Guest Column: A real-life emergency response

Written by Mark Albert
Thursday, 22 October 2009 10:13

After returning from a call the other night, I noted how quiet the street was. It was the night of Oct. 15 and we were having the earliest snow I can remember. The flakes beat against my face as I closed the garage door protecting the ambulance. A train of dumpsters emerged from one of the engine bays waiting for the daytime demolition work to continue, but at 10:30, the train was abandoned and forgotten. The cold wind blew and sheets of discarded plastic flapped in the breeze, rubbing against the side of the metal containers, making a sandpaper-like sound.

Wet leaves covered the ground and the road was slick. Luckily, we did not get any calls for motor vehicle accidents that night. With only a handful of people available to respond, a major incident would have forced us to request mutual aid from one of our neighboring towns. Usually, our neighbors are happy to help, but when the weather is particularly bad across the region, they can be just as taxed as we are. Volunteerism is down everywhere.

The medic had already left, as had the two emergency medical technicians (EMTs) that attended the call. I was alone, standing in front of the vacant firehouse, feeling the cold wet air slide between my hood and the side of my red, wind-chafed cheek. Having had a high-pressured week at work, I relished the moment of peace. As I walked toward my car, I knew my wife and elder son were at home, studying, while my younger son slept. They had taken on their missions this night. I had taken on mine.

An hour earlier, I had been part of a team that came to help a man with severe abdominal pain. As we lifted him into the stretcher, carried him across his yard and loaded him into the ambulance, I was oblivious to the slushy drizzle that continued to fall from the sky. I was in the moment — helping. While most of the town watched Izzy get fired on Grey’s Anatomy, I was having a direct experience with emergency medicine. While husbands and wives snuggled under warm blankets, I stayed my feet from slipping in the cold muddy grass. While homeowners turned out their lights and locked their doors, I lit up the ambulance strobes and carefully chauffeured my charge to safety.

As far as I was concerned, I had the better deal. I could stay at home and watch actors feign good deeds anytime. It’s fun on the eyes, but not very rewarding on the soul. No. I’d watch Seattle Grace merge with Mercy Hospital when I got home — when I had nothing left to give and all I needed was an animated prop to help me wind down. Today, I had participated in the real deal. The feet were cold, but the heart was warm.

As I reached down to my car door, I took one last deep breath of the chilly damp night air. The mixture of wet leaves, gypsum and diesel fuel made me smile. There’s something to be said about the smell of a firehouse following an incident. No matter what is actually in the air, the aroma tells a tale of charity, conviction, and if you’re lucky, victory. You should try it some time.

Mr. Albert is president of the Vista Fire Department. For information on becoming a member of the Vista Fire Department, call Chief Gary Lawson or Mr. Albert at 533-2727; for the South Salem Fire Department, call Chief Joe Posadas at 763-3706; and for the Goldens Bridge Fire Department, call Chief Robert Melillo at 232-4530.

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