First fatality

[drew]

Well I have been a first responder for 3 months now and i trained for several months before that with my instructor doing ride alongs at his day job.....until today i have been fortunate enough to not have any fatalities on any of the calls i had been on......not sure yet how i feel about it ...I do know that it doesn't take away from the feeling i get from all the other calls...but it is a little sobering.

 

[Anjel]

Well I have been a first responder for 3 months now and i trained for several months before that with my instructor doing ride alongs at his day job.....until today i have been fortunate enough to not have any fatalities on any of the calls i had been on......not sure yet how i feel about it ...I do know that it doesn't take away from the feeling i get from all the other calls...but it is a little sobering.

It's reality. Learn from it, deal with it, and move on.

If you need to talk feel free to PM me.

Or talk with your instructor or someone who can understand.

But it's part of the job. Can't save 'em all.

 

[epipusher]

that pretty much says it all.and you will see worse.

 

[traumaluv2011]

Talk to your captain or EMD. He/She should be able to arrange for a CISD. It's suppose to be a way to vent about how you feel. The captain should be there and a professional or therapist should be too. Maybe a few other people if you feel are needed.

 

[drew]

It's reality. Learn from it, deal with it, and move on.

If you need to talk feel free to PM me.

Or talk with your instructor or someone who can understand.

But it's part of the job. Can't save 'em all.

i appreciate that....i knew it would happen sooner or later...in fact i am rather lucky it took as long as it did.

 

[drew]

Talk to your captain or EMD. He/She should be able to arrange for a CISD. It's suppose to be a way to vent about how you feel. The captain should be there and a professional or therapist should be too. Maybe a few other people if you feel are needed.

i don't think that will be needed just yet.....lol....just felt the need to put it out there with those that i know would understand....i will be talking about it with some of my fellow responders in my dept over the next couple of days...

 

[BandageBrigade]

Talk to your captain or EMD. He/She should be able to arrange for a CISD. It's suppose to be a way to vent about how you feel. The captain should be there and a professional or therapist should be too. Maybe a few other people if you feel are needed.

Might as well dance naked in the rain and sacrifice a chicken while your at it. It will do the same amount of good. If it bugs you talks to those who were on the call. If still bothered se a real professional who can provide follow up and a long term solution. The first one always sucks when your new. It won't be the last. Im sure you will find a way to cope if it bugs you. people here can be helpful to run through aspects of the call with.

 

[the_negro_puppy]

You will always remember the first one. You'll see more and strange enough you will get used to it. Death is a natural part of life and try not to dwell on it. Talk to peers if you are having problems.

 

[Shishkabob]

What was the cause? Violent, non-violent, suicide?


I remember all of mine, but I too have only been doing this for a couple of years. The one that hit closest to home was also the first one.

 

[Sasha]

Might as well dance naked in the rain and sacrifice a chicken while your at it. It will do the same amount of good.

You mean they dont do that where you are?

 

[firetender]

De-flowered!

There you have it, your first. It's a loss of innocense thing. It doesn't change what comes next, it just means the "job" is real now...and you understand the stakes a bit better. I didn't get that you were particularly shaken by the experience, maybe a little stirred, but you know what?

As soon as you opened your mouth there were a couple people here standing by your side. This place Rocks!

 

[MrBrown]

You always remember the first one

Brown thinks of it like this - when your time is up, your time is up

 

[starkel]

I have been doing this for a bit, since 06, and still shed a tear every time someone doesn't make it. In this field you have to have compassion, they all sting, some more then others, it's when they don't sting that I would begin to worry. Celebrate the ones you can save and learn from the ones you can't and remember we save more then we lose.

 

[DESERTDOC]

Wait, watch and see how you respond. Be honest with yourself about how you feel. Do not get roped into any one stereotype because a book said you might feel that way. If you feel horrible, acknowledge it and work through it. Find someone to talk to whom you trust.

But either way, learn from it go forth and smite thine enemy.

 

[njemtbvol]

Sorry to hear about you're bad experiance. It's normal though.
When I had my first (and only so far) death, it was as cpr at a swimming pool, I didn't feel anything. Like anything. I was wondering if that was wierd. I saw the family crying and still, like a machine i just went into compressions.
It's good to feel a little off. I've got to imagine that it's human and humbling.
just my $.02

 

[usafmedic45]

He/She should be able to arrange for a CISD. It's suppose to be a way to vent about how you feel. The captain should be there and a professional or therapist should be too

How about you look up the research on the utility and dangers of CISD before opening your mouth and advocating potentially harmful measures? OK? Is that too much to ask? You're a newbie, I understand that but you need to realize that because of that we are going to set a much higher burden of proof for anything you say on here since we don't know you yet. As the saying goes, "in G-d we trust, everyone else bring data."

Might as well dance naked in the rain and sacrifice a chicken while your at it. It will do the same amount of good.

What he said.

 

[Lorianne2010]

I know what your dealing with Drew, I had my first this past winter after three years. While it doesn't upset me it is still with me , I think about the person,see his face and go over and over the scene in my head. I didn't cry or lose it in anyway and I know I did everything I could for the patient. True you can't save them all but as good EMT's it is important to learn from every experience. So yes it is a part of the business and yes we will certainly face this again and again but feeling something is what keeps us grounded and at the top of our profession. Good Luck

 

[usafmedic45]

I had my first this past winter after three years.

How did you manage that?

 

[Lorianne2010]

Small service,small community I guess....I am sure it would be different if I worked in a larger community.

 

[usafmedic45]

Small service,small community I guess....I am sure it would be different if I worked in a larger community.

How small? I cut my teeth in a township of fewer than 3,000 people (the biggest town has under 200) and I still saw death with some semblance of regularity (a few a year). No major roads in your jurisdiction or something?