Lessons on Partnerships in EMS

Lessons on working together from a constant companion I lost a great partner in December; perhaps the best I've ever worked with. He was strong and smart; he was always ready and eager to go to work (early); he was a quick and eager learner; he loved being a mentor to others; he took pride in his appearance and uniform; he loved working with and calming the fears of children, the elderly and the infirm; he always followed orders and suggestions presented to him; and he performed in accordance with protocols and standard operating procedures. Most importantly, he was in constant sync with me—mentally, visually and audibly. He knew from a look or a hand signal exactly what equipment I needed him to retrieve, what I needed him to do, and where there was danger we needed to back away from. The partner I lost was my 6 ½-year-old, loyal, well-trained, majestic, 130-lb. Bernese Mountain therapy dog Bernie. He was diagnosed with cancer in early December, and my wife and I made the decision to put him to sleep and send him to heaven because we didn't want him to suffer for one minute. It was one of the toughest decisions I've ever made in my life. I was devastated, and I probably will be forever. During the first few days of my grief, I sat and reflected on all the good Bernie did while attached to my hip at visits with his squad of fellow therapy dogs at the San Diego Veterans Hospital. He was a respected celebrity at the hospital and many other places he went with me, and he ...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Columns Administration and Leadership Source Type: news