I spend a lot of time griping about the things that I see wrong in the EMS world or things that we could improve upon. It’s probably part of my nature as an attorney to look for the negatives and the risks in life.
Today is not one of those days, though. I want to say something that we in the public safety world do right. Namely, when we’re called, we come.
Last night, I received a Facebook message from an old EMS friend who’s no longer in EMS. She has a three year old nephew who’s been admitted to Texas Children’s’ Hospital in Houston. He had a reaction to an antibiotic that continued to the point of needing more long-term care than just treatment for an allergic reaction. She also told me that he’s fascinated by firefighters and (hopefully also) paramedics. She asked if I knew anyone in the area who’d visit him while he was in the hospital. I said I’d post on Facebook and see if any of my Houston area contacts would help.
Not surprisingly, the post blew up. It’s been shared by multiple people. I’ve heard from fire and EMS professionals all over the Houston area, each of whom only wanted to know the child’s name and room number. Even despite multiple offers from me to repay expenses from the promised patches, t-shirts, and toys, I was rebuffed. (On a humorous note, I might need to retract some of my previous rants about people asking for free legal advice. I may need to be repaying it forward again…)
I’ve heard from all sorts of people at all levels of the fire and EMS world — flight medics, chiefs, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, etc. Each of them did what we do best — when we hear about someone in need, we drop what we’re doing and we go help the best that we can.
The response, while not surprising, has made me incredibly proud to have previously worn the uniform of the fire service and to still be wearing an EMS uniform. There are not a finer group of people than the men and women of public safety in Texas. Firefighters, medics of all certifications, and our peace officers. Today, I’m just a little prouder of who we are and what we do.
I’m far from religious and Christianity isn’t my faith tradition, but a verse from the Book of Matthew seems appropriate here. “I was sick and ye visited me.” Thanks to each of you for visiting this sick child; visiting the sick and injured on every shift; and reminding me again of why what we do each and every shift is a special gift from the deity of your choice. Thank you all. I truly believe I’m a better person for having earned my Texas paramedic patch — largely because I get to spend a few days a month with each of you.
And if I haven’t said it enough here: I’m proud of our Texas firefighters and medics. (And yes, the cops too.)
