In the Time of Need

 With Father's Day approaching, I was reminded earlier this week of just how great of a privilege it is to be a father. Daily I have the opportunity to watch my daughters grow, and do so with joy on their faces.  It was, however, when my youngest fell off of a couch onto a hardwood floor, that I was given an entirely new perspective on what it means to be their dad.
 
While I am so often able to swoop in prior to impact, instead of catching my youngest as she took a tumble off our living room couch, I found myself picking my daughter up from the floor. It's not the first time she has experienced the inevitable crash-and-burn, likely not the last either, but everything about this fall was different from before. When tears should have been rolling, she only gave a gasp. She arched he back. Then, nothing. My baby slipped into unresponsiveness. 

My wife called from upstairs because she heard the fall. "Is everything okay?" In so many instances before, I have been able to make a rapid assessment, followed by prompt action. My only assessment in this case was that my daughter needed more than I had to offer her at that moment, and I responded to my wife, "I don't know yet; call 911." I begged my daughter for a response. Holding her in my arms, I found myself repeating her name over, and over. 

Finally, after what seemed like forever, but likely lasting less than a minute, she gasped for air again and let out a cry for which I could not have been more grateful. Through the cries and tears, I was once again able to process the severity of my child's condition. The ever returning state of normalcy that came with each second that passed confirmed that I once again had the ability to handle what my daughter was going through.

Both an engine company and an ambulance showed up at my door in the minutes that followed. They confirmed also, that despite the initial, grave reaction to the fall, my daughter appeared to weather the worst of it all. It was my absolute pleasure to be able to sign a refusal of transport, knowing how far my girl had come in just a short period of time. No worries, my wife and I took her to the ER as soon as medics left. Hours in the hospital seemed to confirm what we had been praying for; my daughter would be alright. 

There are several things that this experience confirmed for me. Most importantly, it confirmed the importance of family. I often find myself so involved in the "fire life" that I do so at the expense of those I love. My time at home is not truly time at home when my sole focus is on activities such as reading articles, watching videos, arranging extra shifts, and even writing this blog. Though I still find these things necessary to this calling, balance has to be established. If you're reading this, chances are you can relate.

As it concerns the fire service, it showed me just how much people desire for us to fix whatever is wrong when they call. Whether or not we have the solution, our very presence seems to put minds at ease. Had the injury necessitated, I do not know whether or not I would have been able to provide the exact care that my daughter needed. Despite running on cardiac arrests numbering in the dozens as a firefighter, the proper ventilation to compression ratio for my precious daughter would have most likely escaped me. That is exactly why I asked my wife to call. I know my brothers and sisters that showed up at my door could have stepped in when I was unable to do so.

Further, EMS matters. It's not always glamorous; it's not always rewarding. I can honestly admit that I often have to remind myself of its importance. The fact remains, it is upwards of 80% of our calls important. While I would be perfectly content riding backwards on an engine or a truck on a daily basis, the time I spend on an EMS unit provides the greatest opportunity to impact lives. We are public servants. Service must always remain at the forefront of all that we do regardless of the apparatus that takes us to the scene.