Washington IAEP Members Are Helping More Than Just Humans
July 14, 2011
TACOMA, WA—People always say if you choose a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life. This is the excitement and joy of being an EMT or paramedic, who often find themselves using their knowledge to help any living being that needs assistance. The ability to stay on their toes, think fast and help those in need, makes them a great asset to anyone and everyone. EMS professionals with Rural / Metro of Tacoma, Washington, members of Local R12-83, proved this at the Taste of Tacoma event this past June.
The Taste of Tacoma is a three day event where people from the area go to Point Defiance Park to taste the local cuisine, listen to bands and support their community by getting involved in charities. It seemed like another normal event with Local 83 members and area firefighters joined together at a medic stand in case of emergency.
“Our EMS and the Fire Department have a contract where we often work together during regular transports and events like these,” said Lonnie Walker, President of Local 83. “Events during the summer with the heat, food and live music can often bring emergencies that we need to be there to handle.”
You would think this would only involve the “people” at an even like this, but this team of healthcare professionals showed their love for their job when hearing about a dog that collapsed in the park.
“A gentleman came up to the medic stand, giving us the news that a ten year old boxer collapsed in the park,” said Lonnie. “We quickly brought the dog back to our station to see how we could help.”
The boxer was on the older side and the heat may have been too much for him. People gathered around to see the EMT’s perform CPR on him as well as inserting a breathing tube and an IV into the dog.
The team did everything they could to try to bring the dog back to life, but it looked as though cardiac arrest may have got the best of him. The dog did not survive, but it was the group of bystanders at the park that day who noticed the great effort the EMS professionals and firefighters gave to try to save a life.