By Michael Morse
Too many of us have been attacked, shot, shot at, stabbed, punched, kicked, abused, and disrespected by the public we serve. Yet, besides the occasional patient withan altered level consciousnesslashing out at those sent to help, attacks on fire and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are relatively rare. We certainly have enough to worry about, considering infectious diseases, hazardous materials (i.e., asbestos, radioactive materials, chemicals, and fumes), fireground injuries, and potential injury responding to and from emergencies.
公共安全以外的人很少听到典型的“与工作有关”的伤害。这些艰巨的危害有时可能是改变生活和职业生涯的结局，但它们根本不是新闻价值。吸引媒体的注意力是枪声，袭击和殴打以及不寻常的事件，伤害了我们中的一个人。最近的阿片类药物流行已成为新闻价值的，包括一些患者恢复纳洛酮的挥发性。
With all of the attention being paid to the dangers associated with human interactions at emergency scenes, it is no surprise that EMS personnel, especially firefighters who are often in first at medical emergencies, have adopted an us versus them mentality. Scene safety remains our first priority on every call. However, patients seldom are the primary threat. Ours is a noble profession, and risking a little to help our fellow citizens on an EMS call is a noble calling. Make no mistake, people can be volatile, and we must employ the utmost caution during every interaction, but even the nastiest among us are worthy of what we offer: expert, compassionate, and prompt EMS care.
As a member of an EMS fire company, I found a lot of job satisfaction on EMS runs. Training for and responding to fires and other nonhuman emergencies was great and certainly kept me on my toes, but it was the people I helped along the way that fed my firefighter soul. I never gave much thought to the human element when I was in the academy learning about hydraulics, ventilation, incident command, rope rescue, and rapid oxidation, but that human element is exactly what sparked and held my interest in the vocation when things were not on fire.
随着我们在消防部门的职业发展，我们的教育和培训被用于紧急行动，我们毫无疑问地看到了注意变量的好处，进行发展和思考变量以及如何最好地克服意外的意外。Yet, a little something unexpected begins to seep in. We don’t train our emotions to respond to situations encountered on seemingly mundane EMS calls, and we don’t practice filling our hearts with joy or spend hours reading about the devastation that sometimes accompanies us. Yet, these are the things that will keep us intrigued, focused, and intent on being the absolute best firefighters we can be, even when being the best firefighter means being a well-trained, conscientious emergency medical technician who embraces the public we are sworn to protect.
Michael Morseis a former captain with the Providence (RI) Fire Department (PFD), an author, and a popular columnist. He served on PFD’s Engine Co. 2., Engine Co. 9, and Ladder Co. 4 for 10 years prior to becoming an EMT-C on Rescue Co 1 and Captain of Rescue Co. 5.
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