There are a lot of misconceptions about Emergency Medical Services and Technicians. When you call 911, you expect highly trained professionals to show up and make everything OK. In my short time as an EMT, I’ve learned a lot about the abilities and limitations of pre-hospital care, and what it’s like to be part of the worst day of someone’s life. Here are some important things the public should know about emergency medical services:

1. “Paramedic” and “EMT” are not interchangeable terms.

Depending on your state, there are actually up to four levels of pre-hospital care providers. Each level has a different set of skills they are allowed to perform, from basic first aid to giving medications and inserting endotracheal tubes. It’s not all that important to know the ins and outs of each level, but you should know that an EMT has a pretty limited scope of practice compared to a paramedic. If you have a serious medical problem, you want a paramedic there for sure.

2. This might be our first call ever

Especially if your town has a volunteer team, rather than a paid ambulance service. Not to worry, most likely at least one or two of the responders to your emergency will have experience, but you might get a total rookie. And that rookie might mess something up, like trying to take your blood sugar with the wrong end of the test strip *ahem*, not that I’ve ever done that.

3. CPR is gruesome.

Because you need to give deep compressions (2 inches or 5 centimeters, in case you were wondering) in order for it to be effective, it cracks ribs. It often results in bodily substances everywhere. Not pretty, but it saves lives!

4. We still have to follow the rules of the road... to an extent.

For example, we still have to stop at stop-lights, but then we can proceed through them. We also always pass on the left. Don’t think you’re doing anyone a favor by pulling in the left lane; the ambulance will have to cross that yellow line if it has to pass you. We also can’t just speed willy-nilly. The style of your driving should match the acuity of the situation.

5. It’s really hard to hear important sounds (or basically do anything whatsoever) in the back of the rig.

Hearing blood pressures or lung sounds while transporting a patient is something I’ve yet to master. In fact, doing anything while in transit adds a whole new level of challenge. It’s bumpy as all get out in the back of those things.

6. Talking on the radio is TERRIFYING.

Ok, so this is a newbie thing. But there is a lot of radio communication in EMS, and a lot of it is about following steps in order. I’m always afraid I’m going to forget to share important information when I’m talking to the hospital or the dispatcher on the radio.

7. EMS personnel deal with really scary, sad stuff all the time.

I remember when I was little, my mom and I passed a car accident where I believe someone got hit by or ejected from a vehicle. EMS hadn’t arrived yet, so the scene and victims were in plain sight. I didn’t understand what was going on at the time, but I remember my mom with tears in her eyes telling me not to look. My parents still do this to me to this day: tell me not to look at a bad accident or dead animal in the road. I haven’t had a bad call yet, and I’m worried about how I will react when I do. I know there will be no more looking away from the bad accident. There won’t even be time to feel sad. It doesn’t matter if it’s an abuse victim, suicide attempt, or car accident. It doesn’t matter if it’s a baby or a mom or an elderly person. I'll have to keep it together and act.

8. We often have no idea what we will find when we arrive on scene.

Many times, dispatch tells us to “respond to XYZ road for a 67 year old female sick person,” or, better yet an “unknown situation.” Sometimes they will dispatch us for something specific, like a stroke, and we will arrive on scene to find something completely different, like a very drunk person. The point is, we have to be prepared for anything.

9. The work hours are crazy.

It's not uncommon for an EMS worker to have a 24 hour shift. Depending on call volume for that shift, they may hardly get a chance to eat, or sleep over night. There is a lot of debate surrounding whether 24 hour shifts are a safe practice. Imagine having to take care of a critically ill patient at the end of a crazy long shift.

10. A twisted sense of humor is a job requirement.

You can't deal with trauma and death without being able laugh a little, right?

11. Working in EMS is more than just a job, as cheesy as it sounds.

Between the nature of what we do, and the amount of time we spend together, it's hard not form a community in EMS. I've only been a part of my ambulance service for about six months, but I feel utterly at home there. Additionally, seeing people at their worst has changed the way I look at my own life. If I could go back in time, I would make the decision to enter this field over and over again.