Riding Shotgun

Written by Bakersfield Magazine

It’s 3 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving and I’m stumbling around in the dark, trying to wake up and get my bearings. I’m not even dressed yet; he’s ready—has been since 1 a.m. I find my way to the kitchen for a fix of caffeine and he’s pinging around the room like he’s indulged several times, talking a mile a minute with the excitement befitting a kid that just got his first kiss. He somehow seems changed at this ungodly hour: more mature...more annoying! Barely big enough to see over the steering wheel, he asks if he can warm up the car. I grumpily mumble something like “tuck in your shirt,” and toss him the keys. A few minutes pass and I brave the frosty air, get in the car, and we’re off—not to some crazy Black Friday sale like all the other “sane” parents are doing. No, we’re on our way to Post 1.

You see, my oldest son, Chris, was in the Hall Ambulance Explorer Program at the time and this was just one of many early-morning bonding moments we’d share over the course of several years. Every holiday, weekend, and summer vacation.

For those of you not familiar, the Explorers is a volunteer program for kids 14-21 to get a taste of what being an EMT is like. They participate in regular meetings, learn basic life-saving skills, help out at events and disaster drills, and the lucky ones get to ride shotgun in actual emergency situations (to observe only). For Chris, it was love at first ride. Actually, his love started much earlier. Ever since he was old enough to use the TV remote he had a fascination with trauma shows. So while other kids were watching Nickelodeon, Chris would be tuning into the operation channel (his favorite video was his grandfather’s gallbladder surgery). A chance discussion with his uncle turned him on to the Explorers and there was no looking back, except he was only 11; he had to wait three more years.

When he was finally of age to join, he became consumed! Eating, sleeping, breathing EMTs; at one point, he was politely banned from doing ride-alongs for a while. Seems he’d volunteered so much, no one else was getting a turn. It was a healthy obsession for sure...of course,

I had my worries. This is a kid that barely remembered to tie his shoes, let alone do his homework. He always misplaced his keys and, later, blew up two cars because he forgot to put fluids in. My biggest fear was that he was going to forget to lock the gurney in place and drive off with a patient falling out the back!

As soon as he was old enough, Chris applied for and became an EMT, and except for getting the ambulance stuck in the sand once (who knew they weren’t made for off-road?), it’s been mostly incident-free.

It’s his dedication and passion that I most admire; knowing what he wanted to do his whole life and working toward that goal and achieving it. It’s the same kind of passion shared by the thousands of healthcare workers in our community—a commitment to serve others. And that’s what this issue is all about. KernHealth (pg. 53) is our annual look at the facilities and healthcare providers that make our lives better. It’s also our annual presentation of Cheap Eats (pg. 39). We found OVER 50 great meals from local restaurants, all for under $10. Along with a fantastic history piece (pg. 32), we’re also proud to present our 1st annual Charitable Events Registry (pg. 95) and a fun look at local reality TV stars (pg. 49). This is our best December issue ever and it’s our gift to you—enjoy!

By the way, Chris just celebrated five years on the job and hasn’t had a patient fall out yet...but I still worry.

Article appeared in our 28-5 Issue - December 2011