King County Medic One
- Lisa Parsons
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
In 2010, I created a video collage of images that highlighted the history of King County Medic One(KCM1) for our 20th Anniversary. It was a look back at the history of the organization through three generations of paramedics.
In its inception in 1977, KCM1 was like most of society at that time, restless, wild, and bold. Young men...and a couple of women stepped up to usher in an era where instead of dying on the streets, people with medical and traumatic injuries were scooped up and treated by advanced life support paramedics. King County paramedics worked South of Seattle and were often referred to as "cowboys" due to their independence in making decisions on the streets, in real-time. They pushed the envelope both in developing cutting-edge patient care and challenging established institutions to bring about a unified county system.
Then came the development of the organization as those first paramedics took the reins of leadership and brought in a large group of freshly trained paramedics full of idealism. This was my class. There were growing pains that rocked the organization and a growing realization that years on the job were having a significant impact on the mental health of paramedics. However, it was a time of bravado both in the profession and in society as a whole. The old school "suck it up buttercup" continued to be the mantra. We were tough and could handle anything.
Over the years the next generation started filtering in as older medics retired. They brought with them new ideas and expectations of a different kind of professionalism. They had a kinder and gentler attitude towards humanity; in other words, they weren't burned out yet. With that, came an understanding that maybe we needed to look at how we could help our own people stay healthy, both mentally and physically, by addressing the elephants in the room, PTSD, and job-related stress.
It is my hope that the next generations continue to carry the torch, not only in professional patient care but in developing cutting-edge programs to help paramedics continue to meet the inherent challenges of the job with a healthy mind and body throughout their careers.
Essentially, this video montage represents three generations of paramedics who experienced the intensity of an amazing profession and helped create and refine the delivery of pre-hospital advanced life support in South King County.
Maya Murphy, the female protagonist of Aftermath
In Aftermath, the character, Maya, loves her job as a paramedic and thrives on crisis and bringing order to chaos. After the worst call of her career, she finds herself spiraling into PTSD. She escapes to the beautiful mountain town of South Lake Tahoe, but the nightmares follow her there. She tries to cope on her own using the only coping skills she can grasp at the time. Unfortunately, they aren’t working. Add the stress of an evolving situation in Tahoe and who knows what will happen.
More about the author, Lisa Parsons
I bring my years as a paramedic, time as a resident of South Lake Tahoe, and my love of the outdoors to the pages of this novel to address the real issue of PTSD in first responders. I hope that I have created not only an exciting mystery suspense thriller but also a trail to recovery from PTSD and other mental health challenges that first responders deal with, along with others in similar situations.
Watching this video, today, reminded me of April and I realized its been 2 years since April ended her life. In memory of April Dehuff, my coworker and paramedic. Rest in peace.
Resources for first responders
For some specific resources available for treatment and support for PTSD, cumulative PTSD, and/or addiction issues, the author is sharing these two resources that she is familiar with:
Safe Call Now: https://www.safecallnowusa.org/
IAFF Center for Excellence: https://www.iaffrecoverycenter.com/
If you feel comfortable, you can tap into the resources available through your employer. You can also reach out to local mental health professionals that specialize in PTSD as it relates to first responders. Make sure you connect with them in a way that makes you feel comfortable sharing your real experiences and feelings.
The key is to reach out. This is your dispatch to a better life!
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