The last blog post - Week 3 reflection

When I look back on senior project, the first thing I think of is the list I made on my computer of all the calls I went on. My end count was a little over 40, between Andover, Franklin, Sanbornton, and Penacook. I'm proud of this number. Now when I listen to my pager on open and hear Franklin's tones I pay attention for a second and think about the type of call until I remember that I'm not riding with them on senior project anymore. I listen to their ambulance respond and wish I was there.  It's kind of upsetting and when that happened to me this weekend it really struck me, finally, that senior project was over and I was graduating. The week perfectly culminated everything I have learned over senior project. The last shift at Franklin was insane. Everything I had known about doing maintenance work around the station was thrown away because we were running calls back to back, a total of 12 in the shift. In a span of 24 hours I reasoned with unstable women, ran vitals on a postictal patient, backboarded a drunk driver, ran two calls back to back, and was trusted enough by my sponsor to talk on the radio with Lakes Region. My second goal was to gain exposure to Advanced Life Support pre hospital care. As much as I hoped this would happen, uncertainty is the name of the game in the fire service. I was lucky enough to work with an aggressive and talented paramedic who I saw push narcotics multiple times. In addition to that I developed a ton of confidence in taking vitals on my own and applying 4 lead EKGs, basic skills I was unsure of earlier. I left my comfort zone and went to a different, professional, department which required me to be in uniform and follow orders. In the end I left with complete understanding of their equipment and procedures, and most valuable, trust from the firefighters and captain on my shift. I've never worked with a better group of guys and I feel so fortunate to have been let into their tight  bond. I witnessed first hand how successful teamwork can be, and above everything, that is the biggest "take away" I have from my senior project. I want to extend thanks to Phil, Jason, Jon, Captain Goldthwaite, Greg, Joni, Captain Hicks, Deputy LaChapelle, Chief Smith, Deputy Taylor. Deputy Brechtel, Supervisor Gibbons, Officer Callahan, Wanda Bowers, Lieutenant Parker, Paul Steele, Bruce, Karen, Jim, Sue, Mike, and the Andover Fire + Rescue crew who have supported me since day 1.

No sleep, 12 calls on my last shift at Franklin Fire Dept

I knew I had to end my senior project with a bang. Like every day I come into Franklin I have no idea what the day will bring. Friday was warm and sunny making for a busy day in the city of Franklin. The first call came in for a lift assist, so we went across town to help a man with legs amputated at the knees into his wheelchair. He denied transport to the hospital. After that we conducted a fire drill at Franklin High School. Back at the station we installed the air conditioners and closed all the windows, slowly turning the living quarters into a refrigerator. I felt bad for my roommates sweating on the third floor of Carr House. Around lunch we had a call for wires down by the hospital which the chief handled until the power company responded. Shortly after that we got a call for a fire alarm activation at a credit union in a strip mall across town. I got to ride in the front seat of Engine 4. As soon as we pulled out of the station we had a red light and heavy traffic on central street. We laid on the air horn and Q siren and it was a thrill riding in the front. The fire alarm activation was because of a malfunctioning air conditioning system. It was sweltering being in turnout full turnout gear but it is standard for firefighters to wear full gear to fire calls even in intense heat. Back at the station we cooled off in the air conditioning, hydrated, and ate lunch. Captain Goldthwaite was at the captains desk working on alot of paperwork so this left the rest of us to take it easy around the station. We got a call for a paramedic intercept to highlands mountain bike park in Tilton. EMTs in Titlton wanted Captain Goldthwaite to give pain medications to a biker with a broken arm. Back at the station we finished installing the AC units and Jason and I went out on a service call to an apartment where a woman was complaining there was no oxygen and her heat was on. The woman had a psychological problem and even though we used a gas meter show her that the air in her apartment was 20.8 % oxygen she wanted to go to the hospital. It was a bummer to have to take our ambulance out of service to transport a woman who didnt need to go to the hospital. As we brought her out to ambulance 2 we got pre alerted to another call. The hospital was up the street and we headed that way quickly. I did a BP fast and gave it to Jason. He radioded the hospital as usual but basically said we were handing the patient off quickly because we had another call. Then we got toned to a car accident on central street. From the hospital we headed to the scene and met other call members there who had taken the extra ambulance and rescue. Jason, Jon, and I backboarded the driver of a pick up truck. We got back from that call and ate american chop suey for dinner cooked by Jon. It hit the spot after a long day. We did chores after dinner and I was relaxing in a recliner when we got pre alerted for a man having seizures at a restraunt in town. On arrival I got the monitor as usual and we were introduced to a man sitting at the front step with his wife. I noticed the wet sidewalk and thought it was vomit from the man seizing, which was right. He was fairly young with a clean health history so we did a 12 lead EKG to see his heart rhythm. In the end it seemed to maybe be food poisoning. Back at the station I couldn't find anything good on TV and Jon and I went outside to set up the ladder truck. I decided bed sounded good and fell asleep within minutes in the frigid bunk room. That didn't last long. The night was a long blur of calls. In order from 11 PM to 7 AM we had a fire alarm activation, three med calls, and a car accident. Throughout the night I was so delirious getting dressed for calls I couldn't remember what the previous call had been. Jason kept asking me, "have you had enough yet?" I had to say no because I was really loving how busy we were. It can be annoying at first but once we start investigating the patient's chief complaint, I get into it and I like working the monitor, taking BPs on my own, or doing paperwork. At the hospital I try to do just as good of a job dressing the cot and deconing equipment at 4 in the morning as I would in the middle of the day. I think my attitude reflected well on the shift. After that night my internal clock is pretty messed up. It feels like a Sunday afternoon. The busy shift was an awesome way to cap off senior project. Thanks to everyone for reading and especially to my sponsor, his shift, and Franklin Fire Dept for making it all happen.

Last Day - Franklin Fire B Shift

I'm exhausted and if this pattern continues, I will have more to write about tomorrow. So far we've had 7 calls and its been a long day. I'm going to postpone my last shift's blog until tomorrow morning. Make sure to check back.

Power Napping at Penacook Rescue

Today I woke up at 0545 and took a long cold shower to cool down. I wasn't looking forward to spending the day in duty boots and EMS pants in the heat. I got to Penacook Rescue and had no idea what to expect because the day crew were people I would be meeting for the first time. Mike and Patrick, both paramedics, were working the day shift. They both had gotten off from shifts at different departments, Mike at Laconia, Patrick at Portsmouth so they were tired. Mike was a nice guy though and he knew Brad from Proctor. I went down into the ambulance bays periodically throughout the morning to look around Ambulance 1. I wanted to practice loading and unloaded the cot but the station is too small. Instead I went through the compartments on the monitor case and the first in bag. After lunch I was watching TV and Mike and Patrick were asleep when we got toned to a migraine and jaw pain charlie level. On the drive over I wondered what jaw pain coupled with a migraine could be a sign of. On arrival we had an alert and oriented male who could walk to the ambulance. I helped Mike set up the monitor and we did a 12 lead EKG as to get a better idea of what the patients heart rythm was like. I was interested in learning about the rythms and what to look at but Mike was busy during the transport giving narcotics and I was busy filling out the run sheet so I didn't get the chance to ask. The narc that the patient was getting caused the patients blood pressure to drop with each dosage. I was repeating the mechanical BPs and it was fascinating to see the trend coorelate with the doses. Mike taught me a simple way to raise a BP, just by reducing the angle of the semi fowlers position. Again I watched the trend and the BP rose after that. We got to the hospital and I dressed the cot. I've been to the hospital so much lately between Andover and Franklin. I'm proud of how easily I can navigate the ER and get linens, faxes, and help with resupply. The rest of the shift we watched movies in the station and I listened to a bunch of good calls in the Capital Area, like water rescues in the Merrimack river and people pinned by Bobcat loaders. I left Penacook Rescue at 1800 and headed to my sponsors house in Franklin, grabbing dinner on the way, to get his signature for my weekly time sheet. I hung out there for a little while talking with Jason and his family and playing with their new dog Goofy in the backyard. Tomorrow is my last day at Franklin Fire with B shift and the last day of my senior project. I'm really hoping we get some good calls during my last 24.

Warm weather brings a busy day for Andover Fire + Rescue

Today started with Greg coming into the bunk room at Franklin and turning on the lights. I sat up in bed and looked out the window and saw sun and blue skies for the first time in a while. I had a cup of coffee around the table during shift change then headed to Proctor to get breakfast. I spent the morning finishing my hall table in the woodshop. After that it was lunch time, then I went swimming in the Blackwater river with a bunch of people. I went back to the room to change and my pager triple toned (tones for east andover, andover, & andover rescue) followed by the fire noise. Fire in a building on racoon hill road. I bolted down the stairs, hopped in my truck and headed to the station. Zach met me there followed by Jake and we rolled Engine 3 and Engine 4 before the first re tone (6 minute mark). For a volunteer department during the day this is fast. Upon arrival we found a 2 1/2 story wood frame with two occupants outside, a clear driveway, but the nearest water source (a dry hydrant) far away on a cross road. (COAL acronym from my previous post). Fortunately the small oven fire had been extinguished and I started to evaluate a patient with burns to her hand with Heather, Jenn, and Mac. She denied hospital transport. Later that day after dinner my pager went off again for headaches charlie level. I got to the scene a little late as it was across town, but I got there and Officer Shaw from Andover PD was there and gave me an update. Heather, John, Andrew, Jeff, and Zach were there and the ambulance was parked in the driveway. The patient had an unknown sickness complicated with nausea, vomiting, and general discomfort. We were only an EMT Basic level crew (unlike Franklin who is usually at the paramedic level) so we did every assessment possible but were concerned when the patients orientation decreased a little bit. Luckily by then we were pulling into the hospital and we transferred the patient to them. The hospital was busy as it was, and another fire department was on the way with a working code (cardiac arrest). I quickly dressed the cot so I could watch them transfer the patient. I scanned the door open for them and saw the patient and paramedics giving care as they rolled by to the trauma room. Tomorrow I'm on at Penacook Rescue for the day. Back to their different ambulance and equipment but I'm ready.

COAL WAS WEALTH - Franklin B Shift

Today I came into Franklin psyched for the shift. I'm loving this routine. I pulled into the parking lot and was bringing in my gear, when I punched in the code for the back door I was surprised to see that no one was at the table drinking coffee before the shift change. I found out that Captain Goldthwaite was out with an injury and wouldn't be in today, and Jason would be late.  Jon and I started truck checks as normal. Captain Goodearl would be covering Captain Goldthwaite until Jason came in. Jon and I checked E 4 and the rescue. We took the rescue's laptop out of its mount in the cab and brought it to the table where we all played with different programs on it for mapping, HAZMAT, and other things. Then someone called the station reporting an injury from a fall at the Franklin Falls Dam. The dam is huge and because of construction on the high walls there we rolled the Rescue with the ambulance. Deputy Chief LaChapelle left his office to respond with us. I hopped in the rescue with him. We got to the dam and found a simple rolled ankle. Jason had me splint the leg and take vitals, as usual. The injury reminded me of injuries on ski patrol at Blackwater. We got back from that med call and went to the station to finish the rescue's truck check. It has a huge light mast that I got to run with the remote control. Jason also showed me the struts and confined space rescue equipment. I ran out to get some lunch and was finishing eating when we got a med call. This med call didn't involve a critically ill patient and we just provided transport. The call reaffirmed my biggest weakness in EMS is cigarette smoke. This house was drenched in it and it made me feel nauseous. After that we saddled up in Ambulance 2 again and headed to the dam (same one) for a tour of the construction work being done on the high walls by the foreman and Deputy. As were pulling in to the parking lot we got another call for seizure like activity at a nearby address. This was not an ordinary call. One of the most reliable signs of a stroke is facial droop with partial paralysis and we found this immediately upon arrival. From there, it was obvious that this patient needed immediate transport. While the Deputy, Jon, and Jason, were each devoted to different Advanced Life Support care I went outside to the ambulance and brought the cot in. I tried to be as helpful as possible doing extra things because this was an "all hands on deck" situation. As the initial assessment is completed, everyone knows what their job is and like a good hockey play, there's "chemistry" and its very efficient. Loading from the house to the ambulance, and ambulance to the ER, I had to walk alongside the cot to support the patients side that had paralysis. Later I did a documentation narrative (imitating the ones legally required) on the call and had Jason proof it, he said it was pretty good. We went back to the dam after that call, took a tour of the construction, then went downtown to do size up training. I asked Jason and Jon for this in the morning. A size up is your initial impression of the building(s) which is what you base your operations off of. Franklin's downtown neighborhood has a ton of good examples. This was when I learned the long pneumonic, COAL WAS WEALTH. It's pretty long so I won't write the whole thing but COAL stands for Construction, Occupancy, Apparatus, and Life Hazard. Jon and Jason ran through each one for different buildings and I came away with a much better understanding of scene size up. We finished that then headed to Hannafords to get dinner, until we got a med call. It was a lift assist and then we went to Hannafords. After that we went back to the station and Jason cooked pizza on the grill for dinner which was amazing. In the process he was showing off his dough throwing skills and dropped it on the floor, so we had to throw it out. Soon we will do chores and then relax a little before heading to bed. The air conditioning has been cranked in the bunk room all day so it should be a good nights sleep until we get a call.

C Shift Sunday @ Franklin Fire Department

I waited until today to write this (one day late) because other than nap today and train on the forestry truck, I didn't do much today. I got to Franklin Fire Sunday morning then turned around and made a run to Hannafords to get some food for breakfast. On weekends and holidays the shift cooks a big breakfast and everyone chips in to get a ton of food. Call company Lieutenant Junior Davis came and made some breakfast potatoes with alot of garlic. I mentioned to Captain Hicks the garlic gave me a stomach ache. He insisted garlic was very good for you (I didn't protest) and said he would eat a whole spoonful. I laughed and he went to the fridge and ate a whole spoonful. This inspired Greg to eat some whipped cream. We got the dishes done and finished truck checks. Then Greg and I went out in the utility (pick up truck) to test fire alarm boxes in circuit one. Each box is numbered and I called Joni at the station on a portable radio to tell her the number. She would then verify that the box had rung in at the station, I would reset the box then we would go to the next one. While Greg and I were out testing he told me a bunch of funny stories of going to Proctor and being on Andover Rescue. So it was a good time. Then Joni called us on the radio saying they had gotten a phone call to the station reporting a dumpster fire in an apartment complex. I reset the box and Greg and I hopped into our gear we had brought with us in the bed of  the pick up. The tone came and we headed across town to the call. Smoke was visible as we descended from the veterans project area to the center of the city then to the apartment complex. We caught up with the engine 4 and engine 3 and pulled into the complex where a dumpster was involved with fire. On the way over we discussed over the radio, if there could be an exposure (life or property threatened because of close proximity to fire) and how we would handle that. Luckily there wasn't and we used the trash line (line folded in the front bumper) to extinguish it. We cleaned up then finished testing boxes. Joni made American Chop Suey for dinner and we watched Captain Hick's favorite show - Band of Brothers. After dinner it was chore time as usual. I vacuumed then started to mop. I'm not a beginner mopper, in fact I would say from my various work experience I am a intermediate. However I learned I have been doing it the wrong way! Captain Hicks was nice enough to correct me and thus came the climax of my senior project. (Just Kidding!) After chores we got back in the recliners and put on Band of Brothers. Jason, Karen, and Alexa stopped by. Then we got a call for a signal 21 (suicide). These are more common and less traumatic than you would think. It was more of a pyschiatric problem and we transported the patient to the hospital. I was dressing the cot outside of the nurses station and Franklin's tones came over the scanner. I quickly finished and loaded the cot. We met the police for a medical alarm activation. A very old woman thought her garage was invaded. She didn't need medical attention but we had to wait for a family member to come. I got back to the station and collapsed into bed. Three hours later we got toned for a victim of an assualt meet the police. It was at another apartment complex. I was in such a deep sleep that I woke up for second repetition of the address and was close to missing the ambulance. It was frustrating because when we got there we immedieately got released by the police. A couple hours of sleep later and we got a tone for difficulty breathing echo level, I woke up for the whole tone this time. It was a good thing because we are out the door very quickly for echo level calls. This wasn't quite an echo level call but the patient needed transport and I filled out the run sheet while Captain Hick's did patient care, assisting with the EKG too. He showed how the sinus rhythm coorelated to the patients condition. We got back and it was 6, only an hour until shift change so I we sat in the recliners and had coffee and watched the news until we were relieved by D shift. It was a long shift, hence the reason why I took a long nap during the rain today. Back on with B shift tomorrow. Go to www.proctoracademy.org and watch the video on the homepage, Sam Johnson filmed it and I am in it!

Weekly Reflection

This week's reflection will be short because I am on shift with C shift now and am taking a break from work to write this before it's due. This week I had an incredibly hectic schedule and felt like I was living out of my truck with so much back and forth between Franklin Fire and Proctor. I did three 24 hour shifts at Franklin, one 9 hour shift at Sanbornton Fire, and two calls with Andover Rescue. I also did some other activites like my ride along with the Marine Patrol and visits to various other fire departments. With the lack of sleep I got this week, however, came a dramatic increase in what I learned and new confidence I have gained. At Franklin I can navigate their station and most apparatus with ease, and have been finding more ways to be helpful on and off calls. Consequently, I've been able to be even more active in patient care on med calls. While I didn't see any critical patients this week I saw more patients, which is just as benefitial. I've also worked on two different shifts, doubling my perspective on how the department functions. I still feel the most comfortable in 32 Ambulance 1 (Andover's ambulance) with the Andover Rescue crew. The diabetic call I went on highlighted my week, working alongside Greg and Jason taking vitals and running the cardiac monitor. Getting the blood pressure on my first try made me feel great. Skills I had been taught previously at Franklin came back to memory and I was very satisfied with my new competency with the monitor. In conclusion, it was a productive and fun week and I have consistent energy and motivation to learn more. Tonight or tomorrow I will post on this shift's actvity.

Highspeed Marine Patrol pursuit with shots fired

Today I did ride time with the New Hampshire Marine Patrol on Lake Winnipesaukee (sp). The weather gave me a break and we only got a little bit of rain in between sunshine and bluebird skies. But just kidding about the high speed pursuit and shots fired, that didn't really happen. I was introduced to Officer Callahan at the dock this morning and realized suddenly that this was really the police service, in terms of professionalism and seriousness. They also carry guns and have arresting powers. Officer Callahan was casual though and told me to call him Jimmy. We boarded his boat and he asked me a little bit about my boating background so he knew how much I could help him. He was happy to learn that I could help him with quite a bit (thanks Ocean Classroom). We checked the fluids, instruments, and various equipment, then he pulled out his chart and showed me his AOR (area of responsibility) and the various hazards and POIs (points of interest) in the AOR. The lake is 72 square miles and is divided into three AORs. We pushed off and headed to Camp Lawrence to inspect their vessels. Jimmy was very friendly and professional, he makes a big effort to know as many people as possible around the lake, the waters near their property, and the layout of populated islands. In his 5 years on the Marine Patrol he responded to multiple medical calls at Camp Lawrence and another fairly serious call for the Police. I helped Jimmy with the paperwork for the inspections. After that we went to Camp Nokomis on a different island where my friend Morgan from Proctor works in the summer. It started to rain so we left and rolled down the the covers to the cabin of the center console. Thankfully the downpour was short lived. Jimmy wasn't afraid of the throttles and we cruised around the AOR at 40 - 50 miles per hour. (that is considered high speed on the water) The vessel we were on had two 200 horse power outboard motors and a special hull that is partially an air cavity and partially foam. We went to Meredith and got lunch, then went to Wiers Beach in Laconia. Along the way we pulled over several vessels for warnings for no registration stickers and then inspected them too. We were at a marina in the Wiers filling out inspection forms when a boat flew by in the no wake zone headed towards the lake. We were far from the patrol vessel in the marina and Jimmy quickly finished the form and we dashed to the patrol vessel. I cast us off and we headed towards the speeder who was now far away. We were only planing for a second and the bow dropped, we were doing 50 mph and I had to put on my sunglasses so my eyes wouldn't tear. When we did get astern of the vessel Jimmy hit the siren and we had to jump its wake. "Hold on" Jimmy said and we bounced over the wake, getting some air, and circled the boat so it came to a stop and we could come alongside. After that excitement we went out into the broads (widest part of the lake) where Jimmy showed me some high speed maneuvers since I got such a thrill from jumping the wake. He pulled some really tight turns with the right combination of different speeds on each motor. It was quite the thrill. We patrolled the AOR more, slowing done to look at the houses and businesses on the shoreline to make sure everything looked okay. After that the shift was over and we headed back to headquarters. I stopped at Gilford Fire on my way home to pick up a coat light that Jason left in their air trailer earlier today. I brought that back to Franklin Fire on my way home and dropped it off. It was a fun day and probably an experience I won't forget.

Rest Day

Today I took advantage of a free day between my hectic schedule. I got off shift at Franklin at 7 and sat around with the guys drinking coffee during shift change and then watching the news. I went back to Proctor, got breakfast and showered. Then I went to Andrew's house in Andover. Andrew is a firefighter and EMT - I in Andover who I have known since I was an explorer. He's also a per diem FF with Bridgewater. We went to a house in his truck where he is reclaiming an overgrown yard. We worked there for a few hours and loaded up his truck with some old cord wood cut unusually small. The homeowner had no use for it so we donated it to an elderly guy in Salisbury to burn in his furnace. After that we got lunch and ate in the fire house in front of the TV. Then I went back to Proctor and took a nap. It felt like I had been knocked out and the extra sleep felt so good. I realized I still needed a hair cut desperately (the guys at Franklin have been giving me a hard time because my hair is as long as Justin Bieber's) so I went to the barber in New London. I got back and watched a movie with Mansfield. Tomorrow I'm going out on Lake Winnipesaukee with Supervisor Gibbons from the NH Marine Patrol. I'm psyched! We spoke on the phone last Sunday and he told me he wanted me at the dock in Gilford at 0900. I definitely don't want to be late. Hopefully it won't rain too hard.

My culinary talent - Franklin Fire B Shift

Today I was on shift at Franklin Fire with B shift, my usual shift. I jumped out of bed at 5:30 and packed everything I needed. Then it was off to Jakes to get some cheese for my burgers I forgot yesterday and some coffee. I was getting back in my truck in the parking lot when my pager went off for a car accident in East Andover. I decided to head to the scene in my truck so I could leave and go to Franklin from the call instead of being committed to the rescue or the ambulance, making me late. When I got on scene I checked with John, the EMS chief, in the ambulance who was evaluating one patient with no injury. So I headed to Franklin and got there with plenty of time. Jason and I checked Engine 4 and started on the rescue when we got a med call. We got back from that med call and my mentor Phil stopped by. Phil checked in with me then the Deputy Chief gave his daily talk with the shift. Soon after the talk we got another med call for an injury from a fall Alpha level. These calls aren't exciting and don't evoke any kind of adrenaline rush. It's a part of the job. But this call reminded me of how rewarding EMS can be. An elderly woman had fallen in her house and it was emotional for her and her daughters. For Captain Goldthwaite, John, and I it was easy to evaluate the situation and ensure them that we were more than happy to take the woman to the hospital (though she did not want to). We left the call insisting they call us back if anything changes. The ride back to the fire house felt good. We ate lunch soon after. In the afternoon we cleaned out a space in the back of the firehouse which will be used for a fitness space. Jason and Phil put me on the stair climber and put a 75 pound vest on me. I did one stair a second for 3 minutes. It's the same test professional firefighters must take for professional certification. 4 PM came around and I headed to the kitchen to start cooking. The first step was to put my tater tots on a tray and preheat the oven. I set the oven to preheat and was out on the apron when the smoke alarm started going off in the kitchen. I couldn't believe it. Luckily Jason reset it and this minor hiccup didn't impede my cooking progress but just embarrassed me. I fired up the grill and made burgers and hot dogs. They hit the spot. Captain Fecteau relieved Captain Goldthwaite for the night. It was a training night for the explorer post (kids on the department), which Jason supervises so I went to an abandoned house with them to practice search and rescue in a simulated structure fire search with our hood backwards so we couldn't see. Captain Goldthwaite's son is an explorer and we teamed up. On the second floor we completed our search in one room and found a victim in a closet in another room who we evacuated out. After the drill we got back to the station and I took a shower and changed. I'm sitting in one of the recliners now and we just got back from a med call in Tilton which we got canceled from enroute. For some reason I can't write right now so my bad for the grammar.

A busy day off - Andover Rescue call, Lakes Region dispatch and fire dept visits

Today was great despite the rainy weather, and reminded me how worth it the process of proposing my project was back in the late fall. Somehow I slept through both my roommates waking up for class and was woken up around 8:30 when my pager went off for a call. I changed and was leaving the dorm when Jason, my project sponsor, called me on my Blackberry. He was working at Proctor that day so we could carpool to the call. He was in his truck and picked me up in front of my dorm. We lit it up and turned on the siren and headed across town to get the ambulance. Along the way his siren was very helpful because of a lot of traffic on route 11 and construction work. We made it to the ambulance quickly and met up with Evan. Greg pulled in (Franklin C shift FF/EMT - I) in his truck and we headed back across town to the call, for a diabetic problem delta level, at an address close to Wilmot. On the way over I realized it was an all Proctor student/alumni crew. Jason and Greg both graduated in 2000. We got to the scene and I jumped into helping Greg with patient care. I carried in the monitor and set up a 4 lead EKG. Then I got the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope out of the In bag and took a BP. This is called a manual BP (blood pressure).  We used the stair chair to get the patient to the cot, then into the ambulance. It was a tricky maneuver getting the patient from the chair to the cot because of his mental status but we got it done slowly and safely. Once in the ambulance I applied the pulse oximetry sensor to the patient's finger then the blood pressure cuff to get a BP from the monitor (the cardiac monitor inflates the cuff and does all the work) I was pleased to find that it was very close to my manual BP. Greg showed me how program the monitor to take BPs at intervals so you don't have to time them personally. It was a little complicated so when I'm on shift tomorrow I'm going to ask one of the guys to show me again. On the way back from the hospital we stopped at the New London Fire Department, whose station is one of the nicest in New Hampshire. One of the greatest things about the fire service is that the service as a whole is a brotherhood, so we were welcomed there and they showed us around. Greg had never seen the station before. We all slid down the fire pole during the tour. After the call Evan and I met up at the Andover fire station and called Lakes Region to see if we could stop by. We ate lunch in the D hall then went to Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid in Laconia to meet Lieutenant Parker in Evan's truck. He showed us how their system works and how they tone departments, after they get the information from 911 (where I visited last week). On the way back we decided to stop at Laconia Fire Department central station, where a friend of ours, Brad, works. (Brad is a professional FF/Medic in Laconia, and volunteers in Andover in his spare time) Unfortunately he wasn't on duty but we got a tour from a probie of the equipment. They are the real deal. The first due ambulance there is the busiest ambulance in the state of New Hampshire. After that Evan and I headed back to Proctor stopping at Hannafords so I could buy food because I am on duty at Franklin tomorrow and its my turn to cook the shift dinner! I hope I don't screw up. Shout out to my roommate Mansfield.

The rest of Franklin B shift and day shift at Sanbornton Fire

In a stroke of luck, I slept through the night at Franklin until about 5:45 when we got pre alerted for a call. I was walking out of the bunk room behind the captain when we got toned again, with the off duty tone (for more help) for a motor vehicle accident with persons entrapped. Every car accident is different and even though I've been to alot, some minor, some fatal, I'm always interested to see what we find once we get on scene. I hopped in the front seat of the heavy rescue with John and we pulled out behind the ambulance. We got on scene and found a car off the road with one patient inside. Due to the unique mechanism of injury, it was appropriate to backboard the patient. We carried her up over an embankment with the help of several off duty firefighters who came to the call, onto the cot and into the ambulance. On the way to the hospital I helped Jason put a 4 lead EKG on the patient. This was a challenge because of the way the patient was immobilized on the backboard. It was hard for me strap her down to the board and stick on the electrodes for the EKG but I got it with some patience. We got back from the car accident and I packed up my stuff to head to Sanbornton Fire Department. They run differently than Franklin and staff their station only from 0800 to 1600. I had plenty of time to get there and stopped at Hannafords on my way to get lunch for later. Bruce, another firefighter from Franklin who I have worked with, was on duty with the Deputy Chief, Scott Taylor. Deputy Taylor is a Paramedic who has been in EMS for a while. He did a great training with Andover Rescue last year and was incident command at a "mass casualty incident" I responded to last spring. So, I was psyched to spend the day with him. Bruce and I spent the morning checking everything on their attack engine, then drafting out of a pond. Their engine has a top mount pump, whereas East Andover and Andover's engines are side mounts. I discovered that I prefer a side mount. We ate lunch with the Sanbornton police officers who share the station with the fire department. After lunch I chilled in the deputy's office and in between phone calls, he reviewed some stuff on trauma on the whiteboard, and diverged on a really beneficial and interesting discussion about anatomy, as that is especially relevant to trauma. Alot of what he talked to me about was stuff he has seen as a Paramedic, injuries that you just can't even imagine. He has a wealth of knowledge and it was great for him to teach me. We got a call for a smoke investigation towards the end of the shift and checked that out. Then it was time to head back to Proctor for dinner. It feels like I haven't been at Proctor in weeks, I got that feeling I usually get after coming back to campus from a vacation. Tonight I'm going to Andrew's house, an EMT - I on Andover Rescue to study some more. Hopefully my pager won't go off tonight, I want to sleep!

Franklin Fire B Shift Monday 5/16 Part 1

It's after dinner amd we just finished up station chores so I've sat down to write this while the guys do paperwork. Today was a little rough. I slept through my alarm clock this morning at Proctor and got to FFD late. When I arrived it was the start of truck checks and I helped Jason check the ladder truck, checking to make sure all of the equipment was there and the truck's engine was okay. After the truck checks we went into hose testing. Today we tested more 2 1/2 " hose and 1 3/4" hose off of Engine 1 and Engine 3. While we worked I was taught that Engine 1 is equipped for rural water supply and Engine 3 is equipped for water supply in the hydrant district. Thus, the hose set ups on each are slightly different. I was so intrigued that we took a break and John and Jason showed me different water supply scenarios based off of the hoseloads on each engine. Later we tested the hose on the high rise packs which are on engine 1. The idea behind a highrise pack is an interesting tool so I will explain. 75' of 1 3/4 " hose is coiled in a cleaveland load. (basically a long, narrow circle) with the nozzle in the middle of the coil and the end on the outside, so it looks backwards. However, the female end is on the outside, so if in a highrise building, you can connect it to the standpipe. Most standpipes are in stairwells, which can obviously be narrow. You can put the "circle" cleveland load in the stairwell, charge it with water, and the hose won't kink because of the circle. Now you can advance out of the stairwell without having to worry about tangled hose. Anyways, Sam Johnson, another senior at Proctor on Senior Project came to film me while we tested hose for a video he is making. We breaked for lunch, then got back to work. It had been a quiet day so far with no calls. In the afternoon Captain Goldthwaite showed me a better way to throw hose so you can chuck it and have it roll out perfectly. Dinner came around and we were eating when we got our first call, victim of an assualt. We staged for the police in the ambulance down the street, only to be told a few minutes later there was no contact with a victim. We headed back to the station and did chores, now I'm writing this. We still have have 11 hours left on shift, so a good chance we will get a call tonight. But for the first time ever, I actually hope we don't because I want to sleep. Jason was suprised to hear me say this. Tomorrow I'm on duty with Sanbornton Fire Department which should be interesting.

Week 1 Reflection

At the end of the first week of Senior Project, I can look back on the past 7 days with an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion but also a strong sense of accomplishment. To recap, I did two 24 hour shifts at Franklin Fire Department, one 10 hour shift with Penacook Rescue, visited the 911 center, and responded on several other calls during my off days with Andover Rescue. One goal of my Senior Project was to gain exposure to Advanced Life Support care. Ironically, my first call of senior project was a prime example. It was at the beginning of a long 24 hour shift at the Franklin Fire Department when we got a call for a breathing difficulty and later discovered the patient was in a postictal state. This was not an ordinary call and from my seat in the back of the ambulance I saw Captain Goldthwaite, the Paramedic on our shift, give ALS care that has been a highlight of my project so far. Back in Andover on my days off, I responded on two med calls with Andover Rescue. Responding on these calls allowed me to practice basic skills, such as taking vital sign assessments and cardiac monitor use with EMTs who already know me, in Andover's ambulance, whose layout I have memorized. Penacook Rescue was a completely new experience for me and reinforced the idea of how group dynamics and the leadership of the Captain play a key roll in how productive the shift is. Penacook's different equipment and different hospital gave me a great angle on learning practical skills, as I learned there are multiple manufacturers of standard ambulance equipment. It is important as an EMT to be flexible and have an understanding of everything. Responding on calls in each setting this first week set a tone for the rest of my senior project to take advantage of any opportunity to participate in patient care. Looking ahead, I would like to build off of the experiences I had this past week and take my understanding a couple steps further. I would like to practice completing fake TEMSIS run forms, similar to the ones all EMTs and Paramedics write to record the care they gave after a call. I also plan to discuss more calls with the primary caregiver so I can discover what made that EMT or Paramedic make that decision, based off of their experience or just knowledge. I am grateful to all of the EMTs and Paramedics and who haven taken their time to teach me thus far, and I'm looking forward to two more weeks of shifts at the Franklin Fire Department and Penacook Rescue Squad.

The Rest of C shift w/ Franklin Fire

In my previous blog I was right when I guessed we would have a busy night. I fell asleep in a recliner around 1130 and woke up for an injury to a fall alpha level call at 0145. This is one of the first times so far on senior project I've gotten an alpha level call, which is more routine in Franklin. The delta level status  2 calls are more rare. Luckily it was quick trip from the scene to the hospital and back to bed. A few hours later I woke up at 5 in the morning, this time in my bed in the bunkroom, to Franklin's tones. This for a psychiatric problem. Two police officers met us on scene. As we brought the patient to the hospital the sun was just coming up. Now we just got back from the hospital. Greg put some coffee on and we're watching TV before we get off shift in an hour. Today I am going to take a nice nap at Proctor. (I wrote this because Captain Hicks thought the shift was worthy of a part 2)

Slow Saturday with Franklin Fire "C" shift

Today I'm on shift with Captain Hicks, Joni, and Greg at the Franklin Fire Department. Evan and I did a little shift swapping to fix conflicts and so I'm on C shift today. One thing I've learned in all of the ride time I've done here is that everyone is friendly and has alot to teach me if I pay attention and contribute. Today was community day in Franklin, which consisted of a parade and street fair. We participated in the parade and hung out around the center of town where some off duty FFD guys were selling hotdogs. I saw Karen and Alexa at the parade and got all of the candy thrown from the parade for Alexa because Karen scares me! Anyways, we got back from community day and swept and mopped the bays. While we worked every town around us was getting calls but it was slow in Franklin. We tested 1000' of hose, 20 combined lengths which were 2 1/2" rear preconnects off Engine 1 and Engine 3. Greg and I packed the hose back on the engines in a Dutchman's lay with a horseshoe lay on top. (this is what you see when you are behind a fire engine and all the hose is neatly folded on top of eachother) The horseshoe is so you can reach up and put it over your shoulder at the scene of a fire for quick access. We finished up packing the hosebeds and were walking towards the kitchen when Lakes Region finally hit Franklin's tones. We waited next to the ambulance after the pre alert hit assuming it was a med call. A minute later, Franklins tones went, then the Franklin off duty tones, then Tilton's tones, then the short noise that indicates a fire. Slowly I realized what was going on. The call was for a reported structure fire! I zipped off my boots and hopped into my turnouts. Greg's gear was on the hook next to mine and he realized he had put his helmet down somehwere in the station. The Captain said , "you better get one quick" and got in Engine 4. I told Greg to grab Jason's but he knew that would be a bad idea so he took mine. Greg and I hopped in Engine 3 and pulled out behind Engine 4 as Jason was running into the station to respond with another piece of apparatus, even though he was off duty. Good thing Greg didn't take his helmet. The location was down the street and we could see some smoke showing and franklin police cars screaming by to block traffic for us. More off duty guys were on the way with the ladder and rescue truck already. Greg and I got on scene and prepared to stretch some 4" line to tag a hydrant up the street. Then the captain came over the radio and announced a small outdoor fire behind the building. There was no structure fire. It was a huge let down that we almost got to fight a fire but great to see how all of the off duty firefighters and call firefighters were so quick to respond. A reported structure fire is a big deal on any and every fire department. This time, it was a false alarm. Soon after the false, Captain Hicks took a rack of ribs out of his smoker from behind the station and we ate dinner and watched the Red Sox. His ribs were amazing! We did the station chores and had some dessert. I'm getting sleepy and thinking about bed, but there's a good chance we will be busy tonight, probably with med calls, because the day was so slow.

Friday THE 13th at Penacook Rescue

I woke up early today, exhausted but psyched to get to Penacook for my first full shift. I knew Jim (EMT - I) and Sue (Paramedic) were on duty. Jim and Sue also work at New London Hospital in the ER and I see them frequently when we bring patients from Andover to NLH. I knew that Jim liked junk food so I brought some donuts. Penacook Rescue covers Boscawen, Penacook, Salisbury, Canterbury, and Concord for mutual aid. Jim and Sue are a cohesive and funny team. We watched the morning news while Jim ranted at the TV and Sue shook her head while on her computer. I was only there for an hour when we got our first call, injury from a fall delta level in Salisbury. When we got there Andrew and Mac (guys also on Andover Rescue) were on scene with the Salisbury ambulance and could handle. Ironically, we simultaneously got an additional call for a "man down" delta level at the bank in Boscawen. So after running lights and sirens to Salisbury we ran them again back to Boscawen. Our patient was alert and oriented now. Jim had me go out to the ambulance to get the clipboard to sign off the patient, and when I came back, the patient was on the ground lying supine. He had a syncopal episode (fainted) again. I got the cot and we packaged for concord hospital. Jim and I were in the back and Sue was driving without lights and sirens because our patient was stable. As we repeated vital sign assessments, we noticed a bad trend. We were off the highway now at a traffic light when Jim told Sue to light it up, we needed to get to the hospital much faster now. Five minutes before I had been taking lung sounds casually. Now Jim had me helping him while the siren wailed and we dodged traffic in Concord. I set up oxygen and a 12 lead EKG while Jim got an IV ready. Though the patient's condition had substantially worsened, he handled the situation incredibly calmly and set the tone for me to do the same. We got to Concord Hospital and brought him in to the ER where he was seen quickly. While I was dressing the cot I saw a pre mature baby rolled by in an incubator on a cot, which was cool to see. We headed back to Penacook and got lunch, then back to the station, then to the police academy to a detail for a graduation ceremony. By the time we got back to the station it was 3 PM, only 3 hours left until the end of the shift. I took a power nap and watched a movie. Later, Jim had me pull all the trucks out of the station so we could wash them. We also washed Sue's car. 6 PM rolled around and the shift was done. Jim said I could come back and ride on his shift any time. Even though we only had one call, I had a great time with Jim and Sue and had a unique call that "seasoned" me as an EMT a little bit. Expect the unexpected. Tonight I will get in a couple hours studying in the library.

Thursday's Post (a day late)

Thursday was Earth Day at Proctor (Also Thursdays are when there is a make your own smoothie bar at breakfast. Its become a weekly ritual with my roommates). In the morning I participated in Brooks' and Dave's workshop. A bunch of other students and I built a raft which held all six of us, from which we "dredged' the pond with nets and grappling hooks on lines. It was a good time. In the afternoon I painfully went to the library to study Trauma and crank out note cards, as well as the chapter reading. It works well for me to read and then pause to make a card. Most of the things I put on cards aren't even bolded terms, but things I want to remember. I was studying when I got a text from someone listening to the police scanner that there had been some kind of a cycling accident in Andover and the police were investigating. I didn't know any details but went to my truck and headed to the station for the ambulance, assuming we would get toned. Sure enough the tone went off on my way. One challenge I have encountered this spring in general is that what I'm usually wearing on a nice day (shorts and flip flops) isn't appropriate for med calls. For this reason I keep sneakers and pants in my truck, and they really came in handy this time. Jon Colette met me at the station and we headed to the scene across town in the ambulance. We back boarded our patient as a precaution and took her to the hospital. By the time I got back from the hospital dinner was over so I headed over to Ed's in the Wise for some quality eggs and bacon. You're the man, Ed. After that it was back to the library for more studying.

Will Friday the 13th give me a weird call while I'm at Penacook Rescue today? Check back later to find out

Andover Rescue call, studying, Andover Fire training

Today started off early. I was in a deep sleep when my pager went off pre alerting us to a call around 5 in the morning. This is a awesome relatively new system in which we are "pre-alerted" to a call before all of the information comes in. Once the information does come in (anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple minutes later) we are paged again, this time with the nature of call and address. So this morning I had time to throw on clothes and shoes before I was reaching for my keys and we were paged the second time, Lakes Region telling us of a Difficulty Breathing Echo Level call. ((Echo level calls are more rare than this blog shows, it is ironic I have been catching alot of them)). On my way over to my truck  in the parking lot I ran into a familiar face, Evan, my partner in crime from Proctor on fire/rescue and also on senior project. We hopped in our trucks and drove to the station, diverting to the scene on the way to meet the Lieutenant who was already there. Our patient was an older male with a cardiac problem resulting in difficulty breathing. Jeff and John, both EMT - Intermediates, did patient care consisting of an albuterol treatment and duo nebulizer. These are skills above the basic level so I helped where I could on the way to the hospital as Heather drove. It was 7 AM by the time I got back to Proctor. I changed out of the clothes I had worn on the call, showered, and headed to breakfast at the dining hall. I spent a good 4 hours studying in the library finishing off Airway by studying with my book and then flashcards and a practice test. Tonight we had fire department training. We split into groups and took the engines around town drafting from hydrants, to make sure they were still operational.  I had the pleasure of driving a brand new, quarter million dollar fire engine around town under the supervision of one of the East Andover Captains, Mark. It was a blast! Tomorrow is another study day in the library hitting a big section - Trauma. I'm really looking forward to the day shift at Penacook Rescue on Friday and doing more hands on stuff.

Andover Rescue monthly meeting

Tonight was the May meeting for Andover Rescue, my "home" service. Unfortunately that meant I couldn't finish the airway chapter but the training during the meeting was comparable in helping me study. Captain/Paramedic Steve Fecteau, of Franklin Fire, and Andover Rescue was rolling out new Emergency Medicine protocols for New Hampshire. Steve is one of two medics in Andover and he is the guy you want to see when a patient is in critical condition. On my way over to the meeting at the Franklin station I got a call from the Andover lieutenant asking me to drive the Fire chief's command vehicle to the meeting. I felt pretty cool driving his SUV to the meeting. Three hours later, we finished learning about the modifications and improvements to the protocols. One big thing I learned in the protocol rollout is that critical burns no longer warrant an automatic request for air transport. Now, only if you suspect airway compromise do you request a helicopter. Any threats to a patients airway are immensely serious. Without an airway you simply have no patient. Burns that compromise an airway require endotracheal intubation and narcotics to protect the airway from collapsing, these are both Paramedic skills. My mentor Phil was at the meeting and we caught up on senior project so far too. After the meeting I drove the chief back to his house in East Andover. Driving the chief in his own car reminded me how far I have come since I joined the explorer post as a sophomore at Proctor. Tomorrow is another big study day and I'm thinking of doing obstetrics after wrapping up the airway.

Airway Studying and Penacook Rescue Squad

This morning I woke up with my roommate Mansfield at the usual time I used to get up as if I was going to class. After breakfast in the dining hall I contacted the NH Marine Patrol to arrange a ride along later on during senior project. They were receptive to my ideas and I'm really looking forward to it. After that I got my EMT textbook, notes from class, and note cards together to study the airway chapter in the library. I studied the notecards I made in study hall the previous night, read the chapter, and made more. Tonight I will review and take several practice tests. This afternoon I headed to Penacook Rescue Squad to meet with Deputy Chief Brechtel. On the way there one of their ambulances passed me on the way to a call. When I got to the station a Paramedic, Jeremy, was washing his truck. We were talking when Penacook Rescue got an additional call. Jeremy called the deputy and he told me to hop in the ambulance with Jeremy, he was going to meet us at the scene. The route to the call had moderate traffic and a big intersection. It was a lot of fun riding in the front of Penacook's ambulance with Jeremy as we responded to the call. Unfortunately this was a rather uneventful call for an intoxicated person at the county jail. We packaged the patient on our cot and took her to the hospital. I watched the Paramedic establish an IV line and administer some drugs, always cool to see. Penacook has a Defibrillator and stretcher that are made by different companies than Andover's, so I had to learn "on the fly" how they worked. On the way back to the station, Deputy Brechtel and I talked and I planned a couple of days to ride there during the day shift. I'm looking forward to learning how to use their Zoll defibrillator and hoping I get some good calls with them.

New Hampshire 911 Emergency Operations Center tour

I studied in my EMT Basic text book for three hours this morning reviewing some of the introductory chapters to refresh. Well being, ethological and legal issues, and lifting and moving patients were the chapters I covered. I took a spot in the library at Proctor and got some good studying done. This afternoon I drove to the New Hampshire 911 Emergency Operations Center to meet with Wanda Bowers, the public information representative. Wanda talked to me for a while about New Hampshire's advanced 911 system. Before I had little idea of how the whole process worked, as I am used to hearing the tones and then receiving the information. As I later found out, it is not easy to get the information we, as the emergency responders need. After going through security and a maze of hallways and stairs, two double doors took me into the heart of the operations center. (I also got to see Homeland Security's EOC, as well as the Governor's situation room.) The set up of the room was a lot similar to the trade floor my dad works on. Wanda introduced me to an EMD and she pulled up a seat for me. The EMD, Alicia, plugged my headset into her module.  After the air being quiet for a few minutes, a flashing button came up on one of the monitors, meaning a 911 call was coming in. All of a sudden I could actually hear the caller and Alicia talking to her. Based on the emergency, Alicia was giving emergency care information to the caller while the ambulance was on its way. She stayed on the line even as we could hear sirens in the background from the ambulance getting on scene. It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Alicia filled in templates on the computer getting key information, then sending the information in a dual "email" and three way phone call to the appropriate dispatching agency. The whole process is flawless, and it is amazing how professional and calm all of the EMDs are. While I was there I heard delta level and echo level medical calls, several motor vehicle accidents, and a lot of random 911 calls for police assistance. I would recommend anyone involved in Fire or EMS to spend some time at 911, and want to thank my sponsor, Phil, for helping me set it up.

Franklin B Shift Part 2

Jason cooked a great dinner of chicken parm and we sat around as a shift with a call firefighter, Steve, eating. After dinner we did chores around the station. I vacuumed and mopped. While i was washing out my mop at the sink, the bells for a box alarm sounded. Franklin has fire alarm boxes around town, each with a number sequence as their location. I came around the corner to my gear and started to unzip my boots. Jason and Steve came out to the hooks and started to get their gear on. "Its a box alarm Sam!" Jason said. "Check the number Steve" Steve took the paper slip with the holes punched in it and counted 2, 1, 4. I was stepping into my turnout pants and Jason said, "Oh wait, that's the station's box!" It's not the first time that Steve and Jason have tricked me into thinking we had a call. They get me everytime. After that hilarious stunt we watched band of brothers and I turned in early to get some sleep at 2100. Sleeping at the firehouse takes getting used to, Lakes Region dispatch plays over the intercom system. Usually I'm so tired I fall to sleep and listen to the tones subconsciously, listening for Franklin's distinct tones. Sure enough I heard the distinct tones around 0030 in the morning. The pagers and klaxon goes off and the lights brighten a little in the bunk room. Everyone gets out of bed and puts on their uniforms. This is not the time to talk, as Lakes Region is about to tell us the nature of the call and very importantly, the address. This was for a delta level diabetic emergency. We headed to the scene and found a male in diabetic shock. Diabetic emergencies are a staple of EMS. This is due in part to the fact that 25.8 million Americans have a form diabetes. With the administration of IV fluids we raised the patients blood sugar level, checking it often with a glucometer. Back at the station, I went back to bed. The shift ended this morning and our shift sat at the table with the shift relieving us drinking coffee and discussing relevant stuff with apparatus, equipment, and work that needs to be done. It was a good shift and I also learned more things to make a better presence at Franklin Fire Department as a guest.

Franklin B Shift Sunday 5/8 part 1

I got to Franklin this morning for B shift at 6:59, one minute early due to my good timing and motivation in getting to my first 24 hour shift on senior project. Unfortunately my project sponsor's watch was a little fast! An hour into the shift we got a pre alert tone and the klaxon sounded. A few seconds later the tones went off again for a difficulty breathing echo level call. Calls are classified by the 911 disptachers on a scale of aplha, bravo, charlie, delta, or echo. Alpha indicates a less serious emergency while echo indicates a very serious emergency. I took my seat in the ambulance and we headed out. For legal and privacy reasons I won't be able to go into detail about the calls I go on, but this call was interesting and especially worthwhile for me to go on because it involved Advanced Life Support, care given by the paramedic on our shift, which I rarely see with Andover Rescue. We also used a special kind of immbolization device which was new to me. We went to the grocery store after the hospital to get food for breakfast. After a huge breakfast cooked by Captain Golthwaite we inventoried ambulance 2. It's good to go through all of the cabinets and equipment to familarize myself with the set up. The rest of the morning was slow call wise. We debriefed more on the WET team training which included setting up a tyrolian traverse in the station. Captain Golthwaite also taught me some cool new knots. It's almost time for dinner, then quiet time and eventually bed. I'm hoping we get another call before the shift ends tomorrow at 0700.

Three Rivers WET Team Drill

This morning I went to a drill with the Three Rivers WET Team in the Winnipesaukee River in Franklin. WET stands for water extrication technician. The WET team is compromised of firefighters and EMTs in the Lakes Region who are all water extrication technicians. My project sponsor Jason, a WET team member,  invited me to come to the drill. I met Jason at the Franklin Fire Department at 7:15 and we took Franklin's heavy rescue over which carries a ton of equipment used by the WET team. We met the other WET team members who were from the Tilton Northfield and Sanbornton fire departments and everyone dressed out. One of the Tilton Lieutenants conducted the drill and we briefed on the goals of the drill. The WET team was split into three groups to establish a highline upriver and two tension diagonal lines downriver used to anchor the swimmers. In the end we spent four hours and I assisted the highline crew as we controlled lines which tethered the swimmers. In the debriefing a lot of the WET team discussed what could have gone better. It was a very cool drill to watch and I'm glad I got the chance to attend.

Test Post

Test Post