would come in the form of a ‘Thank You’ card from the patient and his wife. It read, “Juanita and Vick, thanks for the zap!” So ‘Vick’ or ‘Victor’ has stuck all these years thanks to my first cardiovert patient. Zapping is what we love to do:)

 

Paramedic...added Privileges

SHIFT 20...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

One of the beauties of my job these past 18 years as a Paramedic are the additional privileges in which I’ve been blessed to be part of. One such experience was through my GAGA (Get Away Give Away) Days. Though not directly involved with a medical purpose, still to care for our group became one of my responsibilities and in fact one year it was very useful.

 In the late 90’s through 2002 my son Zach would join me as we ventured off to Mexico with GAGA. A program began by a gentleman out of Eugene Friends Church to take youth and adults alike to the Northern border of Mexico and give our Spring break in order to provide home and church building projects to single moms and others in need. It would deliver many wonderful cultural and relational experiences. Our group would include 20 to 30 total members from the Silverton and Scotts Mills areas. 

Though every year we would inevitably have a few minor and an occasional serious problems, the worst came in 2002. We always enjoyed going into town to experience a genuine Mexican dinner experience, but we were also blessed by our host who would often provide a meal or two. This particular meal was of some sort of white fish which had a very nice flavor to it…going down that is. Fortunately for me I did not experience the process in reverse. But for at least 75% of our crew, such was not the case. And oh boy…my buddy Chris…dude he can retch, like…loud! So in the middle of the night with the majority of our folks losing fluids at an remarkable pace, I was off to the farmacia. My Spanish back then was quite limited, but I was able to make do and find some great remedies…I would find out later that morning that my buddy Duane saw the fish that they cooked for us…sitting outside for quite a long period of time. When he was eating it he was asking himself if this could possibly be the same fish that he saw out the day before…Guess it was…ouch! 

Though not necessarily what my education had been directly for, it’s been good to have the opportunity to take that knowledge on journey’s outside of the FD.

Ah...Clothes on...Please!

SHIFT 21...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

 

My favorite Cowboys!

It seemed to be just a classic call of smoke on the third floor to one of our most frequented hotels. Upon arrival dispatch gives further information that hotel staff are on the floor and describe that it smells like someone might have discharged an extinguisher. We turn-out, grab our irons and head up the stairwell. Sure enough we walked into the third floor to what is obvious dry chemical smell. But that’s not the fun part…walking through the haze we can hear some coughing at the other end. The haze gives the appearance of a ‘London fog’. Slowly we approach toward what is a silhouette of a man who is holding something in his arms and has a bit of a swagger to himself. Even closer and we are able to determine that in fact he is holding a 20 pound dry chemical extinguisher. A-ha…the guilty party! Not only is he guilty, but this fellow is wearing but cowboy boots and a cowboy hat…and…oh boy just his ole ‘cowboy birthday suit’. Naked as a jay bird he gently lowers his weapon easily upon request. Police are called to assist Tex off to finish his evening in detox…unfortunately for him…he won’t have access to other extinguishers.

It would be only a few short months later that once again this particular hotel brought us an even more surprising scene. It must be something about the third floor of this hotel that brings out the crazies in people. We arrive to our BR1 (breathing problem), knock on the door to which we receive a reply, “the doors unlocked”. Upon opening the door we immediately catch sight of a man, not a naked cowboy, thank goodness, lying on the king-sized bed in his shorts and casually smoking a cigarette. At the same time we can hear the faint sound of someone groaning. Approaching the bed I am able to see in my peripheral vision…wait for it…a silhouette of someone to my left. You guessed it…she is naked, without cowboy hat or boots, in fact she is totally naked spread eagle reclining on the toilet. Grateful that my partner is a girl, I let her take the patient and I go forward to question our gentleman resting very comfortably on the bed. So…what’s her problem. “so…we were…you know…and things got a bit...you know...crazy. I reached up onto the night stand and grabbed the closest item. It just so happened to be…her inhaler.” And, I say…you did what? “Well…I placed…yeah I placed the inhaler up her butt”. Now many medications can be given rectally, but…attached to an inhaler? I’m not thinking so. So yes, this was a BR1, a ‘Butt Removal’, and not a breathing problem. And no, I had not received any such training for that one. Of course I don’t believe the ER was quite ready for this patient either. 

Never assume your patient understands correct application...

Once again…they actually pay me to do this job:) I do suggest if you ever have the need to use an inhaler…I’m pretty sure your doc will recommend using it in your mouth. I’m just saying!

Let's stay in the goofy mode and insert  a goofy song. Enjoy!

Regional Training

Drill ground at SLC

SHIFT 22...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

I'm the one standing in the background...

One of several areas of our ‘Continuing Education’ includes maintaining our FAA certifications. The FAA requires Airports, including their Fire Departments to be certified every year. For PAF&R this means maintaining a particular level of equipment and staffing, monthly drills on 13 different training responsibilities and lastly participating in live fire drills. Most departments do not have the resources to accomplish all of the necessary ‘live fire drills’ within their own area. For this reason scattered around the country are ‘Regional Training Centers’. Over the years we’ve utilized the centers in Salt Lake, Pittsburg, Dallas, North Bend (east of Seattle) and most recently San Bernardino. We've requested to test out the Hawaii training ground...without success ):

  

Mario Lemieux

Crew picture on a cold March day training at SLC

Along with training there is always the camaraderie time…taking in a ball game, maybe the Pittsburg Penguins and watching Mario Lemieux or the Dodgers play the World Champion St Louis Cardinals. Or it might be a day skiing Park City Utah. One such ski day was Randy, John and I. On our second or third lift John stops and looks down what Randy and I thought was nothing less than staring down from the top of a skyscraper. John looks back at us and says, “well, you joining me?” Randy and I being fully aware that our skills fell quite short of John’s…looked at one another and easily replied…ahh…No! Just for the fun of it we thought we’d watch John descend a bit before leaving. It was a good choice, as it only took him about 3 seconds before he was tumbling head over heals…to which we again looked at one another and then pointed…this way! Perhaps it was the only time that he fell all day, but it was enough to prove that at least two us were in our right minds. Well…at least for the moment.

There weren't many good 'training ground' videos. This one shows a little what it's like performing 'truck operations' with some communications. Unfortunately I could not find any that show 'transitions' (moving from truck ops to handline) or 'interior' of an aircraft.  The interior in particular is what the 'regional' training is of most value. Until next shift!