Perspective and Compassion

In this season of thankfulness, I’d like to share a perspective on emergency responders – police, fire and ambulance. First, we should be thankful for their sacrifice every day. They work the holidays, rush into our scary situations and are always there protecting us when we don’t even know it. Whether you meet them on a good day or a bad one, they deserve your kindness.

On separate occasions (and in counties other than Clinton), my husband Trevor and I both had an uncle experience a cardiac event while driving. Our aunts were in the passenger seat when their husbands slouched over the wheel, unconscious, and the vehicle was still in drive. By the grace of God, our uncles are both still alive. But in that moment, the word frightening does not seem to suffice.

In each instance, our brave aunts got the car stopped and strangers were there to provide support. The thoughtfulness of those around them gives us hope for humanity. But in Trevor’s uncle’s situation the perimeter of the scene was lined with people using cell phones to take pictures and videos. While a loved one watched as emergency personnel tried to resuscitate her husband who was lying on the ground, people were recording the event for posting and sharing. Why? For a click or a view on their social media? How is this helpful? I have so many questions. These people did not know the person fighting for their life. They were not members of the media. The pictures and videos they took are now among the photos in the camera roll on their phone next to selfies and birthday parties. Also being recorded were the first responders - every compression, every word - but their focus was saving a life, not life online.

Fast forward to the first Clinton County Public Safety Ball a few weeks ago. I had the privilege to attend this wonderful event with my husband, who is a volunteer fireman. During the course of the evening, a few members of the group were honored for their courage during a tough situation. In the words which prefaced the handshakes and award, I heard something I had not considered. They spoke of continuing life-saving measures so the person could be transported, and their family could have time to say goodbye. These men and women consciously made the choice to continue, knowing the outcome may only be to provide closure to the family. An act of compassion in a time of crisis.

This hit home. In both our uncles’ situations they coded multiple times, and it made me wonder if that is what the emergency responders were thinking. “Give them time…” Our situations turned out okay, but for others this is not the case. First responders are not always paramedics or emergency medical technicians, sometimes it is a member of the police or fire department. The split-second thinking by those on scene is often under scrutiny and for good reason. They hold human lives in their hands, not unlike doctors and nurses. But what people often forget is their split-second decision carries with it training and experience, along with concern for the family.

I have worked with numerous emergency responders as a former journalist and community member. What they see and do changes their perspective on life. This holiday season remember them as they work shifts while you attend seasonal services and family gatherings. At lunch they may have stopped someone from taking their own life; before dinner performed CPR on someone they know from the community they work in; all to come home for a meal and time with their own family. They don’t always feel like talking about what they see. But when you need them, they are there.