Ever since I was little I have had a love for all things 911
related. I could hear sirens from miles
away and would often drop what I was doing to run outside or to a window to try
and see them as they passed by. I had a
favorite fire engine (#202) and I was could tell you what station it was
located at; first at Station #4 and then down to Co Station 2 in Garden City.
I made friends with the resource officers at
school and would take ice cream and water out to the officer who worked in my
neighborhood. I also made friends with
a Paramedic named Phil who attended my church and dreamed of one day becoming a
Paramedic like him!
As I grew older I
started to babysit Phil’s kids and would often find myself looking at his certifications
and pictures on the wall. Phil started
letting me come on ride alongs fueling my passion for the EMS world. Every time I climbed into the ambulance I
felt like a kid on Christmas. I remembering
being on top of the world when Phil got special permission for me to ride a
full 24 hour shift with him, I don’t think I slept the whole night as I laid
there smiling and hoping for a call.
The
call that stands out the most for me from all our ride alongs was when we
responded to suicide attempt. As we
pulled up to the house a firefighter came running out and proceeded to vomit
all over the lawn. As we entered the
house the smell of vomit, urine and feces assaulted our noses. Lying on a bed was an adult male who had
intentionally overdosed on insulin. He
lay in his own waste with vomit all around him and firefighters using a BVM to
breath for him. His feet were posture in
a way that reminded me of a ballerina. I
watched and Phil and his partner work seamlessly as a team to try and save the
guy. On the way to the hospital Phil
explained to me what was happening, what they were doing, and why. I am not sure if that guy survived and if he
did what his outcome was. What I do know is that because of that call I knew
without a doubt that not only did I want to be a Paramedic, but that I wanted
to one day get hired on with Ada Country Paramedics.
Right after high school I took my EMT basic class imminently
followed by my EMT Intermediate class. I
started to go on rides with Boise Fire and which led me to getting on with
Eagle Fire as an EMT.
Phil loved to give
me a hard time for getting on with a fire department! The biggest plus about working at Eagle Fire
for me was the relations ships I started to build with Ada County Paramedics. They started to let me ride in the ambulance
from calls we responded to with them to the hospital. A couple of Paramedics took me under their
wing to teach me and help me become a better EMT. While volunteering with Eagle I landed a spot
working at and EMT for Northwest Paramedics also known as NPA. The best thing about NPA was I was able to go
on a Fix Wing flight with a patient to Seattle.
However NPA didn’t have the standards I wanted and so I didn’t stay on
with them for long. Finally my hard work
started to pay off and I was able to get hired on with Ada County Paramedics as
a reserve. I was over the moon!!
Shortly after I was hired on full time as an
EMT-I and was finally working my dream job.
I owed so much of that to Phil.
I
wish that I could say I became a full Paramedic and was still working at Ada, I
wish that more than anything. But I
feel in love with the wrong person who took my dreams and my hard work and
slowly destroyed them all….I can tell you this that will never happen again,
but that is another story for another day.
Through the years, and often as life goes, I saw Phil less
and less. We stated in contact on Facebook
and from time to time talked.
In December
I found out Phil was in the hospital and not doing well from an unknown medical
problem. Phil’s EMS family poured in
their support for Phil. A Facebook page
was set up to update everyone and the amount of love and support for this man
was amazing. Unfortunately Phil passed
away on December 29, 2015, he was only 53.
I have often wondered if he knew the impact he had on my life and how
much of a mentor he was to me. It was
yet another reminder how short this life can be how you truly don’t know the
last time you might see someone may be so makes every second count! He made those around him laugh while at the
same time had such a compassionate heart.
On December 30th emergency vehicles from all over Ada County, including 2 of my
ISP guys, lined up to show Phil’s family how much he mean to all us. It was an amazing thing to be a part of it.
The part of the memorial that I will never forget however is when dispatch gave last call for Phil over the radio. Just thinking of it now instantly springs tears to my eyes. Following the memorial everyone had ice cream served in a way that would have made Phil smile.
It was good to so many faces that I know and love there. You will be missed Phil, more then I could ever say.
Thank you for all you have taught me, I will never forget you!
P.S.
Because Phil loved to laugh and make people laugh I had to add these to this post.
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