Someone once said "Women do not know how to drive!!!"

For the next 2 shifts, I am assigned to the medic unit. The Captain wants me to get as much drive time as possible (both non-emergency and emergency) in order to be turned over as a driver. Essentially, I would get off the engine on a call and get onto the medic unit and drive to the hospital, while the two medics were performing patient care.

Today was a GREAT day to be on the medic unit. We only ran two calls, but they were both accidents. The first call went out as an accident, with the patient no longer on scene. Apparently the accident happened around the corner from her home and some passerby assisted her in getting home (leaving the car off the very narrow road where it came to rest). We quickly left the station and went up into the mountains to assist. Upon arriving at the residence, we had to squeeze through the cluttered hallway in order to get to the patient. She was an elderly woman with some obvious "loose screws," but otherwise she was okay. She refused treatment as she thought she didn't need any assistance and after some paperwork, we were on our way. While in the house and doing a visual search (it is recommended to size-up houses while doing medical calls as it gives us access to areas while there is no fire or emergency). She had a little dog that was running around and jumping up and down....I thought (and verbally said to another FF) that we should "Go for the three." It was one of those dogs that would fly perfectly through the uprights.

On the way back down the mountains, we passed by the vehicle and I managed to snap a few pictures while police and the engine company waited for the wrecker. Fortunately for the woman, the tree stopped her from going down the side of the mountain.







After fueling up and heading back to the station, we quickly tried to eat lunch. We were already about an hour and a half late for lunch and the engine company had already eaten. Two of us managed to scarf down a meatball sandwich while the third medic had to complete a respirator fit test. We were then dispatched out to another accident.

This accident went out as a rollover with possible entrapment. When we arrived on scene, we found a vehicle laying on its side. The driver was trapped in the vehicle, and the vehicle was pinned against the guard rail. While waiting for the patient to be extricated, I managed to snap a few pictures. After securing and stabilizing the vehicle, the rescue squad cut the roof off of the vehicle and peeled it down (similar to how the door opens on Noah's Ark). During this process, another firefighter was kneeling down by the patient speaking with her and keeping her calm. Other firefighters were climbing in and out of the vehicle to get access to various pillars that would need to be cut in order to remove the roof. We then managed to slide a backboard in and remove the patient. During the removal process, it was determined that she fit the parameters for a flyout. We quickly called for a helicopter and setup a landing zone nearby. Upon questioning her, we found out that she had been drinking (mind you this is at 1:45PM). We quickly put her into the medic and transported to the landing zone where we met with the flight medics and attempted to transfer patient care.

After the patient refused transport via helicopter, some words were exchanged between the intoxicated patient and one of the flight medics. In the end, we put the patient back into the medic unit and transported her nearly 20 miles to the hospital specializing in her type of injury.