"Hi, I'm a paramedic" is a phrase that launches conversations with countless people who call an ambulance. But what kind of person becomes a paramedic, and what's it like to be one? Most of the time it's not the dramatic calls that play out like a TV story, but rather the calls between that wind up etched into the memories of the responders. It's in the ambulance calls between the headlines that the nuances of humanity begin to reveal themselves. Follow the career arc of an easily frightened kid who grew up determined to be a paramedic-the sheepish child who always needed reassurance that everything would be okay who grew into the person trying to be that reassurance. Experience the aspiring young responder's first collisions with the reality of death and despair: learning how to take care of people who call 9-1-1, and about the fears, failures, and wins that come along the way; join the veteran responder who creates an original rock and roll band with lyrics hinting at the stressors of emergency response to help cope with burnout; and appreciate learning to interact with people across an enormous range of backgrounds, means, and stations in life-while struggling with the unmet expectations in how some EMS choose to interact. "Hi, I'm A Paramedic" brings you into the ambulance for a ride through the phases of a paramedic's career; from the infatuation with the new, to the seasoned veteran facing the inevitable burnout, to the evolution into leadership and an accounting of what it means to have had the privilege to serve as a paramedic. Experience a narrative written not as a collection of high-shock war stories, but rather a memoir that shows the real-life impact on the heart, mind, and soul of the paramedic and patient, as well as the families of both. Who is this book for? It's for other responders to commiserate with. It's for the families and friends of responders to gain insight into what we're exposed to on a regular and long-term basis. It's for anyone fascinated or intrigued about what really happens out there. It's for anyone with a timid soul trying to figure out how to find their voice

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