Texas EMS Magazine, Volume 33, Number 6, November/December 2012 Page: 27
40 p. ; col. ill. : 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Yes. At a news conference in
1996, I was asked what I was most
proud of during my 14 years with
HFD. Was it all the ground-breaking
research HFD had accomplished?
The dramatic increase in documented
life-saving? The striking decline in
complaints or the numerous media
stories that visually recorded our
cutting-edge trauma care? "No",
I said, "It was a particular case I
responded to with an engine company
when the closest paramedic unit was
delayed trying to make it through that
Friday afternoon's rush-hour traffic."
In that sad circumstance, a young
boy had found his relatively young
father (in his 40s) face down and
lifeless at their home: an unwitnessed
(and likely futile) cardiac arrest case.
Our efforts, as expected, were not
successful, but I decided to transport
the man considering his age and the
significant psycho-social aspects
(that frightened young boy and
his devastated mom were also our
patients!).
As I prepared to drive away with
the wife in my car, one of the HFD
engine's firefighters asked to speak
to me.
Now this was in the early days
when firefighters often resented being
sent out as first responders on what
often appeared to be non-emergent
cases. I actually was expecting some
related complaint, but instead, it
became a great moment of pride.
Arising from the vehicle, out of
earshot from the wife, that firefighter
asked, with clear compassion, "Doc,
is it okay if we stay back here a bit to
clean up that vomit and blood in the
bedroom? She doesn't need to come
back to that."
What I was hearing was evidence
of a new philosophical trend moving
among the veteran firefighters - a
new evolving sense of public service
duties.(N
ni //In ia e/L L)e')L ifln'en LJn)hlIt/IL neovenmr I 9 i2We in EMS and public safety
as a whole are, in many ways, the
ultimate public servants. Though
a four-bugle chief at HFD, it was
never beneath Dennis Holder to
take his turn at chest compressions
or pick up leftover on-scene trash
following an expedited trauma
transport-or to help an elderly
woman out of her fire-ravaged
home! That day I was witnessing
a renewed sense of duty that was
starting to unfold more and more
in Houston-all because of EMS.
It would make Chief Holder so
proud! In turn, I am so proud of
what EMS personnel across Texas
now deliver to our patients-not
just the outstanding medical care-
but the tremendous sense of public
service.
What has been your favorite part
of your career in EMS?
Making on-scene responses
with EMS crews, be it for a major
catastrophic event, or just the daily
awkward, unpleasant sociologicalPepe at Houston Fire Department dispatch 1989
situations. I find myself most content
when I am on-scene helping out-
and hopefully showing how much I
care about those public servants in
EMS who take care of us, day in and
day out!November/December 2012 Texas EMS Magazine 27
- "
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Texas. Department of State Health Services. Texas EMS Magazine, Volume 33, Number 6, November/December 2012, periodical, November 2012; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth541925/m1/27/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.