Flight Paramedic: A Short Story

When did you decide to become a flight paramedic is a question that I am often asked. Each time I hear that question I smile and my mind takes me back to the exact time and place. It only seems like yesterday but the impact would forever change my life. Like most kids at my age, I was intrigued by the fire department and they're flashy rigs. My friends and I would frequently visit and listen to them tell stories about life as a volunteer. Somedays, they would let us play with the hoses cooling ourselves from the hot summer heat with the cool spray of the water. We all loved to see them in action, racing to a call with the bright red lights flashing and echoing of the siren throughout the town. My friends and I would often ride our bikes throughout town to the scene of the call just to watch those heroes make a difference. I tell this story just to set the tone for the next one that has made such an impact on me. The day was typical for any kid on summer break in our little town. Riding around on a flashy bicycle visiting with friends and having fun was top priority. As I recall it was very hot and humid that day with the sounds of tractors in the fields spraying the corn

Flying past I recall Chief Joe waving to me as he often did. Without hesitation my reflexes turned my bicycle around and peddled fast trying to catch up to the speeding responders. As I rounded the corner I saw the flashing red lights and devastation of the two motorcycles that had crashed. Two mangled bodies lay in the hot street, appearing lifeless as responders rushed to pull them from the realms of death. The roar of another firetruck was heard in the distance racing to the scene of the devastation but pulled into the freshly mowed hay field just before the crash site. I turned my attention back to the crash site, watching everything, eager to see the hands of god work threw the responders to save a