Paramedic interview-Will

Quick Overview

Paramedic Will describes the extreme dichotomy of his job, contrasting moments of saving a life, such as performing a difficult cricothyrotomy on a burn victim or reviving an overdose patient, with the mundane act of eating a muffin shortly after, illustrating the intense emotional shifts paramedics regularly face.

Key Points: Will, now 30 and 14 years into EMS (including two years as an explorer), was inspired to become a paramedic after a hit-and-run incident where a paramedic suggested he explore medicine. His first significant call as an explorer involved a cardiac arrest at an oncology clinic where he experienced the grim reality of compressions requiring sternum breakage and dealing with significant patient fluid output, culminating in pronouncing death for the family. Will recounts a recent 'silent muffin' call involving an attempted suicide via gunshot to the chin, where the patient survived with catastrophic brain injury, requiring intense physical restraint while treating him. He successfully revived a patient in cardiac arrest from a hydrocodone overdose by administering Narcan via an intraosseous (IO) drill and later spoke directly with the recovered patient and his brother shortly after resuscitation. Will performed a rare paramedic procedure called a cricothyroidotomy on a female patient with 100% third-degree burns from a house fire to establish an emergency airway due to severe swelling. The paramedic noted that winter weather often leads to increased traffic collisions, and seasonal temperature shifts can cause spikes in heart attacks or strokes due to physiological changes. Will advocates for forcing individuals who overdose or struggle with mental health crises into hospital treatment for detox and psychiatric medication, as current laws only allow involuntary holds for imminent danger to self or others.

Context: Will, a paramedic currently working near Sacramento after growing up in the small rural Northern California towns of Ukiah and Willits, recounts his career journey and shares several intense medical emergency experiences. His path to EMS began following a childhood accident where a responding paramedic encouraged him to pursue medicine, leading him to join the local fire department's explorer program at 16, where he had his first exposure to critical patient care, including cardiac arrest resuscitation.