Let's Get You Up to Speed (part 6).....

It's amazing what a talk with a fire chief will do to a person. For the rest of the summer, I knew I was going to be a firefighter. I would pass firetrucks on the road, hear sirens while mowing the grass...and I would always say..."Won't be long now..soon I will be joining you all..." I took my new confidence and headed to EMT-B school.

Well, actually I didn't head anywhere. St. Louis Community College offered its EMT-B course online. We did all our homework and quizzes at home, and had our practices and tests on the Saturdays. 8 Saturdays of the Fall of 2005 semester were spent at the Community College. We met from 9 to 5 - 8 hours of emergency medical training. I soaked in as much as I could from our instructors (who happened to be firefighters). I would listen as they talked about their life experiences. It was a great way to learn. Hands on training from the hands of those actively in the field.

From splinting, to traction, to back boarding and CPR, it was a fall to remember. But emergency medical assistance was not the only thing introduced to me that fall. Two blocks to the south of the community college lies the only thing I really miss from St. Louis....The Hill. If you like sandwiches (and I do) then this is your heaven. 8 Saturdays we met. 8 sandwiches I ate. Everyone of them different, and everyone just as good as the next. If you go to St. Louis, do yourself a favor and eat lunch in the Hill Neighborhood. You won't forget it.

Towards the end of the semester, (and part of every EMT Class) we started our Ride-A-Longs.

Because I lived in St. Charles County, I decided to do all my ride-a-longs with the St. Charles County Ambulance District. I wish I could remember how many hours I had to do, but I know it was a lot. I remember the first day I went. I was nervous. I mean after all, I was going to go on calls with a real paramedic team. I was going to be a part of their day...watch what they did...help when they needed an extra hand. I remember when the alarm went off for the first time, my heart was racing as I hopped in the back of the ambulance, and we took off...sirens blazing. We were heading to a neighborhood just north of the station...the call? A two year old child in cardiac arrest. Unusual yes, but not in this case. I was told by the medics that this young boy had been struggling for a while and that this was the third or so time they had been called out within the last couple of months. Even with their warning, it was still a shock to see a two year old boy, lying on the dining room table receiving CPR. I mean...Kolsten was also two at the time....I helped out the best I could. The little boy recovered and I got to ride with him in the back of the ambulance to the hospital. We had a few other calls that day. But believe it or not, we spent most of the day playing Halo on the X-Box.

By the end of the semester, I was quite comfortable with the modules that we had learned and practiced. The first few days of January brought the practical portion of the National Registry Exam. While the test was a huge deal, I remained surprisingly calm. I nailed both parts of the test, and passed with ease. I then took a three month break, and waited to take the written part of the exam. It wouldn't be until March of 2006 that I took the written part. While I didn't do the best, I still passed. And a few weeks later I got my National EMT-B Certification.

2006 ushered in a ton of new experiences. I became a dad for the second time, I was putting up drywall in our newly constructed basement, I was promoted to production supervisor at my job, and I finally heard back from the O'Fallon Fire Protection District. They were ready for new volunteers and they were finally ready to speak with me...