Always on Alert

Havingspent sevenhours photographing EMTs in their work environment, photographer Peter Morris learned firsthand what it takes to be an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic. Basically, it’s a hurry-upand-wait profession, Morris noted. “Emergency calls can come at any time day or night, sending ambulances on every conceivable mission. A baby being born enroute to the hospital, a heart attack victim clinging to life, a major traffic accident where the ambulances will be met by a variety of police and sheriff units and fire trucks, or non-emergency situations where the passenger only needs transport to the hospital.

Bottom line, when not saving lives, the ambulance crews spend time preparing their equipment or washing their vehicles or eight or ten of them watching videos while enjoying pizza in a communal room at their base.

“It’s a warm and friendly gathering among co-workers who become an extended family to each other.” But as one Paramedic noted, “Even though we all sleep here, we never really sleep… always expecting the alarm to call us at any time.” t

Being an EMT to me is a job that is fulfilling, tough, and full of challenges. It’s a service that provides people with the comfort that help is always around the corner. If we can ever make someone who is already having a bad day feel a little better, it’s a good day.

- LENA KELBIE, EMT

Department contracted with Caldwell County to provide EMS transport service to the northern portion of Caldwell County due to its geographical remoteness. In July 2022, this service reverted to Caldwell County, and they now serve the same area as previously contracted for with Blowing Rock. This unit does not respond in the Watauga County portion of Blowing Rock. Without exception, Watauga Medics provides primary EMS transport service for all of Watauga County.”

While the varied emergency services available in Watauga County, as in other High Country counties such as Ashe and Avery, this insures all those in need are covered on a 24-hour basis.

Craig Sullivan, of Watauga Medics, says, “Currently, not including the Beech Mtn truck, Watauga County has four 24-hour trucks and one 12-hour truck. These are all Paramedic level trucks and are staffed with 2 providers. Base 1 has a 24-hour truck and a 12-hour truck, Base 2 has two 24-hour trucks, one of which moves to Blowing Rock (as discussed above) and Base 3 has one 24hour truck.”

While the 24-hour status of Watauga County emergency stations ensures that local services will always have personnel atthe-ready to man vehicles, these conditions demand on-site accommodations for personnel.

“Currently, the permanent bases are all freestanding EMS stations. These facilities have living quarters similar to fire stations and other such facilities around the county. The Blowing Rock and Beech Mountain trucks share space with these respective fire departments,” noted Sullivan. “There are 15-fire departments that service Watauga County. Many of these departments have more than one station to serve their respective districts. In addition, the Watauga County Rescue Squad operates out of its station located on Quail Street, in Boone.”.

The job is hard and requires more than you have to give more times than not. I love taking care of people. Working 24-hour shifts, often with no sleep, maybe a meal or maybe not. We are expected to be at our very best each call no matter what we have faced that day. We have to see and do things that brings everything from joy to nightmares for days, months, years. When so many people have the misconception that every heart that has stopped beating can be brought back by medics is a grim reality that is most often not the case. There is no better feeling knowing that you were able to make someone's bad day better.

- VERONICA SHELTON, EMT

Angela Seeley, EMT

“It is hard to put into words what being a Paramedic means to me. To put it simply, I think that's because it's so much more than just a job. It's a lifestyle that encompasses multiple different aspects of who you are. For me personally, I always knew I wanted to have a career in medicine; I just didn't know what that would look like. After both of my parents passing in 2013 and 2014, and dealing with different aspects of medical emergencies, I began to piece it together. I went to ride time at Watauga Medics in order to obtain my EMT Basic, and I was certain that this is what I was meant to do. I then understood the saying, ‘Love what you do, and you'll never work a day in your life.’"

Anthony Woodward, EMT

Perhaps this is an appropriate time to hear from Watauga County’s EMT’s themselves as they reflect on their vital jobs.

Peter Pickering, EMT

“Being a paramedic means being willing to provide comfort, care, and expertise to members of our community when they need it most. That can require calm confidence in the face frightening or even life-threatening injury and illness or just reassurance during routine encounters. It means recognizing the needs, great or small, of anyone who calls themselves your patient and working to see that those needs are met.”

Pickering continued, “Providing prehospital medical care means that you are trusted by your community simply for the job that you choose to do. In accepting that trust you take on a responsibility that is often overlooked or ignored by those you are there to help, until their hour of need. Nonetheless, it is a responsibility that motivates you constantly to improve and prove yourself worthy. In EMS, you are only as good as the care you provide your next patient.”

“We EMS personnel don’t always receive the recognition we deserve. This is because we are the ones people don’t want to think about needing. Usually when we show up things have gotten about as bad as they can. We’re the ones that run into your home with bags and equipment and work like mad to save you or someone you love and hopefully get them to the hospital alive.”

Woodward continued, “If we are unable to save them then we are the ones that sit with you on your couch and explain that your loved one is no longer with us and hold you as you grieve. To do this job you will experience things daily that will wrench your heart and things that will warm your heart. Things that will make you cry both tears of hurt and joy. Sometimes you feel like crying but you’re numb and nothing happens. We put everything we feel on hold to do our jobs then we clean our ambulances and restock and feel what we need to for a brief minute while driving to the next call and smile like nothing ever happened when you get out and greet the next people who need you. ”

Lena Kelbie, EMT

“Being an EMT to me is a job that is fulfilling, tough, and full of challenges. It’s a service that provides people with the comfort that help is always around the corner. If we can ever make someone who is already having a bad day feel a little better, it’s a good day.”

Veronica Shelton, EMT

“The job is hard and requires more than you have to give more times than not. I love taking care of people. Working 24-hour shifts, often with no sleep, maybe a meal or maybe not. We are expected to be at our very best each call no matter what we have faced that day. We have to see and do things that brings everything from joy to nightmares for days, months, years. When so many people have the misconception that every heart that has stopped beating can be brought back by medics is a grim reality that is most often not the case. There is no better feeling knowing that you were able to make someone's bad day better.”

Shelton continued, “Nothing compares to giving that scared elderly person comfort with that 2:00AM 911 call; they just want their vitals taken to know everything is ok. We go into every call having to think on the fly and having to think out of the box. There is no 912, there is just 911 and that is you. So many tragic things happen that the rest of world only reads about or sees on social media. We are there on the best and worst days of a stranger’s life, sometimes we can make it better and sometimes we have to find the words to tell them it's not going to be ok. Being a Medic is not a job you clock out, go home and leave work at work. I've had calls that to this day wake me up at night, they come with so many demons. The moment where I can make a difference in someone's life is what keeps me hanging on and fighting through the bad days. I have a huge extended family through my job, fireman, first responders, law enforcement. Without those ladies and gentlemen, I could not do my job!”

It's no doubt an exciting life for Watauga County’s many emergency service men and women, who day and night stand available to respond to situations which, in many instances, can result in the saving of lives both young and old. t