From: Jesse Robbins <jesse@worldcontrol.com>
Subject: Trauma: Jesse’s live in the ER (part one)
Date: May 19, 1999 1:13:58 PM PDT

-(*)- Trauma:  My life (leading up to) the ER -(*)-

In order to recieve my EMT-I certificate there are a few out of classroom requirements that must be met.  The most important one being the Clinical  Rotation.  A minimum of 10 hours worth of work with a fire department or emergency room, and a minimum of 3 patient contacts during that 10 hours.

Due to suspected hernia, I was bounced out of the San Jose Fire Dept (for now) and so I did my work in the San Jose General Hospital ER.

There is a lot of equipment and gear that you can buy for this (and any) public safety role.  Uniforms, boots, helmets, shears, knives, flashlights, bodyarmor.. it’s possible to spend a lot of money.  The goal of every fire-science student is to be “issued” equipment, but for now we are forced to go to summit uniform and gawk at the toys, credit cards itching to be maxed out…

So there I was, standing in Summit Uniform.  My task was simple: Obtain a pair of black uniform pants, and a light blue uniform shirt.

It took some effort, and one or two trips to the bathroom to splash water on my face, but I managed to walk out without a pair of newer, lighter, respose boots. I managed to depart the store without a full set of Threat-Level-III bodyarmor with front and back trauma plates.  I even managed to depart the store without the $170.00 Benchmade “automatic” response knife, probably because they wouldn’t let me touch it without a Fire Department ID card.  (Once you are a firefighter you can have a switchblade.  But you dont call them switchblades of course, you call them automatics.  Why, you ask, do firefighters need “automatics”?  For the same reason cops do… because they can.)

But I digress.  They tailored my uniform to fit me, and there I stood, in front of the mirror…  suddenly transformed from a geek wearing BDU’s and a t-shirt to a Public Safety Professional.  I proudly affixed my nametag over my right pocket which boldly read:
 Mission College EMT-I STUDENT
              Jesse Robbins

I draped my steth over my shoulders and put my penlight in my breast pocket.  At least I looked ready to save lives…

I *promise* pictures are forthcoming of everything I’ve done so far.  (Except the ER). I’ve been so busy lately that I’ve not had time to finish up my write up for my 14 hour rotation at San Jose Medical ER.

I’ll fill everyone in how that, and my finals, went in 2 weeks once it’s all over.

Hope this finds everyone well.

-jesse