From visiting the Frisco Fire Safety Town as a fourth grader, I’ve come to get to accompany the firefighters on their ride-outs as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) through the Health Sciences Clinical program.
The fire station ride outs have genuinely been one of the coolest experiences. A lot of the time I spend just doing homework in a room at the fire station, waiting for a call. During this time, I had the opportunity to talk with the firefighters and learn about different parts of the fire station, fire engines, and the ambulances. Since I was a CNA, I had to ride in the ambulance whenever they got a call.
The ambulance was packed with advanced medical technology on every available surface including the ceiling. It was really cool how typical equipment found in the hospital was packed into a small space and tailored to fit in a small mobile unit. My favorite part was the automatic stretcher which allowed the firefighters to easily load patients onto the ambulance.
On the day I was at the station, the crew was training a new firefighter, so I got to watch as they practiced drills for different situations. I learned about the specificity of the way firefighters put equipment into their trucks to ensure that they are adequately prepared for every call.
Finally, we got a call. It was one of the most exhilarating and adrenaline-rushing experiences, running into the ambulance and speeding 70 miles per hour down the road to reach our destination. Once we reached the scene and picked up the patient, I took on the responsibility of sitting with them, monitoring their vital signs. The paramedic in the back with me helped me make sure the patient’s vitals maintained stable while also communicating with the hospital that we are arriving. The urgency of the moment was thrilling but humbling as well as every second counted.
When we finally arrived at the hospital, we carefully transferred the patient into a room. Afterward, we headed into the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) lounge, where the firefighters documented the details of the call and the patient’s treatment. I got a few more calls that day which all followed the same pattern.
This was one of the best opportunities I got to experience and I’ve realized that I do enjoy a fast paced environment in my workplace. I’m definitely looking into getting an EMT license and going into the emergency department field.
