Working with Psychopaths

Reporting From Off Scene

When off shift, I like to catch a movie or two.  When I watch a movie, I enjoy it more if I can empathize with one of the characters.  I imagine myself in his situation:  solving a crime, having sex with that bimbo, wearing a leotard while battling injustice and what ever else. (scratch wearing a leotard)  It's hard to enjoy a movie if I can't relate to how the characters are feeling, even if they are quite different from me.  That's normal right?

So how the hell does one explain the popularity of horror movies?

There are only two kinds of characters in a horror flick:  the victims who are dying of horrible deaths, and the psychopaths that are doing the killing.  My problem with those movies is that I automatically empathize with the victims, and I can feel their pain.  When a character gets impaled with a sharp object, I imagine what that would feel like.  I think it would hurt. So, I steer clear of horror movies. Yet millions of people enjoy this type of entertainment.  Here's a frightening little question of the day:  Who are horror movie fans empathizing with?

So, I did a poll on the guys at the station.  Their answers by a landslide, they empathize with the killer and some mentioned that they imagine themselves as the killer... thinking how cool it would be to disembowel some cocky teenagers.  Jeezus-fricken-christ!!!!  And to think, these guys here at the station look like normal people.

I wonder how many times while on shift that I have had to give direction to someone, and they stand there looking at me thinking 'It sure would be fun to drive a spike through the Lieutenant's forehead and make a vest from his skin.'  It probably happens more often than I'd like.

Do you enjoy horror movies?  If so, what the heck is wrong with you?

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      Lieutenant
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Egomaniacs Need Not To Apply

Reporting From On Scene
Incident: Dealing With Ego

I am what some would refer to as 'old school'.  I am dependable. I show up early and always on time for the start of my shift. I am never late, I never forget to do something or be somewhere.  My crew can vouch for me.  I know when to say when, what to do and what not to do.  I am flexible in the fact that any situation or task asked of me, I perform without hesitation.  I don't wait to be told to do something, I see something that has to be done, I get it done.  I want to succeed in my job and that is why I am driven to perform better on each and every call, to be the best that I can be and serve the public the best I know how.

I am also educated.  I know the meaning of humility which is: (adjectival form: humble) is the quality of being humble, modest, reverential, even politely submissive, and never being arrogant, contemptuous, rude or self-abasing.

Humility is a strong characteristic to posses, especially for those in 'hero' rolls.  I usually hate that term to be associated with someone employed as a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, etc. because I personally don't care what uniform you wear, you're no better then anyone else.  Your shit still stinks.

I had a strong dose of reality this week on how some people (a fellow firefighter in this case) has no clue what this means, and truly believes that because he rides a big red truck, he considers himself a hero, he expects to be admired and praised for all his work/efforts and at some times... I truly think that he believes that he knows more than anyone.

I reached my breaking point this week and cornered this person in a hallway to let him know that there is a fine line between being confident and cocky.  We want confidence, we sure the hell do not want cockiness.  Everyone has an ego. I asked him to make sure his ego doesn't get in the way of doing the right thing for the right reason.  Because, if his stupid actions continue and he ever puts anyone of us in a position where we could be injured again, I will personally see to the end of his career.  I also reminded him that age does not determine maturity, character does so I recommended that he grow the fuck up!

There is an important difference between being proud of what you do (and this is true in any profession), and being full of yourself.

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    HoseMonkey
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Word Of The Day... COMPASSION:

Reporting From Off Scene
Incident:  Medical Assist

One just never knows what to expect when we get a call for a victim who has fallen.  So, when we arrived on scene, we found a 71 year old woman lying on the floor covered in blood.  Her house looked like a scene right out of a horror movie with blood trails throughout her small 2-bedroom bungalow home.  Towards the rear part of the house, she had fallen and hit her head on the damn door jam.  The fall, had split her forehead open almost from ear to ear.  She had crawled from where she had fallen and hit her head near the kitchen, to the phone in the living room but couldn't reach it.  She finally crawled over to the front door to try and open it to get help.  I am not exaggerating when I tell you, there was blood everywhere.

Luckily for her, a good neighbour had been to the grocery store that afternoon and picked her up some basic essentials.  It was her neighbour that found her, when she came by her house to drop off the groceries.  She called 911.  We took her vitals while we bandaged her up and placed her in a cervical collar and on a backboard, then sent her on her way to the hospital.

After our patient had been transported to the hospital, we stood there in the long narrow hallway and stared at each other, for just a few moments, as if we were trying to read each other's minds.  Together, we started to clean up.  We used towels and mopped up the floor. We went through and cleaned as much as we could, as quickly as possible.  Before leaving, we took the towels that we had used, and a rug that had been soaked in blood and put them in a garbage bag, which her neighbour took home to clean.

I'm proud that I work with a crew of men that will do the extra little stuff without me having to ask.  It was almost as if we were all thinking the same thing at the same time... "Someone has to clean up this mess!"

It was about a day later that I was questioned as to why I stayed on scene so long and did not return to the station sooner.  It didn't come as a big surprise, I knew that I would eventually have to justify remaining on scene as long as we did.  (Aaaargh!)  So, shaking my head in disbelief that I would actually be asked such a question, all I could say was that as a crew, we decided that no one should have to come home from such a traumatic event just to have to clean their house and relive it.

Really... I think that some 'high ups' have forgotten what it's like to be on scene.

Word of the day... COMPASSION:  1. A deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering.
2.  The humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it.

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        captain
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You Win Some... You Lose Some

Reporting From Off Scene

An inquiring mind asked me and wants to know:  What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your professional life?

I truly love knowing that I am in a position to be able to help people when they need it the most.  It may not always be in the most spectacular way... extricating a critical accident patient, pulling someone from a smoky fire, or resuscitating a victim in cardiac arrest.  Many times, it's being there when someones world has suddenly turned upside down, and they need a calming voice to reassure them that, despite the current situation, I (we) are there to help them.  Being able to provide a shoulder to cry on when tragedy strikes their loved one.  Showing compassion and understanding, when they themselves can't even begin to understand what is happening to them.  It is during these times that I believe the true character of a firefighter is most evident to the people we serve.

But the hardest or least enjoyable part of the job is the tragic effects of a bad situation or event that I strive to prevent or make better...  and sometimes can't.  No matter how much experience I have, no matter how much training, resources or tools of the trade I have... sometimes it's just not enough. Despite my best efforts, not being able to avert or alleviate people's suffering...

Trying to explain to the woman who couldn't awaken her husband of 40+ years, that he died in his sleep sometime during the night.

 Having to see the incredible grief in the eyes of the teen whose parent lay dead in the front seat of the car they were just riding in.

 Seeing the small child in her pajamas, clinging to the warm blanket we just wrapped her up in, as she stares at the smoldering remains of her home that burned to the ground.

All too often, I can't help but see the faces of those I love in the faces of the people we are trying to help, as I pray to God that my family and/or close friends will never be placed in that situation.  Yeah, the tragic calls stand out the most because the emotions they evoke.

Mix all of the above with the fact that I still after all these years, cannot manage to balance my professional and a personal life.  Kids and close friends... I can handle and manage somewhat, but any thing more such as a personal relationship ... NOT A CHANCE IN HELL!  :)

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        captain
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Building Character

Reporting from Off Scene

You know that you are a Probie when you plan a night out with your friends and you give them directions to meet you, and those directions include "meet me near the hydrant on the Northwest corner" and you conclude "it will be the 600 block on Saskatchewan Avenue,"

You can't help but answer "Yes Sir!" whenever someone speaks to you, even at home.

You've become very VERY good and efficient at washing and drying dishes and laundry detail as well.

When your cell phone goes off late at night to alert you that you have a text message and you instantly wake up, swing your feet over the side of your bed and you start to fumble around in the dark for your boots... only to realize that you are in your very own apartment. (Dammit all to hell!)

You've become very VERY good at making coffee for the crew - tea for Captain!

You can't help but when asked a question, you have to fight the urge to recite what particular article, section and subsection that the answer comes from in the Department Order Book.

You've become very VERY good at running to the rig, and being dressed before everyone else and your ass in the seat and buckled because when they say that they will leave without you, that's not just a threat.

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       Shadow
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I Just Had To Ask

Reporting From Off Scene
(Conversation at the fire hall)


Probie (me):  "Hey FireGeezer!  How would you describe me?"

FireGeezer: "ABCDEFGHIJK"

Probie (me): "What the heck does that mean?"

FireGeezer: "Adorable, Beautiful, Caring, Delightful, Energetic, Fun, Gracious and Helpful."

Probie (me):  "Um, what about the last three - IJK?"

::silence::

FireGeezer:  "I'm Just Kidding!"

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       Shadow
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No Breaking - Just Entering

Reporting From On Scene
Incident:  B & E

The radio chirped, "Engine XX, respond for a lock out.  The residents state that they have locked themselves out of their apartment and they have left something cooking on the stove."

When we arrived on the street we were met by the arguing couple - on who was to blame for locking them out.  The guy said that he had locked the door when they stepped out, assuming of course that his girlfriend/wife had the keys. Wrong!  She didn't.  Luckily the sliding glass doors of their second floor apartment were unlocked.

I went back to the truck and grabbed one of our ground ladders.  I went over to the balcony and threw the ladder up to it.  Captain footed the ladder while I scampered up to the balcony and threw myself onto it.  Had to cut thru the screen of the screen door which had been latched/secured from the inside and pushed the blinds aside.  We tried to move as much of the stuff in our way as we could.  We really didn't want to break anything while attempting our B & E (breaking and entering).

Once inside, we made our way to the kitchen.  Just as we thought, everything was just starting to boil over. No fire. No smoke yet. I removed all pots from the stove top and opened the front door to bid the residents farewell.

What ever it was that they had been cooking, sure looked and smelled good.  Left the scene with a growl in our stomachs.

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      Lieutenant 
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