You never know when you might need an ambulance.
Late Friday afternoon, April 17, Ken and I were ready to go to Beloit to celebrate our 67th anniversary with supper at the 615 Club. Ken wore his suit and I had donned my good dress. The predicted storm began and we decided to stay home and changed our clothes. I started having trouble breathing, which is scary when I have only one lung. We called the ambulance to take me to the ER at the hospital in Monroe. Ken, Kurt and Lisa followed.
At the ER, they found I had an infection in my lung. I was admitted to the ICU where they treated the malady with an antibiotic and a steroid. By Wednesday, I was ready to go home with Ken to take care of me.
The EMTs that staff the ambulance are trained to deal with a variety of problems. After dealing with this 88-year-old woman having breathing problems, their next call might be a toddler that’s running a high fever. Later that night, they may be called for a drunk who has hit a tree with his car. The man has to be cut out of his vehicle and the EMTs must stabilize his broken bones. While on their way to a hospital, their patient vomits.
From time to time, a call comes in that echoes the TV ad, ” I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” The EMTs go to a residence and lift the person back to their feet.
When Durand first got their ambulance, donated by twin sisters, Gladys Bliss and Grace Thoren, several volunteer firemen took the EMT training and answered the calls for help. Citizens were reluctant to bother the EMTs. That feeling was soon set aside. As the calls increased, the tax-payers approved a referendum and a full-time crew was hired.
Sometimes the neighboring ambulances cover for one another. Although we live a block from the fire station, we might have to wait about ten minutes if our local ambulance already is out on a call and a vehicle comes from a neighboring district.
Have you ever needed the ambulance?