Influencing A Career

So when I go and think about what made me choose the path I'm on right now a lot of things come to mind. Firstly why I joined the Fire Service. I grew up in the service, my father has been a Firefighter for near 20 years now. I remember late at night hearing the pager going off and my dad running out the door, not really knowing what was going on or truly what my dad was risking to keep us safe and everyone around me. I remember trips down to the fire station and seeing the engines and all the guys and this tight knit family. When I got older my focus drifted from the department to other things such as school, and trying to succeed in life. My parents telling me get high grades so you can get into college. After many years now I have graduated high school, and am one of the working class. Then one of my friends says he has just joined the sister station to my fathers. The Fire Department has come back to me, as my friend says that I should join up (knowing of my dad and the fact he is in the department as well). Well I sat back for a few weeks thinking it over and thinking about what a Firefighter does. It was then that I realized all the passion I have had for the department never died, or went away. Some people believe in destiny and I'm not sure about it, what I am sure of is that I found my calling. One year later I was a certified firefighter and had a new respect for my father and what he put up with over the past 15 years in order to keep my mom, brother, sister, and me safe.

Another 2 years go by, among which I toss the idea of joining a squad and becoming a certified EMT. There were several reasons I thought about becoming an EMT. Originally I thought it would be an excellent skill to have and use as a career firefighter, which is one of my goals in life. Then I found something, while searching the internet for facts and info on becoming an EMT I found this blog http://happymedic.com. I began reading the stories, and learning about these ideas of EMS 2.0 and the Chronicles of EMS (from what I heard from people I know some crazy idea of a Geordie coming from across the ocean, to learn from a Firefighter/Paramedic about his system, and vice-versa (while recording the interactions and making a TV show from the experience). Reading Marks blog http://999medic.com and seeing the experiences that he has as well as being directed to other EMS related sites such as http://ambulancedriverfiles.com/, http://www.msparamedic.com, http://jeramedic.com/, and there are many others that I subscribe to but seeing as I'm writing this while at my friends house with no internet I don't have the links to them at the moment (no one think I forgot about you). From these blogs I realized another passion and that is to become a Firefighter/Paramedic. So I joined a volunteer squad and will work my way up from there. So now I am soon going to be going to school for my EMT-B and then spending time perfecting my BLS skills. Once I feel I am ready I will then work on becoming a paramedic.

Yes I know this is a long post and I may have been rambling but I think I owe a thank you to all of you (as well as my dad) already in the field making changes so that I can become a proficient EMT. Hopefully I can do something to inspire someone like this myself one day, as well as become good friends with most of you that I follow and message on twitter. So as it gets late and I have to get up early tomorrow for a physical for my new job. I will bid you guys good night and stay safe.

Thank you all
-Andrew

The Beginning of The Experiences of a Lifetime

So I find myself going back and forth on what to write in this blog. I sit here and read blogs such as The Happy Medic, 999medic, The Life of an Ambulance Driver, and Jeramedic to name a few(I would hate to leave so many influences out of this post). I notice that most of the them have been in this field for years. Now when I write these following posts I obviously will not be drawing on years of experience, but I believe I will be bringing a different side of EMS to the table.

Everyone around the blogosphere is talking about EMS 2.0 and what it will bring and I think it is apporiate that as I write this portion of this post that I am listening to Bob Dylan's - The Times They Are a-Changin'. It is true as I read from everyone from the EMS Probie like myself to to the Paramedic, then on up to the Chiefs in charge of the Emergency personel all the way to the ER professionals. All these people show that change is in the air and I am glad that I can be apart of it.

I just started in the EMS field just over a month ago, and this blog will entail my journeys and lessons that I learn along the way of becoming an EMT. It will also contain the things I learn as a Firefighter. Something I have been proud to do for almost 3 years now. Now I do hope i will be writing this not only for myself but for others to learn and also to comment on. So as I learn I will tell everyone my stories.