RWC student John Chance is probably what most of us would think of as a real adrenaline junkie. He’s 21, a triple-major, and has spent the last year assisting with calls as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with Loveland-Symmes Fire Department.John was inspired to enter the field about two years ago when his father had a stroke and paramedics responded to the 911 call. He had a basic knowledge of CPR and assisted the workers. When they left, one of them told John that he’d make a good paramedic.
At the time, John was an assistant football coach at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy and thought-if nothing else-the classes might come in handy with injuries that players sustained on the field.
John started taking EMT courses through RWC. He developed a good rapport with his instructor, went on runs with him, and gained field experience. At the end of his training, the instructor suggested that he find a job as an EMT with one of the local jurisdictions. He spent the next year going on basic life support runs with the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department.
Doing this kind of work has to generate some pretty good anecdotes. When I asked about the funniest or most memorable call he’s been on so far, John puts his head down and starts laughing. When he composes himself, he looks up with a straight face and says, “One night me and some other guys responded to a call for help. When we get there, it’s this really old lady-maybe late 70’s-and she’s got her foot stuck between the shower and the toilet bowl. The worst part was, she was getting in the shower when her foot got stuck, so she’s buck naked. In a situation like that you try not to laugh, but we definitely had to go outside and regroup.”
On a more serious note, John once responded to a call where a 5-year-old boy had eaten a light bulb. The boy survived, but calls like that tend to leave a mark.
“Kids are definitely the hardest to deal with, emotionally,” says Chance. “You can get used to seeing all the goriness, but it’s the emotional stuff that you really take home at night.”
There is plenty more to come. This summer, John was accepted into the nationally accredited Paramedic certificate program here at RWC. To qualify, students have to already be EMTs, have several recommendations, and pass an entrance exam. Once accepted, program candidates must complete 435 hours of clinical and field training, and anyone scoring lower than 75 percent on any test is dropped from the program.
In addition to the paramedic certificate, John is also working on bachelors degrees in Criminal Justice, Health Promotion and Education, and Secondary Education. He still coaches football at CHCA and has been promoted to Defensive Coordinator for the junior high team.
John was also one of 24 students who participated in the 2002 RWC Summer British Study Abroad program. “All my emergency training and cat-like reflexes really came in handy with that hooker in Amsterdam, ” he says jokingly, and laughs. Despite, or maybe because of, the seriousness of his job, he still maintains a pretty sick sense of humor.
John intends to work part-time as a paramedic for the next several years, finish his other degrees, and eventually teach.
“It’s always been rewarding work but, especially since September 11, people really seem to respect rescue workers and see them as heroes. It’s nice to be appreciated, and you get a good feeling when you know you’ve really helped someone out.”
John also really seems to enjoy the excitement and challenge of what he does.
“You never know what that next call is going to be,” he says, then laughingly goes on. “I dunno, mostly I just do it for all the pies and cakes people bring us.