"There is no difference between saving lives and extending lives, because in both cases we are giving people the chances of more life."
-Aubrey de Grey
Saving lives require lots of knowledge, courage, and passion. A single mistake or any mishandlings to the victim can lead them into a more serious and dangerous situation. It is a heavy responsibility that the team must possess at the moment where the treatments starts. Not all the time we'll be responding to a simple or minor accident, but sometimes we'll have to risk our lives just to extricate the victims and move them into a much safer place, then treat all the injuries.
Around 7:00 pm, the Ambulance arrived at the headquarters to fetch us. Together with our Seniors (EMTs), the two of us positioned our Ambulance on standby at the side of the New Government Center of Bacolod, awaiting for the possible accident that may happen around any minute around the city.
It wasn't a long wait, and we received a call that needed us to respond right away. Aside from performing my duties as a Medical Responder at our campus, this is my first time to be onboarded in an Ambulance. This is a different setup and possible situations for us to handle are expected to be severe. The practice used are much advanced and couldn't be mastered in just performing it once.
The call was about a Fire that broke out in a residential area around Northern Bacolod. Series of Firetrucks and Ambulances from within the city were already there responding at the scene as we have arrived. We walked closer to the scene and checked if there were still something we could offer to help. It was an unfortunate event wherein two houses were burned down to ashes in just a few minutes.
The owners were crying at the distance as they watched how the fire took away their homes. Some residents were complaining about the delayed response of the Firefighters, leading to this terrible scene. If these people only know how risky the job is, and how those Firefighters considering all the factors first for a safer action. On a brighter side, the fire was extinguished before it could spread at a wider range on the neighboring homes.
We returned to our Ambulance and went back on standby to our position at NGC. We prepared the equipments and supplies to be used for a possible Vehicular Accident any time of the night. Some seniors were catching up with each other, some of their good friends from the same professions were approaching us commending our good works, and some of their acquaintances were just passing by to say Hi.
The place never runs out of people around since there are buildings of BPO companies around and business establishments aside from the park in front of the Government Center. As we were waiting, an offender was chased and caught by a Security Guard at the distance. It is said that the minor was throwing bottles in the establishment.
We were about to clock off at 11:30 pm when we received another call. This time, it was a Vehicular Accident. The Ambulance left right away in a faster speed. Highschoolers were the victims at the scene, driving motorcycles. The first one with the worst condition was taken to the hospital by the Ambulance who came before us.
We respond to the second victim that was helplessly lying at the side of the road and had hit his head on the gutter. I was the one assigned at the logistics, so I flew out with with our equipments. The seniors were the one treating him and I was handing out things they needed. I helped out getting the vital signs as we onboarded the patient in our Ambulance.
The work were divided for a faster treatment. There was someone assisting the head, at the body to his feet, the other one with the vitals, documention, and checking the patient's responsiveness. Giving first aid treatment to stop the bleeding were done faster, the problem was at the admission area of the hospital's Emergency Room.
The waiting time takes hours. There were (5) patients ahead of us. The Police at the scene came to us and interviewed the parent. The motorcycles of these highschoolers collided with each other at the dark road and they have no helmet to protect themselves from the possibilities of severe injuries. Our patient were luckier than his friend. He is responsive and just got abbrassions and cuts in his head, while his friend is in coma.
We have left the hospital at 1:20 am as the hospital admitted our patient. However, the work didn't stop there. Disinfection of the Ambulance first before clocking off to rest.
It was a tiresome job but a fulfilling one. The fact that we have saved a life that night makes me love this job even more despite the risks. Note, this is voluntary. We take no monetary incentives from this but the benefits we gained for experience from performing our passion.
Best regards to everyone. Thanks for reading!
