We're expected to run red light and siren to a cut finger? Seriously? Dispatch has additional information for us that reads "Not getting any information on callback. Caller keeps hanging up."
Great.
THE EMERGENCY
Some one at a local market has cut their finger.
THE ACTION
We arrived at the busy ethnic market and wander in asking people where the hurt person is. No one will talk to us and I'm getting frustrated.
"Who here speaks English?!" I shout over the steady hum of shoppers.
No one even makes eye contact. My EMT has gone towards the meat area and signals she thinks she found someone.
The fellow is standing back in 1/2 inch of questionable water and meat juice near the back of the market. He's not in distress and is holding a band aid on his finger.
Wondering who called us I see a middle aged woman with a clip board and a phone to her ear.
"Hi there, are you in charge here?" My words go unnoticed and she pushed past on a mission somewhere else.
Suddenly she turns, screaming at the finger guy and pointing at the meat counter. Apparently he needs to get back to work. I gently touch the paper on her clipboard and she jumps.
"Do you speak English?"
"No I don't" she says to me and goes back to talking on the phone.
"Hey Captain, block the door, no one in or out."
"Why would you do that?" She spins around.
"Now that we have your attention, this man needs to go to a doctor and have his finger looked at. Ask him if he wants an Ambulance." She just looks at me.
My supervisor, nearing retirement, grabs the phone from her ear and says into it, "She'll call you back." and snapped it shut.
She shouted a few words at band aid boy and they exchanged points towards the meat counter.
"No, I'll take him later." And the phone is back open.
"You'll take him now." The Captain has grabbed the guy by the arm and pushed him in front of the Manager.
"He's leaving, you're leaving and we're leaving."
And then we left, never knowing who called.
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