1.)How old were you when you decided or thought about becoming a paramedic - 19 on the scene of a bad wreck with no equipment and a 40 minute response time from a rural ambulance. watched a family die from their injuries. Knew at that moment I wanted to be a medic. I always wanted to be but that solidified it.
2.) What was your college experience? 2 years in junior college getting prerequisites for 4 year college - then went to UMKC and also got my emt and medic as well.
3.) How many years did it take to graduate? 6
4.) What could you give to someone going into the business? Don't rush it. You have your entire life to do this job.
5.) what is your American dream? to own 10000 acres overlooking the mountains of Colorado or the Rockies somewhere.
6.) is it achievable? no freaking way.
8.) if you could live your life all over again would you become a paramedic again? Why ke why not? Yes I would, but I'd do it differently and get my degree first and not a degree in sociology, but a degree in Information Technology or something tradeskill related. My bachelors degree is Useless.
9.) Was this your first choice of a career? Yes
10.) was there a time when you wanted to give up? My first day on the job my first call was a adult code, then a couple of general call, then we worked a trauma code and then my last call was a pedi code. I nearly didn't come back. but I did and I put all three of those codes in the locked room in my brain and they don't get to come out. Over the years, that room has turned into two rooms. The key is an electronic keypad that only two other people know the code. My wife and my best medic friend. We change the code about every 5 years. You Cannot trust the NSA any further than you can throw em.