ATV's can be dangerous, as I have found out through a few calls. We are dispatched for an ATV accident, we go to the location, which is a few miles from the road. My partner takes off and goes down, while I get the truck turned around and try to get things setup for her. She calls back for me to radio for a helicopter. In just a few minutes she knew we needed a chopper. I called for a chopper telling dispatch to go ahead and dispatch a rescue crew to setup an LZ for us, since the fire department was already on scene with us assisting. The male was riding with a young girl on the back, they had went down into a creek, and then on the way out, the four wheeler front end lifted up, he was able to throw the younger girl off, but he wasn't able to clear himself from the path, as it fell backwards onto him. He was partially in the creek and underneath the large ATV. He was cold, and pale, he looked like he was dead, and his respirations were shallow, all the primary signs of shock. The patient had sand all over him and he was wet. I remember thinking how in the world would we get the tape to stick after my partner started the IV, and the tape kepts coming off. She finally just wrapped it around the IV site several times. His abdomen seemed rigid and swollen. He couldn't move his legs, or feel anything with them. He was short of breath. This was a great candidate for air transport from the scene to a trauma center. My partner had established IV's and ran in some fluids. She was also debating on whether or not to decompress his lungs, his lungs sounded like they might be filling up with blood. But he wasn't taking a deep enough breath to know. When rescue was en route to the scene they questioned me as to where I wanted the LZ. Without thinking, I told them the highway. It was the closest area I could think of that was cleared, I was in the back of the ambulance and couldn't see and didn't know my surroundings. I was having to think while trying to help the medic. The chopper landed and the crew jumped up into the back of the truck they checked over the patient quickly then we assisted them with loading. A deputy a few days later questioned who made the decision to close the highway. I had told him that it was my decision. His point was that it was hard to direct traffic on a highway at night. I told him I didn't think of that at the moment it was a split second decision. The patient was taken to a trauma center, where he survived. He had a ruptured spleen, torn diaphragm, and a few other things, which he recovered from. But he never did get the use of his legs back. He spent several months in the hospital and therapy and was able to come home.
Another year approaching the threshold entering new explorations, new challenges, the same game. Coworkers have came and went a few more than normal this past year and likely more any day now. I am starting to think more like a go with the flow person and less with a complainer attitude. I won't say this year was easy, there were many 12 hour shifts and shift coverages due to long term illness and resignations. Nearing 10 years in the seat behind the headset and at times I feel unwanted, unrespected. Then a day comes up where my officers thank me or have a discussion with me about nothing. But it shows they are people to who maybe forget dispatchers need asked if they are ok too.