Member-only story
Missing Medic
A tale of the disappearing partner
We were loading “Mr. Smith” into the back of the ambulance, struggling with his size and the snowing hill. As I strained enough to get the front wheels onto the ambulance floor, I looked around to see where Fred had gone.
The year was 1986. It was winter in Northeast Tennessee. We were almost finished with our paramedic class — the first class taught in this part of the state. I’d stopped by our local rescue squad to visit the ambulance crew stationed at our volunteer squad. At the time, I worked part-time for the county ambulance service with the two men stationed here today. They were also in the same paramedic class.
We talked about our class assignments and the usual banter associated with rescue squads and ambulance services. The emergency phone rang. It was a call for a person with difficulty breathing, an elderly man who lived at one of the homes on the bluffs overlooking the river.
With several inches of snow on the ground, Rob — the elder man on the ambulance, asked if I’d go check it out in my four-wheel-drive blazer, to see if they needed an ambulance. They would have difficulty getting close to the residence. I agreed, took a portable radio and went enroute.
The snow was heavier in the bluffs overlooking the river. I was in four-wheel low and managed to reach the lower…
