Family Worries

[JTpaintball70]

I get away with it by being 500 miles from the closest family. No sig other, no kids. I just don't have to bother telling anyone

[Kiwiology]

I get away with it by being 500 miles from the closest family. No sig other, no kids. I just don't have to bother telling anyone

Died much on the inside yet JT?

[JTpaintball70]

Died much on the inside yet JT?

Give it time, once my roommate gets married in a few months and moves out of the area, then I might

[HERBIE1]

So first of all I agree not scanners in the house. Our scanner lasted one set of batteries never to be replaced. It wasnt the hubby listening to it, it was the kids and they would worry.

Herbie your so right on the opening up about the spouses concerns. My hubby is a clean freak and I mean FREAK. I have watched him wash his hands after touching anything on the outside of our house and he thinks all teenagers are one big germ and will wiped down anything that he thinks they may have touched or looked at. Now with all being said one night as we were having dinner I had just come off a MRSA call and he only knew something was up because he had seen me with a mask on. It came out that he had the fear of 1 me bringing something home to my family and that I may die from something. So I went through all of the preventative measures and all of the things I do to myself and my uniform before I return home.

I hope the op takes all the good advise here because if she is stressed about your job it is going to stress you out also and it will become a vicious circle of stress.

good luck

The fears and concerns our family has may not be rational, but they are very real to them. Yes, there are plenty of reasons to be concerned about what we do- and if they had any idea of how many more issues they DON'T know about, they'd really freak out. LOL

My family is amazed at how completely desensitized I am to things like blood, guts, and gore. I'll never forget watching a show on the Discovery Channel which featured a very graphic surgical procedure, complete with plenty of gore. We were eating spaghetti for dinner and as I was getting up to change the channel, I became engrossed in the program as I was munching on my food. Everyone at the table was turning green before I realized they were getting grossed out.

[uglyEMT]

Thanks folks for the responses. We have been talking about it, and working through some of the issues. Herbie you were right, issues are there I had no idea about I think we will be fine as time goes on, I just have to educate her a little more on all the precautions we take, the fact we take scene safety very seriously, and BSI BSI BSI LOL

The radio thing, well like I said its not a scanner but dept issued base station. I have told the wife that if I get a call and shut it off please leave it off. Hopefully she will.

Its going to be tough but I know we will make it through this, like I said earlier, its new for us (me being in the back) so its just another leasson we both have to work on. Knowing I have an extended family to help me (my EMS brothers and sisters) makes a big difference in alot of ways.

Thanks folks for everything on this subject. I really do appreciate it.

[TJZ]

I wish I had such good advise as the previous posters but this was an epic fail for me... How to keep communication when I, as the basic, am pretty much behind the wheel many days for 12-16 hours straight. Why could I not call, they worried, the calls were short. When I could call I was probably also in the restroom at a hospital... with a new call dispatched and waiting for me to move out.

I hope you have better luck!

[Richard B the EMT]

I get away with it by being 500 miles from the closest family. No sig other, no kids. I just don't have to bother telling anyone

Depending on circumstances, some here view that as a blessing, others view it as a curse, while others might vary on the direction due to what happens on a particular call.

Sometimes it is not even our own service. I am still a bit haunted by hearing a scanner on local NYPD Division, with an Officer yelling "10-13! 10-13! (Officer needs assistance FORTHWITH) Shots fired! MY PARTNER IS DOWN!!!"