Finally, her shift was over. Her duffle was stowed in the back and her gear bag was tossed in the passenger seat. "See ya!"
"You seem so much happier, Maggie May." her partner teased.
"Phfffht!" She stuck her tongue out as she climbed in the driver's seat and slammed the door, shutting out the laughter. One quick message later, and she was on her way.
Leaving work now. See you soon.
Meg
Meg was cruising, singing along with Thomas Rhett's T-shirt song "…lean in for one more kiss, and pretty soon you're sliding off what you've got on and slipping into my T-shirt right there; Your hair messed up like a Guns-N-Roses video; Ooh Ooh So Hot; Still got it up in my head you were moving around in the TV light; I ain't ever seen anything like your dress, my floor, the way you wore…" She was less than 10 miles from home when she saw the smoke and skid marks. She turned off the radio and slowed her speed, eyes scanning the road ahead. Meg pulled her phone out of the pocket of her gear bag and dialed 911. "My name is Meg. I am a professional EMT and I am pulling up on the scene of an MVC with multiple vehicles on the highway." She gave the dispatcher the specific location as she attached her phone to her BDU's. With her truck parked, she snatched her gear bag and began assessing patients. "The first car; white; two patients; initial assessment is non-life threatening. Second car has front and rear end damage; will require extrication; three occupants, one visible head trauma in the rear, front passenger cannot be ascertained at this time, driver is DOA. I am approaching a third vehicle with front and rear end damage that will require extrication. There is a fourth vehicle, a sports car, which is off the road way into a tree. At this time, I will cease phone communications."
"We have multiple fire and EMS units en-route to your location. Two medivac choppers are also en-bound and the Trauma Center is on stand-by." the dispatcher relayed. Meg thanked her and secured her phone in a side pocket of her pants. Then she looked at the third car that she needed to check.
Pulling on her rubber gloves, she popped the window and checked the driver's pulse. "Just stay calm. We're going to get you out momentarily." The man gave her a thumb's up. Meg pulled off her gloves and headed for the car that was smashed into the tree. As she crossed the ditch she heard the scream of the sirens approach. That would be our company. It's our first-due area. She stepped carefully over the skid marks and reached the bottom of the crumpled driver's side door. Pulling on another pair of gloves she called out, "Can you hear me? Don't move around, just say your name." There wasn't any answer. Meg put her arms through her bag straps. "Did you hit your head?" She tried to look in the side window but the cracking prevented her from seeing much except the driver was slumped over and the airbag had deployed.
"What do you need?" Meg recognized the voice calling from the street.
Turning to answer, she shouted, "Hurst and man power! Can't make an assessment on this one yet!"
Chris took a step in her direction, only to be passed by Dean who was already carrying the Hurst tool. Jay and Seth were following behind him. Roman stopped beside Meg's ex-husband. "Making a scene here would be really bad for you. Meg's in her element. She's first on the scene and been making assessments. You act like an ass here and you'll get written up." He carried a backboard to the sports car, watching as Meg disappeared in the passenger side of the mangled wreck. While Dean and Jay wrenched the door from the car, Meg kept the injured patient immobile. He was collared and backboarded inside the car before being cut free and removed and strapped to the stretcher. Meg discarded her gloves, pulled on a fresh pair and headed for the other cars.
"You don't want to fly with him?" a paramedic on the medivac asked.
"Nah, you've got him." Meg said. "I'm more useful here." The medic looked at the scene and nodded. Taking her gear with her, Meg headed back to the car she knew had the worst injuries. Dean was by her side. "There's at least one DOA. Front passenger compartment was crumpled and the rear passenger had head trauma. I want to check that car." Chris tried to approach again but was thwarted by another member of the department. When Meg reached her destination, fire fighters were attempting to dismantle the car with Jaws of Life. "Has anyone assessed the patients?" she asked.
"No one could fit inside."
Dean said, "Let Meg try."
"Why? She's…" Chris argued before getting yanked away.
Meg carefully climbed inside. "I need a collar, gauze…" She went to work on the patient in the back. Once she was semi-stabilized, the rear of the car was cut apart and she was removed. Meg carefully maneuvered and wiggled around, suggesting ways to cut and peel on the car to open up the passenger compartment to allow her access. "I can see inside. I just need another six inches to reach… Perfect. Weak, thready pulse. Let's try cutting here and here. Great guys. I want to slide in through here." Meg slid her torso into the constricted compartment, beginning her treatment of the severely injured patient. "I need a something to use as a tourniquet! This leg has to be stabilized before you can work on the door!" she called out.
"Here's more gauze."
"I found some foam. Can she use that as padding against the door?" Meg heard someone suggest.
"Give it to me. I'll make it work." She stuck her hand back through the small opening and pulled both items through. She packed the foam around the patient's head very carefully and then stuffed the rest along her back and leg. "Easy does it, guys. Slow and steady." While the metal groaned and creaked, Meg kept steady pressure on the ever-bleeding wounds that were evident in the patient's leg and side. "I see light. Keep it coming!" She called. The patient moaned. "Don't move, hon. We are going to get you out of here. It's just taking a little time. I know it hurts, you aren't alone. Keep focusing on my voice. I am right here beside you. My name is Meg. If you want to say something, tell me your name." The patient only moaned. "That's okay, I know you are in pain." The glass in the door shattered. The patient screamed. The men outside froze. "It's okay, they are just cutting the car away so we can get you out. Loud noises are a part of the process. There will be a few more. No need to worry, hon. Keep going, guys. Work on the roof. It's a little close in here." Not wasting any time, they immediately began cutting on that sheet of metal. Meg felt another piece of foam slide against her back. She bit back a smile, knowing exactly who put it there. Dean's getting anxious. He thought he could take it but seeing me in here is driving that protective streak nuts. I guess I didn't think this through completely, either. My back is rather exposed... That man is one in a million. The roof came off like the top off a can of soup. "The door post needs to be cut away very, very carefully. Don't touch the leg." With more people able to keep the patient immobile, the doorpost was removed and a stretcher was beside the car within seconds. The second medivac was waiting for the patient to be extricated with orders to get them to the Trauma Center immediately.
Dean was beside Meg as she immobilized multiple compound fractures of the leg with gauze and foam splints. "You are flying with this one?"
"Yes."
"Keys."
"Front right pocket."
While she worked, he reached into her pocket and retrieved her keys. "The medivac should bring you back, at least close. Call and I'll pick you up." He patted her hip and walked away. This was the life of an EMT/fire fighter. Meg looked at the face of her patient. This older gentleman was scared and needed someone to hold on to. She'd been that person in the wreckage. She would be that person in the helicopter. She would be that person right up to the Trauma Center doors. She would not be the person to tell him that someone he loved had died and that someone else was fighting for their life. She would not be the person to tell him that his chances weren't good. She was just going to give him everything she had.
"Leg secure." Meg announced. She moved up to the man's head to check his oxygen intake and vitals.
"Arm secure." the paramedic echoed. "Let's board."
Meg stayed at the head of the stretcher, getting on board just ahead of the patient. She turned to see Dean watching the helicopter with her gear bag in hand. Damn, he looks hot. Full turn-out gear and my bag… He was right. We make a great team. She pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture. Then she returned to the business at hand; treating the patient.
