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Ambulance crews bring ER to the patient Continued from page 3 defibrillator, lo make sure us working In addition to defibrillation, they are trained in cardiac munuorr ing and oxygen saluranon monitoring. "We just run a shock through it internally to [Hal that it's okay," said McCann, putting the equipment through us paces The job takes a lot more preparation and training than their TV coun- terparts often demonstrate. But the real stress of the job is not the long hours; it's getting to the call. Splitting driving duties, Bennett and McCann said they've seen their share of bone heads behind the wheel. "We watch ER to look for mistakes," said Bennett "And the only time we punch a clock is when we come in." "The community really depends on you to be there," said McCann about the long hours and the overtime they seem tO always put in. "Getting to and frum the call can be so stressful because you're responsible for you. your partner and your paliem," said Bennett. Jeff Davis, a level-two paramedic who returned to the ambulance station with his partner Carolyn Cook after a busy morning. said getting drivers to pull over to the right can be the biggest obstacle to saving lives. In a call he responded to later that day. four cars failed to yield for the ambulance in a one-km stretch, including one older couple who almost stopped right in front ofhim. The nine-year veteran of the service, who was one of the fsrst paramedics to be trained in the Ontario Pre- hospital Advance Life Support program. said he's noticed a difference in patient outcomes because of the extra training he's received. He packs an extra bag on the ambulance':; stretcher that allows him to administer medications that treat cardiac arrest. "We actually did the first cardiac arrest in Waterloo region with the advanced life support," said Davis. "II was almost night and day in terms ofthe difference in the level of care between basic life support and advanced lite support. that, and I've seen these patients turn 180 degrees -- which even surprises me." That's given Davis a ber ter sense of assessing the seventy of a patient with the protocols that have been put into place. He proved that later on a call responding to a 4ryear-old women com- plaining of chest pains. "lfs exciting to do this job, and to do it properly," said Davis. "It makes me feel good when I go to a call and it runs smoothly. Immediately. upon see- tng the patient and her con- dition Davis was able to tell that she wasn't suffering from a heart attack. His questioning frnds out that the cause of the pain was something more benign, like the spicy dish the patient had the night before. "It also makes me feel free to know I can go to a call and do the things I know I should be doing, and that I'm giving them the best care I can give them. You can't go wrong with the way our pro- tocols are set up. " Gary MiWm, supervisor of the station that also serves as a training site for Conestoga College students, said he's seen a big differ- ence in his almost 30 years with the service. "We're giving people it better chance," said Mifflin. "When I started 29 years ago all we needed to know was CPR and first aid. "We've come a long way with the symptom relief administered by the level- one paramedics to expan- sion of the level-two para- medic's role." 1 King St. W., Kitchener April 2 to 30 WALPER TERRACE HOTEL GALLERY ARTIST’S PREVIEW Sunday, April 8, 01 2 to 5 pm TERRY C. BUHROWS EXHIBITION OF WATERCOLOURS