There are few moments in an adolescent’s life where they can effectively create an impact and have the opportunity to watch the ripple effect of that impact. Most of us can say with confidence that we have made someone happy by seeing their smile, and admittingly, it makes us feel better as well. But to be able to say definitively that we have, in fact, changed someone’s life in our own relatively short time on this planet, is perhaps the most understated pleasure of the human experience. As an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) pulling shifts on my town’s First Aid Squad, I can say that I’ve not only changed lives, but also saved some.
Working shifts on an ambulance as an EMT can range anywhere from four to twelve hours. This is no easy task, but it is one that every young person could benefit from. Whether hoping to pursue a career in the medical field or not, getting to experience the real, unfiltered world beneath the flashing sirens is an incredible opportunity.
Most towns in New Jersey have established volunteer-based first aid squads that can be dispatched depending on the nature of any given 911 call in the area. Since members are unpaid, their services, including the ambulatory transport which would normally be upward of $500, is completely free for the patient. After joining my own squad almost a year ago, I have come to witness just how much of a deterrent factor the cost of medical care really is for the uninsured.
To become a member of a local first aid squad, most applicants will have to be a minimum age of 16 and go through a short interview process. If selected, they can start their training while they ride with more senior members. In the state of NJ, 16-year olds are permitted to attend EMT school and sit for their NREMT exam.
The average shift of a cadet or EMT on a crew consists of responding to emergency calls that are either traumatic, medical, or psychological in nature. Often, these calls are a mix of both. Working on a BLS (Basic Life Support) ambulance requires life-saving skills in CPR, airway management, shock treatment, bleeding control, and even childbirth. However, a large portion of the calls tend to be less stressful cases with reports of abdominal or chest pain or the presence of an “ETOH patient” (an intoxicated individual). Perhaps more so than the medical skills, first responders quickly learn the healing power of empathy.
It is important to understand before enlisting in your own local first aid squad, that emergency response is not for the faint of heart. In addition to blood and other bodily fluids present in the back of the ambulance, EMTs can be exposed to various less favorable situations. Patients struggling with suicidal ideation, substance abuse, or other mental disorders are all common interactions. While there may be standing protocols in place for how to give chest compressions or medications, there is no set of instructions for speaking directly to a person in pain: physically or emotionally. Kindness is the only rule I try to stand by.
I stress even further the necessity of more young people in EMS because I believe our generation is more aware of the mental health crisis our world is facing. All too often, employees in the medical field are far more educated in physical health than mental health. This can be a heartbreaking scene, especially when schizophrenic patients are yelled at to “act normal” or patients battling depression are too easily dismissed. Patients, no matter their condition, are people first.
For any teenager looking to create a true impact in their community, joining the first aid squad could not be a better choice. With data charts and documentation of vitals, you can see the progression of your patients and how their lives were changed by your own hands. There is no feeling more rewarding than that. So, while I stand by the belief that every person should wait tables at least once in their lives, I also believe that serving your community in a time of need is just as critical in the lesson of empathy.
