"Routine" calls

[mariomike]

A friend of mine recanted a call from his probie days for the benefit of our newer Paramedics. I never heard him speak of it, but remember hearing about it from others at the time.
I pass it along, as he did, for young people who may be considering the profession. Not to cause alarm, but as a reminder to remain alert to small signs that could indicate problems ahead.

On a sunny summer morning, my two friends responded to a motorcycle PI ( Personal Injury ) in Midtown. There were two people injured, and a citizen holding a baby. No motorcycle was seen.
As they loaded the female onto the stretcher she asked, "Where's my baby?" ( Baby on a motorcycle? )
The citizen replied, "It's ok, I have her."
The male had a severe cut to his arm, and was already seated in the patient compartment at the head of the stretcher.
En route to hospital, the male keeps leaning forward to touch the female. She is yelling and pushing him away. He was told to sit back and leave her alone.
During this time, even though heavily bandaged, the male is still dripping a lot of blood. Saying he wants to die.
Turns out it was not a motorcycle PI. It was a stabbing.
While my friend was helping the female, the male pulls out an old-school barber shop style straight edge razor. He leaned forward and slit the woman's throat from ear to ear.
My friend then disarmed the guy and threw the razor into the driver's compartment.
He jammed the guy into a corner with his foot, while attempting to stem the flow of blood from the woman.
The guy was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder.

My two friends went on to have long careers with the department.

Around the clock, Toronto Paramedics respond only to 9-1-1 calls. So, there really is no such thing as a routine call for them.
( Non emergency calls are handled by private companies. )



 

 

[Treemoss]

A friend of mine recanted a call from his probie days for the benefit of our newer Paramedics. I never heard him speak of it, but remember hearing about it from others at the time.
I pass it along, as he did, for young people who may be considering the profession. Not to cause alarm, but as a reminder to remain alert to small signs that could indicate problems ahead.

On a sunny summer morning, my two friends responded to a motorcycle PI ( Personal Injury ) in Midtown. There were two people injured, and a citizen holding a baby. No motorcycle was seen.
As they loaded the female onto the stretcher she asked, "Where's my baby?" ( Baby on a motorcycle? )
The citizen replied, "It's ok, I have her."
The male had a severe cut to his arm, and was already seated in the patient compartment at the head of the stretcher.
En route to hospital, the male keeps leaning forward to touch the female. She is yelling and pushing him away. He was told to sit back and leave her alone.
During this time, even though heavily bandaged, the male is still dripping a lot of blood. Saying he wants to die.
Turns out it was not a motorcycle PI. It was a stabbing.
While my friend was helping the female, the male pulls out an old-school barber shop style straight edge razor. He leaned forward and slit the woman's throat from ear to ear.
My friend then disarmed the guy and threw the razor into the driver's compartment.
He jammed the guy into a corner with his foot, while attempting to stem the flow of blood from the woman.
The guy was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder.

My two friends went on to have long careers with the department.

Around the clock, Toronto Paramedics respond only to 9-1-1 calls. So, there really is no such thing as a routine call for them.
( Non emergency calls are handled by private companies. )

It's interesting what you'll be dispatched out to sometimes. I think the oddest thing I've been dispatched was a low priority lift assist for someone falling out of their chair.... which turned out to be something completely different heh.

 

[mariomike]

It's interesting what you'll be dispatched out to sometimes.

That's true. Perhaps that is one of the reasons people join the emergency services? 

 

[CBH99]

Question for you MarioMike,

In a situation like that, is there a reason the woman wouldn't have just flat out said "this guy is trying to stab me"??

I ask as someone who is always trying to better his knowledge of how these situations tend to evolve. 

Thanks!

 

[mariomike]

Question for you MarioMike,

In a situation like that, is there a reason the woman wouldn't have just flat out said "this guy is trying to stab me"??

I ask as someone who is always trying to better his knowledge of how these situations tend to evolve. 

Thanks!

I was not there. But, the news report .pdf is in the attachment,

"Man slits woman's throat as both ride in ambulance."
Toronto Star 30 Sept 1976.

"Police at the scene, believing the couple had been in a car accident, bundled them together into the ambulance."