Who Says Firefighters Don't Get Cats Out of Trees?

Take a look at this:



Way to go Sacramento City Fire Station 5!!!

A Jaw-Dropping, Hair-Raising moment

But one that was extremely satisfying.

Several months ago, my partner and I helped to save a man at an event I worked at. I won't go into details, but his injuries were quite severe. Today he surprised me by showing up at an event I was working at. One of the event staff let me know he was there, and took me over to speak with him. We had followed his hospitalization and his recovery. It was one of those calls that stay with you, and the people who know him run in a specific circle that we are also a part of. So, we were able to learn how he was doing.

I was absolutely amazed to just shake his hand, knowing how hurt he was the last time I saw him taking off by helicopter to the trauma center. He is still recovering, but is doing very well, all things considered. I hope he continues to fully recover.

EMTs and Paramedics work like he** to save people. Sometimes we can, sometimes we can't. But we often don't get to see those we do. :-)

Happy 50th Birthday NASA!

Yep, NASA is 50 years old. It was born on October 1, 1958. To learn more, click here.

Veni Vidi...

Vomiti

Proud To Serve

For those who want to see my team (I am almost dead center in the middle row):

I am very proud to serve with DMAT CA-11, NDMS, and my country.

Back Home

I just got home from deployment yesterday. We first went to Atlanta, staging in anticipation of Ike landing in Miami. Then it changed course, crossing over Cuba as a strong Cat 4 storm, into the Caribbean Ocean, and then back over Cuba one more time before setting its sights on the Galveston, TX region very early Saturday, September 13th. There is A LOT of damage in Texas and Southwestern Louisiana. Not just Galveston, but Beaumont, Palestine, and other cities also. Houston also sustained major damage from hurricane Ike. In fact, the tallest building in Texas had most of its windows on one side completely blown out, most likely due to a pressure gradient caused when Ike pushed on the other side of the building.

We ended up at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston on Saturday, after Ike made landfall, providing care to the special needs population that arrived, primarily by ambulance and bus. It was a wonderfully fulfilling and successful mission for us.

The armada of ambulances, staged and ready to transport patients to local hospitals, and for long distance transport to San Antonio.

Never Forget

It was seven years ago today that this nation was attacked by terrorists. It changed many of our lives in ways we are still discovering. We traded some of our openness and freedoms for what we hope is enhanced security against further attacks; TSA screening everything we own when we board a plane, "LiveScan" fingerprinting and increased background checks for simple things such as employment, RealID coming up, and more.

It was on September 11, 2001, after the attacks, that I made the decision to join DMAT CA-11. I had tried to join the military years and years ago, but they wouldn't take me, since I was missing a kidney. I have always felt a strong need to give back to my country. I remember filling out the application that day, and have been a member of this team since then. Interestingly enough, my application sailed through in record time (Karma?).

Today I sit in a hotel in Dallas, waiting with my team and many others for Hurricane Ike to make landfall. Whether we move before it moves in, or afterward, is up to the folk well above my level. Some teams are out there evacuating patients, others like us, are waiting for our missions, which will eventually occur.

Please take time today to honor those who died as a result of these horrid acts. And take special time for those who died trying to save so many... the firefighters, EMTs, and police. They truly died serving their country on that day. If you don't already volunteer, consider it. It doesn't need to be DMAT... local non-profits are always looking for volunteers.