Rock The Boat: IA Coaching

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

Kelle jumped out of the back and closed the doors. "Yeah, sometimes it works to kill them with kindness." She'd run into a few firefighters in her time who were grumpy, either because they hated medical or hated women in medical, and she made a point to be all smiles and sweetness with them, so that eventually she won them over, or it made them look like the complete jerks that they were.

Same with patients, sometimes just smiling won them over. Other times, she found, it was best just to concentrate on paperwork so she didn't say something she knew would get her into trouble.

"Oh, coffee and chocolate?" Grinning, she put her head briefly on his chest and looked up into his eyes. "You are my bestest friend!" Then she giggled and headed for the passenger seat. "Come on, partner, people are dying to meet us!"

Steven Hudson

[Steven Hudson]

“Kindness, well I’ll start trying that way because sarcastic medic obviously isn’t working.” He said with a smirk. There had been a few pain in the backsides of the years, those who thought the care wasn’t good enough. They hadn’t got the right medications and those that were just annoying. He was simply glad that Kelle had a way of dealing with then because all he did was be a little sarcastic or a lot or turn on the charm which was fun but he would rarely do it.

Steven patted her head as he laughed, “Oh if I’d have known that weeks ago, I would have got you coffee and chocolate sooner.” He said smirking as he followed her and got into the driver’s seat. “Dying to meet us, well we can’t keep them waiting. Better ready the paddles and charge to one eighty.” He stated as he started the ambulance and started to drive in the direction of starbucks. “So let me guess, milk chocolate?” He asked given that there were three options, milk, dark and light he figured he would hedge his bets and take the middle ground.

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Any kind," Chevy chuckled, reaching to turn up the AC a notch...dang but this place could be hot when it wanted to be, even at night!  "But you're sorta right...I was a milk chocolate kinda gal before I met cocao beans...I munch those whole at home, no sugar or anything."  They were a bit bitter, but it was pure chocolate flavor and how could you beat that?

"Guess this'll make me stop complaining about boring shifts, though, huh?  Kind of that Fantasy Island thing...be careful what you ask..."

"Medic 58, respond code three to 6th and H for a vehicle roll-over, multiple patients..."

"So much for chocolate..."

Steven Hudson

[Steven Hudson]

Steven nodded when Kelle spoke, any kind of chocolate worked well after all it was chocolate. “You eat them whole? No sugar?” Steven winced at the thought, “Yeah sugar takes the edge off but obviously I’m not as sweet as you.” He joked though how she could eat coco beans on their own, that had to be a skill he was unaware of because he could never get past the bitterness of them.

He was about to reply when the radio came to life, code three and multiple patients. Did they not realised he wanted some chocolate as he sighed. “Good bye all hope of a hot chocolate with the works, bye chocolate muffin and good bye to a slow day.” He said as he sighed and flipped the switch for the lights as they started to move.

“So what would be your one thing to take to an Island if you only got one?” He asked as he radioed back to say they were taking the call. There was nothing borning about today he thought silently, it was turning out to be a call after call day so far.

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Chocolate muffin, too?"  Kelle glanced at him and shook her head.  "Man, can't we get a flat tire (air quotes) or something?"

She laughed, then he asked about what she'd take on an island and shrugged, watching for cross traffic as they neared intersections.  "Depends...assuming the basic necessities, food, water, shelter...dunno, clear right...I think my pillow, you know, a good night's sleep and all is right with the world!"  She laughed again.  "What about you?"

Steven Hudson

[Steven Hudson]

“Yeah, a guy get’s hungry after all that work in a morning.” He said with a smirk and nodded, “I wish, unless we get caught up in traffic, that’s always possible... I mean if we have to walk then we had better stop off for refreshments.” He said with a grin though short of a flat tyre, getting into an accident themselves or dispatch redirecting them they were going. Sometimes life just never gave you chocolate when you wanted it.

Steven was glad for her watching out as he listened to her answer and took a right. “Okay so an island and all you want is a pillow?” He said as if to check, well all things considered if it was a pillow he had to admit a good night’s sleep did work for most things. “Chocolate, I mean if I’m stuck on an island then I want something that reminds me of home and civilisation. It’d need to be an unending supply though.” He added as he watched the traffic and the road.

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Oh, well, I'd stuff my pillowcase with chocolate!"  Kelle laughed, then shook her head and braced as an idiot pulled out in front of them from a parking lot. 

"He didn't even look!" she grumbled, "What part of WOOWOOO! doesn't he get.  Jerk!"

People were so dense and oblivious when it came to ambulances running code.  They stopped for the huge fire engines with the loud air-horns, and for the cops who could ticket them, but ambulances were pretty much ignored as hot-shots just in a hurry to get to lunch.  And people seemed to think that a 2-ton van could just stop in an instant.  It was annoying, and you couldn't even flip people off!

"Up there..."  Kelle sat straighter as they approached the congregation of flashing lights, scurrying personnel and banged-up cars...

Steven Hudson

[Steven Hudson]

Steven laughed though it was soon cut short as the idiot pulled out and he had to anchor on the breaks. It was hardly easy to stop dead though he was more than surprised there was no collision to report as he nodded to Kelle. “I supposed if you’re going to get hit by something might as well make it an ambulance?” He suggested with a grin, “Or we’d just driver over the guy because some people shouldn’t have a licence.”

Bad driving was a pet hate, indicators were used for a reason and blues and twos meant get out of the way not pull out in front of. Had people no decency anymore? If it was their family they would be screaming for them to do whatever they could to get through but if it was anyone else then hey let’s just delay the people that can help. He half wanted to call it in to get patrol on the guy but minor traffic incidents, that would be what he did all day if he started it.

“I see it.” He said as he saw the lights and vehicles. “Coming through, ambulance out of the way.” He said as he pulled up as close as he could leaving enough room to get out again as getting boxed in. No that was hardly going to be good if they needed to leave sharp as he looked toward Kelle. “You ready for another chocolate free day?” He teased with a smirk as he unbuckled and headed to go grab some bags of stuff.

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Oh, we'll get our chocolate!" Kelle grinned as she hopped out, then grabbed the monitor, looking over her shoulder to see what other medical resources were on scene, noting that it was just them so far. There was a van that was resting on its roof and a full-sized pick-up truck that had some front end damage.

"Over here!" The fire captain called, waving them toward the van. Trotting alongside Steven, Kelle took a closer look at the van, noting that the front end, where fire-rescue was setting up their equipment, was pretty well smashed down to the pavement.

"Got the driver pinned inside," the Captain told them as they got closer, "and there's a toddler trapped in the back."

"Thanks..." Kelle glanced at Steven. "Driver or kid?"

[Steven Hudson]

“I’ll hold you to that.” He said as he glanced around the scene. Just them and this was about to get a whole lot more complicated he thought. The van that was resting on its roof and a pick up truck, traffic accidents could be the worst as he took a breath as the fire captain called and waved them over. Maybe it was better that he had skipped food so far though he hoped it was going to turn into a better call than what he was already imagining.

“I’ll take the kid. You alright with the driver?” He asked giving her the option as he moved to the back of the van. He would swap without hesitation but it just depended on what she was more comfortable with. Steven never wanted to know what happened at an accident, blame was for the police and they were simply there to help everyone go home at the end of the day. It was just that day had started off with a bang and things were not seeming to slow down any. Even long enough for a Starbucks run which in the scheme of things was pretty small now.

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine." Kelle nodded, heading to the far side of the van where a firefighter met her.

"Driver's a female," the firefighter reported, "mid-thirties, unresponsive, but she's got a pulse. We're working on getting enough space to get her out." He nodded to the airbags, Jaws and other equipment that was laid out.

"Got it, just do your thing." She gave him a quick nod then got down to her hands and knees then peered in the space. There was barely room, and glass everywhere, but she could fit. "Your coat," she called to the firefighter, holding out her hand. There was only a brief hesitation before he took off his turn-out coat and gave it to her so she could spread it over the tiny glass shards then crawl into the wreckage.

Rolling onto her back, she looked up at the woman who was suspended upside down, feeling for a pulse. "I need oxygen!" she called, "and the monitor."

She glanced toward the back of the crumpled vehicle where Steven was making contact with the child. "How you doing?" she asked, wincing at the stench of gasoline. The situation could be volatile, but she trusted the firefighters to do their job and protect them while they worked on extrication the patients.

[Steven Hudson]

Steven kept one eye on Kelle as he went to the back of the van, he could see a couple of fire-fighters trying to pry open the back doors to the van. It was strange to be seeing things upside down as fire-fighters stopped what they were doing. Steven as about to question them when it was pointed out that the stench of gasoline was from it leaking. Steven sighed as the back window to the van was smashed.

He gave a quick look inside before he slid into the back of the van with his bag and a monitor. He could see the toddler in the child seat that lay on its side as he made his way quickly toward the child. Steven carefully sat the car seat the right side up as he put a collar on the toddler and saw the slight cut to the kids head. He shone his torch into the child’s eyes as he checked for a pulse. He could hardly hide his relief as he let out a breath he had no idea he was holding as he heard Kelle’s voice.

The smell of the gasoline was starting to sting at his eyes as he pushed the monitor he had toward Kelle. “Here take that one and the kid’s responsive but looks like a...” Steven stopped as he pointed to his head to indicate a head wound. He hardly wanted to alarm Kelle’s patient if it was avoidable. “Responsive though, need to get out of here before the fumes get too bad.” He said or the gasoline caught fire which was just as bad as fumes. “How are you doing?” He asked as he kept working but kept glancing toward Kelle.

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"We're okay," Kelle answered, coughing a little as she reached for the monitor. "Good to hear about the little one." No one wanted a critically injured patient and that especially applied to children. "You think you can hand the little one out and help me..."

She rolled to her back and managed to get the BP cuff on the dangling woman, then slid her hand toward her ankle. "Tell them her feet are trapped, we can't let the seat belt off until they get her feet free."

The woman started to moan, a good sign except that she might start to struggle or resist, and that wouldn't be good. "I'm going to try to get an IV, if you can get one set up...and the oxygen..." Which would mix just delightfully with the gasoline...Kelle had a feeling they were going to get wet and uncomfortable, and that was when one of the firefighters shoved a tarp in the broken window at her.

"Cover yourself with this," he advised, "we're going to put foam down."

"Great," Kelle muttered. Sure, it was a necessary precaution, but it was going to make this all just miserable.

[Steven Hudson]

Steven smiled and nodded, an injured child were the worst calls he could ever be on. He’d take a lot of things over a child injury though this time they had been lucky he guessed. “Yeah, give me a second to hand over.” He said as he moved back through the van with the toddler still in the car seat. Steven motioned for one of the fire –fighters to take the child outside as he grabbed the oxygen and pointed the fire-fighter toward the ambulance. “There soon and the woman’s feet are trapped, need some help with freeing her.” He said as he shuffled himself back toward Kelle.

Seeing someone dangling upside down made everything interesting as he could see the limited space they were working with. As Steven heard the woman start to moan he winced, better off unconscious sometimes he thought moving as fast as he could to get the IV put together to pass off to Kelle which he did. Oxygen and gasoline, what did the fire department say, don’t play with matches he thought as he managed to fasten the oxygen mask over the woman’s face as he set up a second line on the tank.

With Kelle coughing it was bad enough he thought as he made sure the second mask was fixed. “Ever been to a foam party?” Steven asked to try and lighten the mood a little as he grinned toward Kelle and hugged the side of the van, well his feet were probably going to be soaked and sure the rest of him but then again, all in a days work. “Make sure you get yourself covered in that tarp or it won’t be pretty and here, take this.” He said as he passed the second mask to her, the fumes were bad enough but he was hardly sure with the broken windows if it was just making it worse in blowing the fumes inside the van.

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Thanks."  Kelle reached for the mask and put it on, then pulled the tarp over her and around the victim's upper body as much as she could.  "Hey, there's room for one more," she called to Steven , shifting on her back to get a tourniquet on the woman's arm.  It was an awkward angle and the techniques were unorthodox, but hey, that was part of EMS, right?

"I got the IV, can you get it hooked up and taped?"  It would be a down and dirty tape job, just multiple swipes around the tubing and arm, but it would get the job done and they could worry about pretty later.

It was a bit stifling under the tarp and occasionally the van would rock and shift a bit as the firefighters worked to free the woman's legs.  With the roar of the power equipment it was hard to hear, but she knew there was occasional showers of glass pelting the tarp, and now there was a thin fog of water being directed over the work area to keep down the sparks, but none of it was more than a minor distraction for Kelle -- she knew that fire would drag her out if there was any danger.

"We got the back board ready for when she's free?" she shouted to Steven, not sure he could hear her over the Jaws.  Once they had the woman free and cut the seat belt, they'd have to control her body so that any potential spinal injury wasn't aggravated.

Steven Hudson