Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 21, a Book by Michael Morse
Monday, October 17, 2016
I always thought that a day in the life of a Providence Firefighter assigned to the EMS division would make a great book. One day I decided to take notes. I used one of those little yellow Post it note pads and scribbled away for four days. The books Rescuing Providence and Rescue 1 Responding are the result of those early nearly indecipherable thoughts.
I’m glad I took the time to document what happens during a typical tour on an advanced life support rig in Rhode Island’s capitol city. Looking back, I can hardly believe I lived it. But I did, and now you can too. Many thanks to GoLocalProv.com for publishing the chapters of my books on a weekly basis from now until they are through. I hope that people come away from the experience with a better understanding of what their first responders do, who they are and how we do our best to hold it all together,
Enjoy the ride, and stay safe!
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCaptain Michael Morse (ret.)
Providence Fire Department
The book is available at local bookstores and can be found HERE.
Chapter 21
0015 hrs. (12:15 p.m)
“Rescue 1 a still alarm.”
“Rescue 1 and Engine 10; respond to 1844 Broad Street for a reported shooting, stage for the police.”
Bedbugs shoot.
“Rescue 1, Responding.
“Happy Easter,” says Mike when I get to the rescue. The door goes up, Rescue 1 goes out, the door closes. A popular nightclub is located at 1844 Broad Street. Numerous violent incidents have occurred here over the years. The City Council passes an ordinance every now and then in response to the latest debacle, the business is closed for a while, only to re-open a few weeks or months later under a different name. The latest incarnation has been doing a great business for about a year without incident. Apparently all of that has changed.
“Engine 10 to fire alarm, police on scene waving us in.”
“Rescue 1, received.”
A large crowd has gathered in front of the nightclub. The people making up the mob move as one from my vantage point through the windshield, about four blocks ahead. The flashing lights from Engine 10 and the dozen or so police cars give the illusion of a strobe light and a late night fog has descended on the area, giving the scene a movie set quality. The crowd parts as we approach, the mood almost festive. Two or three fist-fights have started on the fringes, the emotions high. The “scene is safe” and we follow the lights from Engine 10 toward the victim. He is lying on his side in the gutter, unconscious, three bullet holes in him, one in his shoulder, another his left hand and the one that worries me most, the right side of his abdomen. At least there was no head shot.
I still find it amazing the ability inherent in some people to point a gun at another human being, aim, and pull the trigger. These are not crimes of passion or revenge, rather just idiotic drunken bar fights gone out of control because the kids in the 'hood are “packing.” Instead of a nice, old-fashioned fist-fight, maybe a broken nose and some bruised knuckles the next day, these arguments are settled with gunfire. I can see from the excitement in the faces around me, as we push the stretcher through the crowd, that this is something these kids will talk about for months.
“I was there,” will be heard on the streets as word of the shooting spreads. The witnesses and participants will get instant “street cred” just for being there.
The guys from Engine 10 help us get the victim on the stretcher and roll him into the rescue. We don’t encounter much resistance from the crowd, but that is not always the case.
Closing time on the weekends is a raucous time in Providence. Some of our rescue crews will go downtown and park near the clubs and enjoy the sights while waiting for the inevitable call to come in. Ryan and Ray were working Rescue 1 last year on a typical Friday night at closing time. They went to the famous Haven Brothers Diner for a late night snack and parked near one of the clubs and waited for a call. The call came to them instead.
A crowd was leaving one of the bars. Before long the Rescue was surrounded by people. As Ray and Ryan sat in the truck, a man pulled a gun, twenty feet in front of them, pointed it at another man and shot him, point blank range numerous times in the head. He died instantly and dropped to the ground. More guns were drawn, Ryan radioed for Police and Ray attempted to back out of the area until the scene was secured. The angry crowd had other plans for the rescue. The truck was blocked in, Ray and Ryan forced to administer assistance at gunpoint. The crowd was all black guys, Ryan and Ray caucasian. A tentative racial truce exists during normal daily routines, what rears its ugly head in times of duress is horrible. I have felt the rage from minorities during similar situations and it is truly frightening. Anything can happen when emotions spill over and rules of tolerance, acceptance and racial diversity are interrupted by violence. The fact that the violence has nothing to do with two white guys sitting in a rescue watching one black man blow another black man’s head off is irrelevant and lost when the mob reacts to violence.
We got in and closed the doors. Dan was in charge of Engine 10 and knew how things worked in these situations. I was able to concentrate on the patient, Dan got Paul to drive the rescue, gave me Keith in back and cleared the path. We worked while rolling toward Rhode Island Hospital, Engine 10 leading the way through the mob.
“I need vitals, an EKG, and an IV, I’ll get the 02. Cut the clothes.”
Mike had the trauma shears and was busy cutting through the dying man’s clothing, Keith put the blood pressure cuff around the man’s right arm and I took a non-rebreather from the overhead compartment, filled the reservoir and put it in place.
“80/40, pulse 138,” said Keith, now working on the EKG leads. Mike had done as good a job as he could with the guy's clothing, most of his body was now exposed. I didn’t see any more holes. I fished through the remnants of his jeans looking for an ID and found one in his back pocket, no wallet just a state issued ID card. I have no idea if this is actually my patient, it could be his older brother, cousin, or an imaginary person who is of drinking age. Mike nails the IV on the first shot. I pick up the phone and hit the preset number for the Triage desk at Rhode Island. Melanie answers after three rings.
“Providence Rescue 1, I’ve got a twenty year old male, unconscious, hypotensive and tachycardic gunshot wound to his lower abdomen, shoulder and hand, IV established, 02 going we’ll be there in a minute.”
“See you when you get here,” says Melanie. I know that she is now calling for a Level 1 A Trauma Team. Doctors, Trauma Nurses, Respitory, ER Techs and the blood bank are assembling in one of the trauma rooms waiting our arrival. The fact that this kid got shot within three miles of the area's best and most experienced trauma teams is in his favor. His chance of survival is slim, but he will have a fighting chance thanks to the people about to take over his care. The folks in the rescue happen to be the best around as well, which is another plus.
Paul backs the rescue in and we wheel our patient past a number of EMT’s and patients from surrounding communities and into trauma alley. Melanie meets us and leads us to Trauma Room 3 where the team awaits. Because of the expert help in back of the rescue, I’ve had time to assemble the story, patient’s condition and treatment thus far and relay it to the waiting trauma team. They don’t want to hear any opinions, treatment suggestions or other commentary, nor should they. They are waiting for the facts. I let them have them.
“Twentyish year old male found in gutter, unconscious, gunshot wounds to his left shoulder, left hand and lower left anterior quadrant, hypotensive at 80/40, elevated heart rate at 140, unconscious during EMS response, 16 gauge IV established left AC, 02 enroute, pulsox 100% during transport EKG shows sinus tack.” While I relay the information the patient is moved from our stretcher to theirs. We put him on a backboard and applied a cervical collar on the scene which helped immobilize him during transport and now makes moving him easier. Another reason is if CPR become necessary a hard surface is necessary. I hope it doesn’t get to that point.
We have done all we could, I back out of the trauma room and let them do their thing. Our response was quick, transport minimal and treatment almost immediate. Time is everything in these situations and we did our part in extending this kid's life. It’s up to him now, and surviving the ER will be just the beginning of his battle.
The ER resembles Grand Central Station at rush hour, rescues coming and going, sick people, injured people, drunk, lonely people, all looking for a cure.
Michael Morse lives in Warwick, RI with his wife, Cheryl, two Maine Coon cats, Lunabelle and Victoria Mae and Mr. Wilson, their dog. Daughters Danielle and Brittany and their families live nearby. Michael spent twenty-three years working in Providence, (RI) as a firefighter/EMT before retiring in 2013 as Captain, Rescue Co. 5. His books, Rescuing Providence, Rescue 1 Responding, Mr. Wilson Makes it Home and his latest, City Life offer a poignant glimpse into one person’s journey through life, work and hope for the future. Morse was awarded the prestigious Macoll-Johnson Fellowship from The Rhode Island Foundation.
Related Articles
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 7 & 8, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 9, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 10, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 6, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 5, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 2, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 3, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 4, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 11 & 12, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 13, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 18, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 19, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 20, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 17, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 16, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 14, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescue 1 Responding: Chapter 15, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 1 - 1036 Hours Through 1339 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 1 - 1355 Hours Through 1646 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 1 - 0800 Hours Through 0840 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Prologue, a Book by Michael Morse
- Starting Next Week: GoLocalProv Starts Publishing “Rescuing Providence” By Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 2 - 1800 Hours Through 1946 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 2 - 2056 Hours Through 2233 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 3 - 1252 Hours Through 1543 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 3 1158 Hours Through 1245 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 2 0530 Hours Through Part 3 0915 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 2 - 0004 Hours Through 0230 Hours, a Book by Michael Morse
- Rescuing Providence: Part 3 - 1615 Hours Through Epilogue, a Book by Michael Morse