"Man Down"...Part Two

"WOOOOOOOOooooooo.....", The ALS siren dies out as they jolt to a stop on-scene. Every movement appearing delayed and mechanical from the Rave effect produced by the Strobes; the Red & Amber's flashing like the pounding of a deep, heavy base.


This morning- 4 join the party. Not the usual 2.

The look on the face of a senior member as he strolls up, becomes more of that of disbelief than the typical "not another one". However, he definitely left the eye rolling to his partner...this guy, I swear. The other 2 joining with them, like kids on Christmas in front of the tree...except it's the Griswold's Family tree...when the squirrel comes hurling out from the branches at you. Both excitement and wonderment, laced with the heavy sinking feeling of doom.

As the "kids" race up to unwrap their gift, Mr. Eye Roller, appears to believe that he has been summoned for some reason other than his advanced life saving skills. His partner, enamoured and unable to hold enough composure on the situation, to make even more evident, the gravity of wasting time...

Lone Ranger, hugging her head with gauze to stop the bleeding like the last hug both parties don't want to end. "What are you doing? Just let go of it! It can't be THAT bad..." Oh, Mr. Eye Roller...how wrong you are.

"Um actually," Blurts out the one who handed me the shears earlier, "It's ...BAD." I direct in the backboard from the "Kids" on the crew. My plan- place the board behind her, on it's edge and roll her one quarter turn on to it as we lay it flat and slide away from the building. We have enough hands to make it smooth.

From above, looking down, she lays diagonal from the building- brick, belly down and head cocked right with her left cheek kissing the concrete. We want to refrain from any movements not absolutely pertinent to keep from straining/twisting the neck further.

Firefighter "Shears", takes the lantern. His partner, now struggling with a girl- in hysterics, on the sidewalk that has just come rushing out of the building. He is having to hold her back...her feet both off the ground and in a full sprint, confused at the lack of ground cover taking place. "That's my roommate!!! She fell?!?! Oh my GAWD!! Please get up...is she dead? *SOBBING* Please...get up!! I just saw her text that she got locked out on the fire escape. Get up!! Oh my GOD...F*C#!!.. *SHRIEKING CRIES* I saw you guys when I opened the door up there to let her in... She isn't dead, right??!?!" She drops in to the arms of Firefighter "Shears" partner- limp and in shock.

Moments like this makes what we do harder...I look back to our girl. The strobes in full force now from the 3 units on-scene, soon to add more color as Police show up with their blues. Each movement, hard to see how fluid we move by the flickering surrounding us.

"No. We aren't gonna roll her like that. Stop." The Eye Roller chimes in. "Put the board to her right. We'll roll her counter-clockwise and on to her back on the board." Sometimes, I have a hard time biting my tongue...Cr*p...I can feel it. This is gonna be one of those times. "Let's roll her as planned. Ready?" I make eye contact with all other hands. Eye Roller's partner included.

"Did you not hear me?" Grumps the Eye Roller. "Yes, you're exactly right...I'm deaf. *DARTING DAGGER EYES* Rolling this way is only ONE movement. Fluid and smooth. Hence 'C-SPINE IMMOBILIZATION'...YOUR way will make us roll her head, face included more than 180 degrees, separately from the rest of her body. ALSO, compromising her airway as we roll her face through the large pool of her own blood that you have already asked us to stop controlling. SO! If you don't mind we're gonna roll her now. Thanks." (I'm gonna be in SO much trouble after this call...)

I can feel his cell phone in his pocket burst in to flame win anticipations for the soon to be fingers of fury in dialing my supervisor the express his...hmmm, distaste for my "talking back". Seeing as how that is exactly what was said just prior to my washing hands of assisting due to "being detrimental to our patient. This isn't a pissing match, I'm doing what's best for her. We can have words later."

"I'm in charge here, NOT you. DO you understand that?? Some hot-shot EMT you must think you are...We ARE going to do it like I SAID, PERIOD!" Like your disgruntled theories professor, after the professor grade student asks the "hypothetical" question that shed's light on the inaccuracies of his teachings. If only to acknowledge validity in the other idea instead, that makes a solid point. "Fine. Do it as you want. I won't have any part it. It's the WRONG thing." I say as I step back bringing my blood covered gloves in to the strobe afflicted light.

Eye Roller kicks Lone Ranger out of the group of those trying to do good...her head now open and freely bleeding in to the street. Firefighter "Shears" *SHIFTING GLANCE* "Let's just roll her like we planned." Eye Roller's partner and their 2 "kids" in agreement..."Shears" Partner's loosening grip on the roommate as he stood witness to what just happened, mumbling "What the F*CK is his deal?!" to Lone as he passes of the roommate on him, to go assist with the initial plan and the rest of the crew.

Though it seemed like a lifetime of unnecessary head butting, less than 60 seconds goes by. Calls like these- time stands still it seems.

Eye Roller barks his orders again as I drop my old gloves on the ground, replacing with new and handing clean one's to Lone also. I watch in disbelief as her face rolls first through her coagulating blood, and then the awkwardly more mechanical motions taking place under the watchful eye of the Eye Roller, in the Disaster of the techno trance induced light patterns. We console the roommate, and attempt to get any bit of helpful information to save this girls life. Medical history. Medications. Allergies- since she will be receiving a slue of drugs to stabilize her for transport.

"She smokes...a lot. Which is stupid because she runs marathons. *SNIFF* She went out to have a smoke I guess. I was in the shower. I didn't see my phone an..." It's hard to make out all of what she is saying through the heavy slur and sound of terrified responsibility in her voice. Lone jumps in (gotta give him that, for being his first call like this, he makes me believe a little further that more good EMT's exist) "It's not your fault, OK? The best way you can help her now is by telling us everything that you can. They are gonna get her to *INSERT LOCAL ER HERE* shortly, it's the best place possible she could go. They are gonna do EVERYTHING that they possibly can, OK? Believe that." He looks at me, like for affirmation he said the right thing, and for solidification for himself that that was what would happen...hope and fear in his eye behind the goggles. A simple head nod followed by a wink and he is back to asking questions.

Firefighter "Shears" and his partner stop the "Kids" from lifting her without strapping her to the board. Even Eye Roller's partner is anxious to get her moving. His eyes holding the severity of "Slower is faster" as he silently guides his students. Eye Roller standing at the back of their rig, eyes focused on me. If I didn't know any better- If he were able to strike me down, I'd believe he was trying just that as I stare back at him. A Police officer cuts through the tension like a knife as he breaks the line of sight walking back to his car....good thing he wears a bullet proof vest otherwise the knives being thrown between glances might have really injured the guy.

.................TO BE CONTINUED....................