Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: A paramedic checks out Rachel Fox, who portrayed the drunk driver during the mock DUI scenario in 2019.
Dear Editor:
I had the pleasure of being a victim for the Eastern Arizona College Paramedic Class of 2023 final practical this morning. These five amazing students have put their hearts and souls the last two years into becoming paramedics – the best of the best in a world that is often not so pretty nor kind.
Their instructors (John Clegg, Cade Kelliher, and a host of others) have done the same to teach them, guide them, help them through not only the learning process, but the tears (lots of tears), and laughter (lots of laughter), and help them navigate through the time away from their families and friends and so much more so that they can attain their dreams.
But you all need to understand that this isn’t about their dreams but yours. It’s about the person that will come to your rescue at 3 a.m. (oh… the Magic of 3 a.m.) when you or a family member is having chest pain and is terrified. It’s about the person who will start an IV on your child who got into something and is covered in hives and turning blue.
It’s about the person delivering a baby in the middle of the highway in the middle of the night when it’s 112°. It is about the people who care so deeply about other human beings that sacrifice is the foundation of their lives.
Today, I saw the culmination of endless hours of studying. I saw frustration and fear. I saw the dedication, accuracy, fast thinking in stressful life-threatening situations, and unwavering determination to get it right. And they did. They got it right. They got it right in a way that only a paramedic can.
While I was never a paramedic, I was once a part of the EMS world and am unbelievably proud to call these people my sisters and brothers.
So, if you ever get the opportunity, take the time to thank an EMT, a paramedic, a police officer, and/or a firefighter. Because of them, some of us will make it through the night. I can’t name them here, but I promise you that if I ever need a Paramedic, I will ask for them by name.
Well done, Eastern Arizona College Paramedic Class of 2023 and their instructors, well done!
Nanci Wallace – Safford
