Lights & Sirens: The Education of a Paramedic, by Kevin Grange, is the story of a Paramedic in Los Angeles, California. At the age of 36, Kevin Grange enrolled in the UCLA- Daniel Freeman Paramedic Education Program, considered the most intense paramedic training program in the world. The book followed Grange through the traumatic days of a paramedic; the traumas, the emotion, the strength, etc. It was very eye opening into how intense and quick the world of a paramedic is. Those men and women have to be on their best game 24/7 and be prepared for whatever may be thrown at them. The things they see and encounter takes a lot of courage and strength to work through in order to save a human life. Teamwork was the overall theme of this autobiography, which is an obvious and important factor when working in such an urgent environment.
My favorite part in the book was when Grange had to go into the labor and delivery ward (L&D ward), at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica. It is part of the paramedic training that the paramedics must spend at least a day in the L&D ward in order for them to prepare to deliver a baby in the field if necessary. That day, Grange helped deliver four new borns. Two of which had some health problems but were resolved with the correct treatment. The third baby Grange was on his own to assess after the birth. Everything when smoothly and it was actually kind of nice to read about something more than sickness and death. The rest of the chapter was just as interesting, but a little more sad and depressing. Finishing his time at the hospital he did basic medical things; IVs, ECGs, blood sugar levels, checked with patients, etc, but on his second shift a seven month old child, completely different than the ones previously mentioned, came in the ambulance with a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order. Grange was puzzled to why a seven month old would have a DNR order. He assumed because of child abuse but the baby was actually diagnosed with brittle bone disease, osteogenesis imperfect, which the life expectancy isn't more than a year. Grange and the other doctors worked together to get the baby stable, which was a success, but Grange knew it wouldn't be stable for much longer. The doctors never gave up and in the end helped this baby and family. There are always goods and bads in the life of the paramedic and some are harder to take than others.
My favorite quote was actually in my favorite part as well. "As I walked across the room, holding that little life in my hands, I felt the greatest joy and couldn't help but consider that moment as complementary to my experience in the cadaver lab. As paramedics, we'd see dead bodies- stiff and discolored with rigor mortis and lividity- but we would also welcome babies into the world." (pg. 169). When I read this quote I felt strangely calm. We work our whole lives to be someone great and successful, to do what we love and make a living off of it. New borns are a blank slate, they can be anything they want to be, the options are endless. The power of holding a baby is very promising and soothing, they don't know what you have been through or what you have seen, they don't understand. Grange witnesses the terrible aspects of life everyday, seeing those traumatic events may cause you to forget how innocent, pure, and naïve we once were.
This book relates to my iQuest area of interest because it is in the medical field. I want to help people, my profession may not be as intense but I still want to make a difference in people's lives while working with a team. Giving my all to better one of my patients just so they can improve is very important in my career goal. My eyes were opened to all of the things that could potentially go wrong in everyday life. Those trauma patients, after all their treatment, are going to need a physical therapist to help recover, not all lives are saved from just in the hospital. If a person is considering going into the medical field I highly recommend this book. You also get educated about just basic protocol paramedics have in the field and different injuries that could happen. Overall,
just a very interesting book that is easy to read and draws attention.
