Something about kids in this business really gets the public freaked. And when your call takers and dispatchers are mostly new to the business, it can make for some very interesting calls. Like this one a few days ago:
THE EMERGENCY
A call has come in that a 9 year old girl is unconscious in a Doctor's office.
THE ACTION
The engine has arrived just before us and they're running into the building. They only seem to run for kids and fires, never to help carry the flea ridden regulars(Not a phrase, an actual description of 2 of our regulars). Weird.
In we go to find a hysterical mother in a chair holding a fit looking 9 year old girl with her eyes partially open. As I brush past the open office door I decide to take a peek at what kind of Doctor we're dealing with and I find one of the eight words I HATE to see pre-hospital - Chiropractor. My first impression is that the quack gave a spinal adjustment to a minor on the mother's instructions but this Chiro is calm and helpful, a clear sign he isn't a part of the drama.
We lay her down and she begins to speak clearly, isn't posictal (lethargy and disorientation common after a seizure) nor is she presenting hyperthermic (fever). Mom on the other hand is a bag of hysteria, pacing around the waiting room just over our shoulder screaming for someone named Jesus to "Help my baby!" Maybe he was on the last ambulance that came to her aid. the daughter appears to be suffering from a heavy load. that's actually LOAD for Lack of Attention Disorder.
As the engine crew helps Mom to the ambulance the daughter and I are having a wonderful conversation about how mom pulls her out of school twice a week to visit the chiropractor and the daughter just sits in the office and waits for mom to be finished. She also tells me the staff is nice and on occasion will give her something to eat.
When I asked why mom went to the chiropractor's so often she informed me mom used to drive a bus, but hurt her back climbing in one day and now she can't drive. So that's how to get the disability pension!
I hear mom outisde the side door of the ambulance crying and suddenly interrupting herself with, "Hello? Hey let me call you back." Then right back into the hysterics.
Hysterical indeed.
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