Chronicles of Ahab & Jonah- A WHALE of a Tale: Volume 1- "The Treacherous Voyage"

"It is difficult for outsiders (and even many insiders) to comprehend the broken links in our chain of the EMS system.  Numbers are constantly thrown at us driven from research and reports.  They tell us things like cardiac save-rate data, “best in the world”,  "best response", “tiered system,” "successful outcome", "door to balloon time", etc.  These distracting numbers and fancy words are supposed to keep us from seeing what goes on behind the scenes. What actually happens to the patients who aren’t “actively dying” or on the verge of requiring cardio-pulmonary resuscitation or intubation?  Where are the stories that news media doesn’t find interesting enough to report?  These are the patients and calls that need be told."

 **Disclaimer:** I am not just another jaded EMS provider.  I take pride in my professionalism, my skill level, and especially my positive attitude.  It just so happens, the day I learn of this fantastic blog, the following was the outstanding call of the day:

"Call me Ishmael. 

Actually, call me Ahab in this blog.
(The names of my partner, my ambulance and myself will make more sense with stories to come)

“AMB100 Respond priority with Rural Fire and Rescue Ladder100 to 16743 Countryside Way SE at the intersection of SE Neverneverland Way.  Priority with Ladder100.”
At this time, we are sitting in our designated position, determined by some higher power with a greater pay-grade than myself, setting up our unit for “optimal” coverage.  Of course on this day we are not in our usual response area with “coverage” as the reason.  Parked 100 yards from the interstate, I elect to go ahead and NOT push the bright red switch that will activate our flashing and strobe-ing lights used to warn drivers of our presence due to the emergent nature of the call.  With a maximum speed of 75MPH per policy and a 70MPH interstate, it seems unnecessary to use all those extra lights just to drive below the speed of traffic.  I digress.  Off we go!

The larger the exit numbers get, the more snow that seems to be falling.  Upon exiting, I decide to take the initiative to get those lights and siren going.  This lasted about 3 minutes when the snow had now blanketed the road.
“AMB100. Fire is advising you may need to chain up to make access to the house.”
“AMB100 received.”
Up and up we go!  Around swerving corners, through the forest, trying to read the mailboxes to alert me of the next turn.  Finally, round a narrow bend, a large red fire engine sits in the path all lights flashing.  This can’t be our destination. I know I have at least 2 turns before I get there.  As I approach, I see my ominous turn, which happens to be the steepest hill yet, completely engulfed in snow.  I stop at the bottom (assuming this is when I was expected to chain up).
“AMB100 stopping to chain up.”
“Received AMB100.”
Volunteer Firefighter/Engineer Jones: “Is your truck four-wheel drive.”
Me: *chuckle “No.  We don’t have any four wheel drive vehicles.”
FF/Engineer Jones: “Oh….  Well… I used the drop-chains on the engine and couldn’t make it up the hill.”
Me: “Well we have chains, we’ll have to make it work.”
FF/Engineer Jones: “Okay.  I told the crew on scene your down here chaining up.”

I begin getting my white long-sleeve shirt wet, muddy, and cold getting underneath my ambulance trying to thread these high-quality cable chains together between the dual rear tires while the firefighter watches.  I then go over to assist my partner, “Jonah.”  Jonah is having difficulties.  Needless to say, close to 10 minutes had been spent installing chains.  Then up we go.  2nd gear and slowly but surrrrrrrelyyyyyyy…… the tires spin, and spin, and spin…. But we are still moving forward!  A crowd of cars has now formed at the top of the hill watching this theatrical-like show and yielding to our trusty ship, “Pequod!”
We make it!  We continue on our way.  “AMB100 responding again.”  We make our last turn to battle one last hill and find our destination.  It is quite easy to find.  The Fire Department personnel marked it with their large, red, Type III…….

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE aid unit……

For the rest of the call, I battle with reason in trying to figure out what was (or wasn’t) going through this Fire Department Lieutenant’s mind when he realized his four-wheel drive aid unit was the only fire department apparatus that could make it to the house. Yet he still expected us to make that same journey rather than just utilize his fully-equipped, tax-funded, patient transport vehicle built and designed to go anywhere, to bring his patient to us where chains and four-wheel drive are not needed.  If only he knew we were on the same team….

At least he was nice enough to call medics for us and setup a rendezvous…."