Most interesting partner

[WolfmanHarris]

So I suppose in systems with volunteer EMS this isn't so novel, but in this province every Paramedic is paid and a single role provider. In the last few month I've had a few other casual partner who are FT FF's as their main job and a couple that are LEO's who still work as medics casually. But in the last weekend I've had the most interesting partner thus far:

- approx 55 y/o

- educated as a nuclear engineer

- worked as an FF in the London Fire Brigade for 10 years

- came to Canada and completed another engineering degree

- ran the Emergency Services department at a Nuclear Plant

- now works as an Operational Engineer writing and reviewing procedures for the Nuclear plant

- works casual as a Paramedic. (completed the then one year program for this while still employed in his career)

On that note, who else has had some partners with interesting and eclectic backgrounds?

[fireflymedic]

Well doc - mine wasn't quite that interesting but I thought he was a pretty cool partner and was for a little over a year

36 years old

transplanted Yankee like myself

worked his way through school as a lineman climbing electric poles

worked as an electrical engineer for 7 years before deciding he hated it and quit

was a side artist and worked on the side doing courtroom sketching for trials for a few years

then decided he wanted to do this which he's still doing and loves it

[Kaisu]

I'm not saying I'm interesting, but I am unusual in the field.

I was born in Finland, immigrated with my family to Canada and lived there the first 40 years of my life. English is my second language, which I learned at age 7. Learned French in Canada.

Grew up in an abusive family and was on the streets at 15. Never graduated high school.

First career was pastry chef. Owned a bakery, and after selling it, worked as a pastry chef in hotel kitchens.

On the side, started messing with computers cause I thought they were cool. Wound up with my own consulting firm, managed a client base of 140, did it for almost 20 years. Picked up an accounting degree along the way. Hated it for the last 10 years, but was making so much money (and spending it all too) it was hard to walk away from.

Married an American, who I met online. Worked as Manager of Information Systems for the largest residential treatment center for abused and neglected kids in the state.

Retired from the computer racket and hung out for a couple of years. Started martial arts. Decided I wanted to be a paramedic. Turned 50 during the last semester of paramedic school. (caught a baby that day too!)

Got a 911 medic job 2000 miles away and moved to the desert. Learning some Spanish as I go.

Got a ton of life experiences (3rd marriage - this ones going good, 4 kids, 3 grandkids) and am LOVING my job.

[okmedic]

I'm not saying I'm interesting, but I am unusual in the field.

I was born in Finland, immigrated with my family to Canada and lived there the first 40 years of my life. English is my second language, which I learned at age 7. Learned French in Canada.

Grew up in an abusive family and was on the streets at 15. Never graduated high school.

First career was pastry chef. Owned a bakery, and after selling it, worked as a pastry chef in hotel kitchens.

On the side, started messing with computers cause I thought they were cool. Wound up with my own consulting firm, managed a client base of 140, did it for almost 20 years. Picked up an accounting degree along the way. Hated it for the last 10 years, but was making so much money (and spending it all too) it was hard to walk away from.

Married an American, who I met online. Worked as Manager of Information Systems for the largest residential treatment center for abused and neglected kids in the state.

Retired from the computer racket and hung out for a couple of years. Started martial arts. Decided I wanted to be a paramedic. Turned 50 during the last semester of paramedic school. (caught a baby that day too!)

Got a 911 medic job 2000 miles away and moved to the desert. Learning some Spanish as I go.

Got a ton of life experiences (3rd marriage - this ones going good, 4 kids, 3 grandkids) and am LOVING my job.

Wow that is some life you've lived!! You should seriously think about writing a book (that is if you haven't already!!) LOL

[chaser]

I'm not saying I'm interesting..

Are you kidding? You have lived quite a life.

Always thought there was something special about you.

Edited November 9, 2009 by chaser

[Dustdevil]

I know everyone expects that I will have some good stories for this thread, but I'm sad to say that I do not. I've had some great partners. I've had a lot of mediocre partners. And I've had some that truly sucked. But I can't think of a one that had a particularly interesting background or story. The majority were young whackers or empty nest moms, neither of whom had ever had another job in their lives. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

The most interesting partner I ever had was a young rookie, fresh out of medic school, whose only prior experience was as a volunteer firemonkey a couple of years earlier. Not exactly who you would expect me to gel with. But he was extremely intelligent, well spoken, well read, well educated (BA in Psychology), well travelled, having lived in Central America, and spoke two languages. Carrying on stimulating conversation for 12 hours in an ambulance was no problem for him, which is the most important quality in a partner. We could talk psychology, philosophy, literature, or the sciences for hours without either of us drawing a blank. He was an avid outdoorsman, like myself, so we shared many hobby interests. He was a music lover and musician, like myself, and taught me my first guitar chords. Didn't drink or smoke. His politics were straight. Hell, if he were a woman, I would have married him! But it's kind of ironic it retrospect to realise that he was really just a kid, new to the profession and to the working world as a whole. No interesting jobs or anything in the past that would make you immediately think he was uniquely interesting.

Edited November 9, 2009 by Dustdevil

[scubanurse]

I worked with someone who got the BA in criminal justics from GWU, a Med Student from GWU, a Med Student from Georgetown U, the PR guy for the head of the FBI, the lead counsel for some big DC law firm, a chemist, a few researchers from NIH, and a bunch of other interesting people from all professions. Having volunteered in a suburb of D.C. we got some pretty interesting people coming in to volunteer. The chief at my former station works at the U.S. Department of Transportation as the Assistant Chief Information Officer.

"Leusch, who spends his days as the Assistant Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Department of Transportation, hopes to instill his own thirst for knowledge on the rest of the station as well, by offering classes and seminars."

http://www.gazette.net/stories/10142009/nortnew192530_32526.shtml

Probably some of the most interesting were the criminal justics major from GWU, he had been a U.S. Park police officer first and worked in both D.C. and CA. Also a metro police officer in DC before becoming a FF in montgomery county, and the PR guy who then became a close friend and I babysat his kids often.

I'm not interesting like Kaisu but I do have my own story to tell...haha.

I recently resigned from EMS due to a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Before that, I joined the fire service as a junior in high school. Became an EMT at 17, EMT-I at 19. I'm now a nursing and philosophy major out in Colorado.