Interview with an EMT

I recently met with an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) from a local firehouse. We sat and talked about the challenges facing our EMS workers around the country. We discussed issues like tasks on the job, relations with your family, dealing with the stresses of the job and more. Chris has been and EMT for just over a year and is going into the Paramedic program, he works part time while going to school and taking care of his family.

Robert: "So Chris I guess the first question we have is what does it feel like to be an EMT?"

Chris: "Well you look at it two ways. It's amazing being able to do what we do, saving lives and helping people, but on the other hand as an EMT there is only so much you can do. The paramedics are the people who really shine in the line of duty, but I love my job and would not trade the experience for anything else. I think that getting my paramedic license will make the job so much more interesting, for one thing I'll be doing a lot more and working with the patience in a more one on one aspect."

Robert: "Can you describe some of the basics tasks that you undertake as an EMT? For instance do you get to start IVs, cart the patience around, and do CPR when the situation calls for it?"

Chris: "I do get to participate in a lot of that, but an EMT is not allowed to start IVs, that's the job of our paramedics. We do CPR, and move the patience out of the area we respond to, but to be honest when you get called to a scene one person calls the shots and everyone else is treated equally. CPR is usually preformed by at least two people, one using a bag valve mask (BVM) system and the other doing chest compression, same goes with moving a patience, it's a team effort. If we are on the second floor of a residence or office building with no elevator then we use a stair chair to move them outside the scene and secure them onto a stretcher. This can take up to four people, but usually two or three will be okay."

Robert: "So when you arrive on scene, what is your first and number one priority?"

Chris: "Scene safety and BSI, body substance isolation. This will keep you and the EMS staff safe from contamination and make sure that everyone else at the scene is protected. After that our crew will assess the patience's stats. If they look like they are doing okay, and what I mean by ok is they are breathing, have a strong pulse, and are talking to us, then we as a crew divide up into two teams. The first team will check out the patience's vital signs, like blood pressure, pulse and oxygen stats while the second team will ask the patience or their families what was the initial reason for the 911 call. All this will help determine what kind of care we as EMT's and paramedics need to issue. If the patient is in what we consider critical condition then we will load them into the ambulance as soon as possible and transport to the hospital."

Robert: "What is the hardest kind of call to deal with?"

Chris: "Calls involving children are the most difficult for me personally to deal with. Anytime you see someone in danger, it's bad enough, but to see a helpless child in that situation is heartbreaking. The parents make matters worse, dealing with the situation is hard as it is, then you have mom and dad standing over you trying to help, and really all they do is prevent us from doing our job. However I will say that if it was my son or daughter hurt, I'd like to see anyone try and pull me away from the scene, so I completely understand where the parents are coming from. Child abuse cases are also very hard to cope with because we as can only treat the children and nothing more. If a child is visibly abused and the parent or guardian denies transport then we can't do anything about it because as long as the child is underage and under parental care that parent can make decisions for that child. As part of the EMS system we can report these events to child services but aside from that we have to just do the best we can while we're on scene"

Robert: "That must be hard, I imagine that there must be a lot of stress with the job huh?"

Chris: "Sometimes it can be unreal, you spend up to 48 hours away from your family at a time so you hardly have any time with them, and that's tough. Then you have the physical strain and pressure of the job itself, moving heavy equipment, lifting and transporting patience, and waking up at 4:30 am to respond to a call, all of that can be exhausting. On top of that you have to keep the constant thought that your dealing with peoples lives, and that can take a toll mentally. You really have to learn to distance yourself from your job because if you don't then things will be very rough for you. You're going to see people at their worst, and the EMS system at its best. The hardest thing is losing a patient, you always ask yourself, could I have dome more? Did I do everything right? Did I make a mistake? But then you need to remember your training, you are an EMS professional and you don't make mistakes"

Robert: "Thanks very much for your time, and for everything that you do. I appreciate you talking with me"

Chris: "No problem, I enjoy sharing my experiences with others so don't mention it"

Thanks to Chris for the interview. I got to meet him and his crew at the local fire station while interning for school. They are an amazing group of guys that really enjoy their work and do a fantastic job. Next time you see a firemen, paramedic, or EMT remember what they do for us and give them a friendly thank you, it's the best reward for these guys to know that they are appreciated.