To the drunk driver

Darkness pushed away by the red and white lights of my ambulance emergency strobe. The quite country side called to attention by with the ambulance siren. "Medic 21, launch med-evac and have P.D. close down the intersection". I had just fallen asleep to Pawn Stars 5 minutes earlier. I was dead tired as well as my partner. We had been running since 1100 hrs and here it is 0250 the next day. The only time I have had to rest is between runs while enroute to the next 911 call.

"Med-evac accepted and ETA 17 minutes" the radio called as it snapped my attention back to the call and away from the recliner that was sitting empty back at the station. "Received dispatch, Medic 21 is 5 minutes out". "Received" droned dispatch.

"What do you think?" Asked my partner. "Drunk, female, small car, and out in this part of the county....most likely a meth head. My partner, the paramedic, trusts my intuition. My partner is also the best damn mentor I have ever had. She begins to draw out an action plan for the "unconscious person in the road" call we just received.

"I want you to get initial impression and I'll get the back setup. If the local F.D. is there, establish vitals and make sure they stay on the airway maintenance." She says as she looks over at me and smiles. "Yeah, yeah, yeah....big dumb fire fighter. Me distracted by bright lights". It's good for a early morning laugh.

When we roll up on scene we are no loner laughing. Flipped on its top is a small car off the road side with a female pt. impaled on a fence post. Beer cans litter the grassy road side. The pt. is drunk, pissed, high on something (suspect meth), and fighting us like a coked out spider monkey. The only time we can subdue her is when she stops breathing and we can finally cut her down.

We have to entubate her and manage her respirations for her. As I am working this scene, a police officer come over and hand me some of her medication.

"While using this medication, do not consume alcohol and
operate a motor vehicle results may cause harm or injury"

You know, I bet if she had read this then none of this would have happened.