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Much has been said about the term “Brotherhood” and “Hero’s” since 9/11/2001, especially when referring to fire fighters, Peace Officers, EMS workers and Military. Perhaps this will help open some people’s eyes to the real meaning of brothers and sisters and a Hero

NOTE: Bo is not his real name it has been changed for personal reasons.

9/11/01 started as any other normal day for me. I had just got off a 48 hour shift as the local Paramedic Supervisor and was looking forward to a few hours sleep followed by some fishing in the lake that I live on and spending time with my kids. It was a warm early fall day in our small town. It was just after 8:00am and already over 70 degrees. Driving the hour home I had the CD player going my pager and my cell was going off non-stop before I just turned them off. There was no way I was going back into work for any reason. I figured that whatever it was could wait until I went back to work the next day. I got home in time to see my kids leave for school. My girlfriend had a look of horror on her face. When I asked what was wrong she turned on the news and showed me the WTC attacks. So much for a nice quiet day! Now I know why work was calling and paging me nonstop! My girlfriend was leaving that afternoon for a 2 week trip for work out of town and my job was telling me I was leaving for “ground zero” for an unknown amount of time. So now I am trying to get family and friends to take care of my kids while also packing for my trip to NYC. I was given a time window of 3 hours to get back to work as my flight was in 5 hours. I spent some time with my girlfriend and stopped by the school and used the principles office for a few private moments with my kids. I explained that right now some people were hurt and needed my help more then my kids did. We told each other we loved each other and we hugged, I told them that they were going to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for the next few nights and after that they would be staying with an old Navy friend of mine the rest of the time but Grandma and Grandpa would always have their cell phone with them if they needed something. After another round of hugs and kisses and warnings to be good I was on my way to work. When I got to work I was greeted with everyone gathered around a small TV someone brought in. Four of us (2 EMT’s and 2 Paramedics) would be sent to search for survivors in the rubble of what was now being called “Ground Zero” When we finally got to NYC it was pretty much the way we all expected it, a lot of confusion, hysteria, news vans all over the town. People looking like they didn’t understand what was going on, looking like they had not slept in days. One of the people in charge came over pointed to the rubble piles and wished us luck. We all hoped and prayed that perhaps maybe with luck on our side we would find survivors but as the days wore on all we found were people who did not make it out or body parts. I was surprised at the types of people digging at ground zero, we had Federal Agents from various agencies, we had military, we had Fire Fighters, EMS workers, K-9 dogs who specialized in body recovery, bloodhounds etc. We joined the line and started getting dirty. Every once in awhile we would hear someone yell for silence as someone thought they had heard a voice come from the rubble. Days turned into nights, Chow was whenever we got a chance to snack on something. Sleep was something not many of us were able to do.

I was often praying that my kids would not see me on the news. I did not want them to know what I was seeing or doing. Deep in my heart I knew they would. I knew they were safe with my family and friends who were taking care of them. After what seemed like months but was actually less then 10 days I called to check on the kids. They were fine they had seen me on TV and were worried about me. I was due home a few days later and the buddy of mine who had the watch of my kids is a former Navy SEAL who was now working as a U.S. Air Marshall he was being told to plan on flying a lot more in the next few days. I could not have asked for anyone better to watch over my kids in this time. My buddy was being trusted with the two things I treasured most in my life. If need be he would defend them to the death and not ask any thing in return. My flight home was delayed time and time again. We finally took the train home. As I pulled up to the house in the taxi it was around 2:30am on a Saturday Morning. Sure enough I could make out my buddy with a pistol indexed along his leg coming from the backside of the house sneaking through the trees and brush to see who was pulling up the driveway. I was greeted with a big hug, a “Welcome home Brother” I was given a quick brief about the kids and the situation in our town. I was told there was a bottle of “Adult refreshment” on the counter for me. The kids had been sleeping in my bed because they missed me so much. His wife thought that perhaps the feel of my bed would make them more comfortable. Also that I needed to check the answering machine in the next few days as it was full of people who were worried about me and the kids. We walked back into the house, his wife was sleeping on my couch and their baby sleeping in my son’s bed. His wife woke up and offered to fix me up some chow after giving me a big hug and kiss on the cheek. I refused and asked them to go back to sleep that I would fix everyone a big breakfast in the morning. I went into the kitchen saw the bottle my buddy had spoke of….. Ahhhh my favorite sipping whiskey. I went to check on the kids, both were snoring away. I went to grab my 2nd hot shower in too many days to count. I can honestly say that shower lasted over 30 minutes and I have never had a shower feel so good. Then I crawled into my bed with my kids. I didn’t sleep much that night if at all. Pretty much just spent the night thinking how lucky I was to have such good kids, healthy, happy, carefree, watching them sleep. (Any parent who has had to spend an extended time away from their kids knows what I am speaking of) thinking of how much I loved my girlfriend. I remember hearing my daughter trying to wake up my son saying the next morning “Hey dad’s here don’t wake him up” That did it for me. I was wide awake it was a rainy Sunday morning. As promised I fixed a huge a huge ranch style breakfast and my “Brother’s” Family and my family sat down and ate til we all got our fill. After the dishes and morning chores were done my buddy and I went for a walk in the woods and talked for awhile. We spoke of old friends, new friends, real world situations, as we walked through the woods that day looking for often used deer and elk trails to hunt on the following weekend, we spoke of his wife telling him the night before that she was expecting another child in 8 months, we spoke of me going to asking my girlfriend to marry me, we walked back to the house and watched the kids playing in the mud puddles splashing each other. My buddy took his family home, my kids went to get the Sunday paper and we went and crawled back into bed and we spent the best part of the morning in that bed joking and looking at the paper the rest of the day just hanging out. Playing, and talking about what I had been though and I tried to protect them from knowing what I had seen while I was gone. At the end of the day the kids were getting ready for bed I was sitting on the boat dock watching the fish jump, enjoying a good cigar and the bottled refreshments my buddy had left for me. (Thanks Bo…You will never know how good that tasted!!!!) Both kids came out at separate times to tell me good night. After the kids had turned in. I went to check the voice mails and return phone calls, after a few hours time both kids had got out of bed and had come out and saddled up on my lap giving me a huge hug and kiss telling me they were glad I was home safe and they loved me. For this big old medic who has seen everything this big bad world has to offer it brought tears to my eyes.

A few months later my cell phone rang I checked the caller ID it came up as a number from the nearby town the prefix resembled a federal number listing at that town. I couldn’t help but wonder “What now?!?!” Hell it was a federal number it cant be good! It was a federal agent asking me if I was the same person as who was at NYC. After realizing who each other was I was asked to get the crew I took to ground zero together and meet everyone at a hidden away bar for Super bowl Sunday. The person was trying to get everyone together for a mini reunion. The four of us EMTs and Medics walked in. We were surrounded by Federal agents, Fire Fighters, Local, county, city and State law enforcement, as well as military and other Medics. The pre-game show was on it was all about the Hero’s of 9/11. We were all a quiet bunch that day. The bar was full of its normal rowdy crowd. Many of whom were complaining about how they should show the game already etc. Someone came to the area we were at and tried to change the channel. After seeing us all looking at them like it would be the worst mistake they ever made if they touched the TV they quickly decided that the pre-game show was just fine. The barkeep knew who we were and kept bringing us free food and keeping our beverages filled. People gave us odd looks and we didn’t care. If anyone had chosen to address us it could have turned very bad very fast for that person. A few moments before the game started there was a call for a moment of silence for the lives lost of the hero’s and the innocent deaths. Those of us at the table had all lost brothers and sisters in the line of duty, we had all seen the death, the smells, and hear the yells for help were all still fresh in our minds. Many of us still had problems of not being able shake those feelings at night. We hung our heads in silent prayer for the dead, all of a sudden I realized I was holding my glass up in a silent toast, I looked up and everyone else had their glass in a similar manor. None of us needed to say anything we all knew what each other had been through, we all knew what each other was thinking. Someone in the back part of the bar finally spoke up. The barkeep informed them that we should be left alone. Finally the person decided that the barkeep didn’t know what they were talking about and decided to speak to us in person. Very quickly there were various badges in his face some of the people from our tables were telling him to leave us alone. Many of the military people had stood up ready to assist the person out the door. The person quickly decided there was another bar to be at right then along with many other patrons of the bar. We sat and watched the game we ate until we were all looking for antacids, we all drank our fill. To say the least we had all enjoyed ourselves greatly. After all we ended up with the bar to ourselves. The barkeep finally put up the closed sign and asked for permission to join us. They allowed us free reign of the bar. For most of the game we sat around talking and catching up. Someone brought up the pre-game show with the subject of the “Hero”. Many of us were prior military or current military and we believe that the “Hero” is the one who doesn’t make it home. Many of us wept many unmanly tears that day.

I was lost deep in thought as others were talking. I was thinking about my Brothers and Sisters who didn’t make it home alive. Thinking of the funerals I had attended since I started working in EMS in 1988. Thinking of the dispatchers going out over the radios calling someone on the radio for their final callout “Medic # ___ from Dispatch…Medic # ____ from Dispatch… Medic# ____ from dispatch… This is dispatch negative contact, Rest in peace Medic # ____ you have earned that” There was never a dry eye at the funeral after that call would go out.

The more I heard the term “Hero” the more I started to expand my way of thinking about a hero. The EMS Workers, the Law Enforcement, the military, Who risked their lives to save others we don’t see ourselves as a Hero however others do. I began to realize that there were other hero’s of the 9/11 incident. Hero’s that the news, press, and others never spoke of. For they are the families we left behind, the people who stepped up to the plate to look over our families while we were gone. The ones who not only handled their own families but handled ours as well while we were gone. That “Brother” of mine who was prepared to defend my kids when I pulled up in a taxi in the middle of the night.

Next time you want to look for a “Hero” please remember that our families, our friends, our brother and sister co-workers are the real Hero’s of our jobs. They are the ones who always step up to the plate and help out when we are called away! Remember the kids we leave behind when we have to go away.

Just how much did what “Bo” did for me and my kids mean to me? Well he was the best man for my wedding to my then girlfriend. When he introduced us as husband and wife his words were simple and to the point “Ladies and Gentlemen it is my great pleasure to introduce you to my “Brother” Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Shortly after returning from my honeymoon I received a phone call from “Bo’s” wife. Bo was flying overseas and she was in labor. I delivered their daughter a few hours later at their ranch a few miles away. My wife and I had our first child together (my two are from a previous marriage) it is a son. We decided to name it after “Bo” because of the way he stood up at the plate and helped us out after that time we really needed him. Bo and his wife are my son’s God parents.

For my “Brother” “Bo” I will never forget what you did for me and my kids during that horrible time in the fall of 2001. I meant what I said that day we went for the walk in the woods, Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, just tell me what you need and you will have it.

THANKS

When you begin in EMT school you’re told to never get "Tunnel Vision" and that Attention to detail is critical. I got so sick of hearing those words! But after having spent years in EMS I found out even the most experienced medics and EMTs get tunnel vision and skip attention to detail.

Last winter I was riding around town in the ALS supervisors rig when there was a cardiac call at the local shopping mall. The local Senior citizens like to go walk the malls in the morning before the stores open to get their exercise. I knew we had an ILS crew close by the mall who could handle it until I got there. When I arrived I found a female approximately 50 years old, clutching her chest. I spoke to the senior EMT that had responded. She stated that 3 nitro had helped the chest pain. So I hooked her up to the cardiac monitor and no sooner had I done that then the lady coded. Straight flat line with that God awful alarm going off. I get her intubated, my partner starts IVs and begins pushing cardiac meds, and another EMT gets CPR going. Now this lady was extremely well built in the upper portion of her body. I later heard she was a 44dd. I look to see my partner with his shears in between the cleavage ready to cut her bra away. I stopped him and told him not to do it because they would be in the way while trying to work on her.

So following local cardiac protocol we cranked out the defib on the lowest wattage for the first shock working our way up to 360 joules for the 3 shock. The first shock was not note worthy. The second shock we thought we smelled something burning. The 3rd shock at 360j sent the bra into flames! We never thought about the metal under wire in her bra. We all kind of stare at each other for a split second then we try to pat the flames out. I finally look up at a person standing near by who is drinking a soda. I grab it from him and dump it no the flames. After which we got her back with a good rhythm and transported her to the local ER. After finishing my run sheet and putting my unit back in service the Doctor came up to me telling me the lady wanted to speak with me.

I went to her room trying my best to keep a straight face as I told her how happy we were that she made it and that we were happy we could help her in her time of need. Her only response was "You dumb stupid dirty such and such that was a brand new bra and they cost me over $100 each as I have to have them specially made for me. You’re going to buy me a new one!" I explained that she could bill the company for it and we will pay for it that way. She said that she was going to have me buy it for her out of my pocket.

That was the last I had heard of her until a few months later I get served with the papers for court. I show up and the judge asks me why we are there. I explained the situation to the judge and again he asks me why we are there...The whole time trying not to laugh out loud and appear insensitive to the lady. The Judge finally tells me to leave the courtroom and as I do I hear him begin to tear into the lady explaining that the only thing she should be doing is thanking me for bringing her back to life. To stop wasting court time buy herself her new bra and leave me alone. As I leave the court room I notice her husband follow me out of the courtroom.

This point he stops me in the hallway, offers a handshake kind of grins at me and says "Next time you should let her die, She has been this way for too long and allot of people are sick of her attitude including me!" A few months ago I was at the mall with my kids and we decided we were going to get a soda. Who is right in front of me? That same lady. This time I notice that she is not wearing a wedding ring anymore and she is ordering the same drink that I had used to put the fire out.

Moral of this story is in 3 parts.

1.) Don’t let tunnel vision impair you treating your patients!

Sure they may be the best looking person in the world to you or might even be someone famous. So what? Do your job the way that you are suppose to do it!

2.) Pay attention to detail!!! If I would have spent a few seconds thinking or another one of my crew spent those extra few seconds we might have thought about that metal under wire and could have prevented the issue all together!

3.) Don’t let the people you’re trying to help get to you! Don’t give them the satisfaction of it. I tell my crews all the time. "If they are calling you every name in the book so what? If they are threatening to take your EMT License so what? They are mad because they are hurt! Don’t take the threats seriously. They are really mad at themselves because they put themselves in that position not you!

In December of 1979, the first major article regarding women in emergency medical services appeared in “Emergency Magazine, “the article dealt with several subtopics, by the late seventies the number of “Female Medics was on the rise. The article left out the correlation of women working in fire departments as well was law enforcement, which at the time of the article statistical information showed that the percentage of women working in fire departments accounted for only one percent of the work force, and women in law enforcement averaged six percent of the work force.

The articles focus was on the ability to work in the field as well as their agility abilities versus male Emergency Medical Technicians. Emergency Medical Systems around the country began to change as a result of the Vietnam War, soldiers who served as medics were returning home and were highly trained in advanced techniques involving shock trauma. The United States Department of Transportation was in the process of providing legislation, training guidelines and regulations for emergency medical services.

By the seventies Emergency Medical Services was becoming a more professionalized organization. The early days of funeral homes providing load and go transportation had given way to private ambulance services, fire department EMS, and police agencies that were now providing a higher level of patient care. Because of the training that our service men had, as they return home they were applying for positions as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians thus making these professions heavily male dominant.

Emergency Medical Services level of training is continuing to rise, States instituted Departments of Emergency Medical Services that dealt with state wide training, legislation, protocols, and instituted requirements that EMS Personnel to be State certified and licensed.

In the early seventies Jack Webb who had starred in “Dragnet,” created the television show “Emergency.” Emergency was based on Los Angeles Counties Fire Department Paramedic Program. The show was focused on two L A firefighter/Paramedics. This was the first real public exposure of the Paramedic Program. Towards the end of the series the television show did an episode about a woman who was training to become a Paramedic the show depicted the “bigotry and male chauvinism regarding females doing a man’s job.”

When I started in Emergency Medical Services in 1979, I first worked for the Sheriff’s Department as a cross trained Police Officer/Paramedic; we were using chevy suburbans that were specially configured and carried all advanced life support equipment. The squad of Police Emergency Unit responded to medical and trauma calls as a non transport vehicle, as well as performing law enforcement functions. At the time there were no female cross trained Police Officers/Paramedics. Prior to receiving my certification as a Paramedic I attended Davenport College Center for Emergency Medical Services. The class was made up of 25 male students and four female students.

As I and my classmates under went the required 640 hours of training needed for certification, there was a lot of classroom study, in addition to the classroom work we were also required to undergo practical training. Practical training included emergency room, surgical, OB, and field ride along. The class also participated with in-house practical training using mannequins, mannequins arms used for learning how to establish IV’s, and mannequins used for practicing advanced airway management. The class took turns at being patients and working in teams of two in providing patient care. Using classmate cars we simulated removing injured patients from vehicles using backboards and KED’s. By the end of our training four males and one female had dropped out of the program.

In the late seventies the number of women working in the field of emergency medical services in Kent County Michigan was numbered at approximately Seventeen. Kent County consisted of four ALS Services: Mercy ambulance service, Buds Ambulance Service, Life EMS, and two volunteer staffed rural ALS Ambulance Services Rockford and Sparta.

Agility tests are required to become a candidate in law enforcement and fire departments. Emergency Medical Services currently has no such agility test to become an EMT or a Paramedic candidate. An EMT must meet the requirements as outlined on this sites “State EMS Page.” The number of individuals assigned to an ambulance, generally consist of two Emergency Medical Technicians in some areas three member crews are utilized.

Lifting is the most essential function of an emergency medical technicians job description, and lifting is the most frequent cause of back injuries in our profession. The heaviest patient that I ever assisted in lifting, weighed 755 pounds and required an additional crew, as well as three firefighters from an engine company, some other examples involving lifting obstacles are patients that lived in older homes with second and third floors with the old spiral stairs.

In the many years that I have worked as a paramedic, I have had both male and female partners. Referring back to the top of this essay in the article a “male,” emergency medical technician stated that a woman partner “ in his opinion female partners would “always be calling home, and checking on their kids.” Another statement made was that “Female partners either refused to lift or required additional help to lift a stretcher with a patient because it was too heavy.”

I have had the opportunity to partner with very dedicated female medics, who were truly professional female medics. I have worked with a male partner who could not consistently and properly lift a stretcher, and I’ve also worked with only one female partner who could not properly lift a stretcher, both of these individuals eventually quit.

Women belong in Emergency Medical Services, and EMS continues to need these professional and dedicated medics. Women medics in many cases provide an emotional aspect that in some situations male medics can’t provide. I have seen men and children that were either sick or suffered from a traumatic incident, that were initially very agitated, and have seen female partner’s who were able to calm the patient down much quickly. (The Florence Nightingale Syndrome) This in no means takes away from their skills and delivery of the excellent medical and trauma intervention skills.

The number of women in Emergency Medical Services in Kent County has dramatically increased since the late seventies and women now make up approximately 50 percent of the EMS work force. Today the number, of women in EMS continues to increase, as well as in law enforcement and fire departments throughout the United States.

This is one paramedic who does truly believes that women do belong in Emergency Medical Services. Throughout my site there you will find a lot of information and data that indicates EMS is growing and improving, and EMS is doing just that.

Three major changes that I feel need to occur in today’s Emergency Medical Services Profession is the implementation of agility test as a prerequisite prior to becoming an EMT or Paramedic candidates. Second, EMS needs to incorporate a training program dealing with proper lifting skills techniques. Third, Volunteer, Private, Fire, and Government Emergency Medical Services Agencies need to provide weight and exercise programs and finally defensive driving courses for all EMS personnel.

Respectfully,

Dave D.

Dave’s EMS Headquarters

Crucifixion

Description:A medical doctor describes what happens to the human body during crucifixion, and offers his thoughts.

What is crucifixion? A medical doctor provides a physical description: The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy square wrought iron nail through the wrist deep into the wound. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is press backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain-the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them deep relentless, and throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breath. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint wrenching cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over-the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level--the compressed heart is struggling to pump heart, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues--the tortured lungs are making frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues. Finally, he can allow his body to die... All this the Bible records with the simple words, “and they crucified Him” (Mark 15:24). What wondrous love is this? Many people don’t know that pain and suffering our Lord, Jesus Christ went through for us... because of the brutality; crucifixion was given a sentence to only its worst offenders of the law. Thieves, murderers, and rapists would be the types of creeps who got crucified. Yet, here Jesus is being crucified between two hardened criminals... What did Jesus do? Did he murder anyone? Did he steal anything? The answer as we all know is NO!! Jesus did nothing to deserve this type of death, yet he went willing to die, in between 2 thieves, so that we might be saved. And there, in between the sinners, was our slain savior for our sins.

The Three Trees

Description:This in an interesting fable of three trees, and their role in the life of Christ.

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, “Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.” Then the second tree said, “Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.” Finally the third tree said, “I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.” After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, “This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter”... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. At the second tree a woodsman said, “This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.” The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, “I don’t need anything special from my tree so I’ll take this one”, and he cut it down. When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn’t think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said “Peace” and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat. Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it. The moral of this stow is that when things don’t seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don’t always know what God’s plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

As I watched events unfold in the south in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the fear and uncertainty I had felt that Saturday night in August of getting out of New Orleans before she struck has been replaced with, at times, an overwhelming sadness for the destruction she has left behind. The overall devastation of life, families and property, will have long-lasting and long reaching effects on us all for years to come. It is my hope we can learn to plan better for natural disasters, as we have learned to plan for man-made disasters following 911. Terrorism is only one disaster lurking in the shadows, nature has no master or schemer to develop a plan of attack; she simply does what comes naturally.

The people of New Orleans that I was fortunate to meet during the week I was there for the EMS Expo and NAEMT’s Annual meetings were gracious, welcoming and fun loving people who opened their arms to visitors everyday. On Saturday, when it became evident that Katrina was going to hit New Orleans, they aided us in evacuating by providing all the information and suggestions we needed to get out of the city. Those are some of the people I want to tell you about. As the media has concentrated on the few who have looted and hurt others, I would like to tell you about just a few of the majority who stayed to help us leave, all the while worrying about getting their own families to safety.

People like the “Bell man” at our hotel, who kept a smile on his face and laughter in his voice, even as he was loading luggage into cars and buses, wishing everyone a safe trip and to “come back and see us when this is over.” He told me he had four small children at home and that his shift would end at 4:30 that day, when he would go home, load up his family and “get out of Dodge.” I left by airport shuttle at 5:30 that evening, and guess who was loading my luggage into the shuttle? When I asked him why he hadn’t left, he said, with that southern charm, that he had “waited to make sure I had gotten on this shuttle”. He then hugged me, told me to be safe and promised me he was going to leave and get his “babies” to safety. I’m sorry to say, I do not know his name.

The airport people that were dealing with scared and sometimes very rude travelers with a graciousness I have never witnessed before. They continued to reassure and calm everyone as they checked in baggage and efficiently directed people to the correct line. These people remained friendly and professional even as they were too frequently being verbally abused by people that wanted everything to be moving faster. It was taking around 2 hours in line to go through security. I never saw any of them get angry or be rude to anyone.

But mostly I want to share with you stories of the EMS providers that I will always feel blessed to have been able to meet and share time with. Many of whom stayed in New Orleans and the surrounding areas to aid the many who could not get out, even as they suffered great personal losses of their own. They continue to provide aid, working in horrendous conditions, until the massive relief effort can arrive from across the nation.

The EMS Expo and National Association of EMTs Annual meetings draw thousands of EMS providers; Fire, Law Enforcement, Nurses, Doctors and allied healthcare providers, from all over the world. I was fortunate to be asked to help instruct an Advanced Medical Life Support class in the pre-conference days on Tuesday and Wednesday. We had EMTs, Paramedics, Nurses and doctors, some from as far away as Norway and France in our class. The instructors for the class came from Iowa, Illinois, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Florida and Canada. The “patients” were from a local Paramedic class, having its first day of classes on Tuesday, as well as two young women from Canada that had completed their EMT classes and were in the process of determining in what direction of healthcare they wanted to go next. The two day class provided the sharing of new knowledge, techniques and ideas for all who participated, students, “patients” and instructors. It is this interaction of medical providers that improve patient care in all settings of the medical field.

Dawn was one of the local paramedic students who played the part of the patient, “a young woman with abdominal pain and diarrhea for several days.” Dawn played her part with an enthusiasm and flair that I would put up against any “patient” on ER. Dawn talked a lot about how badly she wanted to be a paramedic and how she felt, as a young single mother, that her child would learn by her example how important it was to help people.

“Bob” was a 30-something gentleman who was the patient for one of my final testing stations. The part he played was of a teenage boy who had vomited blood because he was “Bulimic”. What made this so very memorable was that “Bob” was about 6 foot 3 inches and as he told me himself, weighed around 350 lbs. He got a tremendous amount of pleasure at the end of each testing group, asking the students if he had managed to “fool” them into believing he was a “16 year old bulimic.”

Alaina and Kelsey, two young woman from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, who came to help with the class and be a part of the EMS world, hoping to make the decision of what path of healthcare they wanted to pursue next. These two girls came to have a special place in my heart, as we were able to spend more time together outside of class as the week progressed. I spent the last two days in New Orleans with the girls, Greg, the instructor from Canada and Ann, an instructor from New Mexico. The girls were fascinated with “doing” all they could while in New Orleans, including visiting Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, shopping the malls along the river and the one disappointment for them was not getting to go to 6 Flags on Saturday, as we had planned to do. When it became evident that Katrina was going to hit New Orleans, as we were told on Saturday morning, they were able to get on a flight leaving that evening at 6 pm. I spent the day with the four of them, making plans to visit each other in the future. The girls assured me I have not SEEN a mall until they take me to their mall in Edmonton.

Nicole was a young woman I met on Thursday morning during the start of the conference. I had attended the annual members meeting of NAEMT, and as I was leaving, saw this young woman sitting on the floor outside one of the classrooms, entertaining her baby. Hayden was 7 months old and she had taken him out of the classroom because every time the presen