It was the best of days... it was the worst of days...

3 Months and 10 lbs lighter I'm Back

After much contemplation, and living, I decided it was time for me to get back into writting this thing. WElcome back all. I hope I can continue to tell stories and add pictures that keep you captivated and intested in my life here in the desert of Kuwait. Let me tell you what I did yesterday.
Yesterday was one of my most interesting since my first day here. First we had a crazy accident on the expressway. One driver pinned in with bilateral tib/fib compound fractures (lower legs). It was awesome. He broke his arm too. So there I was, taking a sledgehammer to the roof to fold it back like I learned from my back home LTs.
Just kidding. It was cool, I did get to run most of the call. But, what made this crazier than having to work with Des Plaines Park Ridge's neighbor to the west) at a scene was we had to work with the Kuwaitis. They are nuts! They wanted to yank this guy out and not extricate, just pull. He had both legs pinned. Bizzare. I even looked up once and saw one of them walking to the patient with an axe in hand. Thats when I decided patient care could be left to someone else.

The Kuwaitis don't even speak english so you have to teach them practically (cause they just full out suck at their jobs and move slower than rain uphill on a bad day) all through body language. Plus, they hate women more than.... well certain people I have worked with in the past. You know its bad when I am barking out commands. I guess I really wasn't as dumb as that place (Park Ridge) made me feel.
I seem to be doing great here. anyways where was I? OK. SO, I have one of my Napalese firefighters in the car with the patient while I'm taking off doors and pulling the steering wheel off our pt. I have a pair of Kuwaiti FF's in the front seat with spreaders trying to push the seat and the dask appart, so I chase them out. The Kuwaiti army shows up and I kick a colonel out of the scene. Mass craziness, yet still no one had hit the roof with a sledge hammer (a joke about some hair brained action one of my former Lt's did at an extrication). Well, we got the poor bastard out. No one died, but we all nearly did of heat ehaustion. Its wa 122 degees at this time.

That was our first call of the day.

We got back then tried to cool off and eat, oh yeah our Hurst tool (jaws of life) dies. So we get it back and they are talking about shipping it out to get fixed, which would have taken years, and I asked if anyone checked the O rings (I used my skills and knowledge gained from my gold shift crew). Well, that was the issue. So we took it apart and replaced it. Cutters save! Thank you to all who ever taught me about extrication tools, John, Skinner, Buckles, Petersen and everyone else. I did actually listen. No one here has the knowledge you all had. I miss that. I went from student to teacher real quick. Now all I have is the trmendous Library I have accumulated since leaving PR and whatever gummed up memories I have of home to get me through some of this shit.

Ok now on to call two. Nothing had me ready for this. TANK FIRE!

So we roll up for a call of a vehical fire. With Halogan in hand, we turn the corner and see a tank roaring. All our mouths drop. So much for popping the hood. The engine had caught while they were testing it after repairs were being done to ready it for Iraq. SO myself and an opperator climb up there and have to swivel the turret (or whatever its called) to access the engine. Then we had to open like 10 pannels and find a way to kill the 11 batteries on it. Way more than I knew what to do. But, it eventually went outafter 3 or 4 hose downs and removing the air filters. Nothing like standing on a tank with 400 gallons of fuel, while its engine is on fire. They told us it was safe though. Ok, I don't know, I just do what I'm told. We get tank opperator class next week. I am gonna try and see if I can take one arround the track. The guys here are pretty good about teaching us shit we probley don't need to, or should'nt know. The army has been pretty cool. You just have to get in with the highest officers you can.

Still haven't gotten the ride on the Black hawk yet though. One day....

Then, well we had a women's latrine catch fire. It was our 3rd in 3 days. This isn/t a porta John. Its got like 10 stalls, and 4 showers so there is some internal attack. Which sucks.
But, I am glad to report that no turds were injured and were immediately evacuated due to our quick response. Our medical team did have to treat a couple for smoke inhalation as they were turning green due to lack of oxygenation. So, thats it. Long day huh.

It was fun. Hope you have some treats to share with me.

Talk to you soon.

Meghan