WORK- WORK - AND AN AMBULANCE ACCIDENT

DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.


IF YOU ARE NEW TO READING MY BLOG... PLEASE START AT THE BEGINNING... LOOK FOR ARCHIVES... GOTO AUGUST 2004 AND START AT THE BOTTOM AND WORK UP. THANKS.

While I am busy with 2 jobs and being Chief of a volunteer ambulance company, there are times when I just need to sit down and take a breath.

Countering my oppositions statements to membership that I'm supposed to be some "burnt out, crispy critter" (meaning some believe I cannot handle being Chief), takes energy that I'd prefer to use to better the corps. But I gotta do what I gotta do...

So there I am at work at 2AM or so Monday morning...Things at work were quiet but I had monitored my corps answering an ambulance call...A non-emergency bleeding lip on an infant. The crew of 3, driver, EMT and aide answered the alarm. Having a stable patient the ambulance headed out to the hospital with no lights or sirens, per the newest protocols for response. No emergency, no lights or sirens. A nice easy ride to the hospital until "BAM" our rig is struck head on by a an alleged drunk driver.

The baby in a car seat on the stretcher, mother and aunt along for the ride, on the bench seat. Upon the crash, everyone was thrown around. But even though injured, our EMT evacuated the ambulance (everyone was hurt somewhat) then going back to tend to the drunk driver who was entrapped in his car. When help arrived, relieved, she then collapsed with her own injuries.(found out later... she had 2 broken ribs) She's my hero.

Anyway...I'm at work with an associate listening to the driver of our ambulance calling for help and my associate says...go... get out there... and I'm gone.

The scene was, for me anyway, surreal... any volunteers worst scenario... an ambulance with patient on board gets into an accident. Bad news... But with the help of my assistant chief and a county EMS official and multiple neighboring departments, everyone, all 7 patients were transported. Knock on wood everyone except the drunk driver were treated at the hospital and released within hours.


A little dark, but you can see the car that hit our ambulance, head-on. Scary night! 

I was fine... until a friend, a local cop asked if I was ok... then I cried.

COOPERATION OR LACK OF IT...

DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.


IF YOU ARE NEW TO READING MY BLOG... PLEASE START AT THE BEGINNING... LOOK FOR ARCHIVES... GOTO AUGUST 2004 AND START AT THE BOTTOM AND WORK UP. THANKS.

It's been awhile since my last post. Been busy.

Saw most of what's left of our family at my father's unveiling recently. Had a simple but nice ceremony led by my niece. Was nice to go to dinner afterward with everyone and to learn that my niece is pregnant and soon the family will have another member.

At the Ambulance, lots going on. It's time for the corps to be "re-certified" by the state of NY Dept of Health. No real cooperation from any of the past administration officers. No paperwork was able to be located by any of them. So, even when told "we can't find the paperwork from the last re-certification", I went looking anyway. Low and behold, there it was right in the past chiefs desk, where no one could find it.

The low depths these people go to astounds me. If they want to make me look bad as current Chief, ok... I can live with that. But don't place the our entire organiztion in jeopardy by not cooperating... That makes no sense to me. But hey, should I be surprised? Hell no, after all, the one who refused to cooperate is the ballot tampering ex-chief. Nuff said. I got the re-cert done anyway without them. Ha-ha.. Game Over. Period.

Work is going well, both at home and at the fire district where I dispatch. Have a bid in on a big job for the home business, we'll see if that comes in.

Son Dan had a drill (USMCR) this past weekend. His unit was notified that they would be re-activated and re-deployed to IRAQ in January, 2005. I'm NOT happy. I did not fair well during my son's first deployment to Iraq as part on Operation Iraqi Freedom, now know as OIF1. I almost fear for him more in this "post war" security mission than the war itself. But I am so proud of my son. He and his fellow Marines that had been deployed to Iraq before were given a half assed option of not going a second time. Dan and his fellow Marines all volunteered. I'm not happy. But I have faith and trust in my son's knowledge and abilities and can only hope he makes it through his second round unscathed as he did in OIF1. Semper Fi, Dan. ooooh rah.

OK enough for now. If I could just make it through Just One More Day.

ON LINE AT LAST !!

DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.


IF YOU ARE NEW TO READING MY BLOG... PLEASE START AT THE BEGINNING... LOOK FOR ARCHIVES... GOTO AUGUST 2004 AND START AT THE BOTTOM AND WORK UP. THANKS.

With all that goes on in my life, I often try to sit back and look at it all. I realize, though I have a life filled with many different experiences daily, once in awhile I need to make sure, I do the right thing, do for someone else that possibly no one else will. Well I don't know if this qualifies, but I had promised my cousin Lillian (our only living relative we care that we're in touch with, a great lady) to help her get set up and on the internet in short order. Turned out to be not so short order but not insurmountable.

Seems Lillian, just home after multiple knee and hip surgeries, has a lap top that she wanted to use to get on line. (she had access to the net while in rehab)...

Unfortunately, the laptop runs Windows 95 and has and old slow CD-Rom drive. But the Laptop belonged to her son Doug, who passed away and so this machine holds much sentimental value for her. However, this limited our options. I told Lillian I could add a screen name for her on my AOL account so that she does not to pay for a new account. Problem! In trying to load new AOL programming and newest software not supported by Windows 95... oy.

So ... I found an old AOL 2.5 disk and sent it to her. But, once loaded, unable to reach any of the local dial-up numbers. Anyway... We talked for ages on the phone, trying to get this thing right.... Finally gave in to CompuServe, already loaded on her system... That finally worked... And now Lill is connected... Cool...

Later...
update 7/13/05) Lillian had some problems with her laptop and it;s been upgraded to Windows 98 and she now has AOL... so all is good...lol