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I had a great blog all pre-written for today, but sadly something happened Tuesday that's had lingering effects on my heart and mind. And well- then my reaction to an insipid, non-researching, dumbass, jerk-wad, douche bag reporter has all but consumed my being. So I wrote him a pleasant little e-mail this morning. And just for shits and giggles- I am posting here, since everyone loves seeing me go ape-shit on some unsuspecting bastard.

I do not wish to go into the gruesome details of the call in question, or the names of those I care about deeply and have been equally effected by this call, so please do not ask. There is enough information given in the news stories to give you an idea of the tragedy occurred.

I will not and have not changed his name or the name of one of his co-workers, so you all can maybe Google his reporting on this matter. Or go directly to www.WOODTV.com and watch the video.

Below the copy of my letter will be my thoughts...

"The Heroes You Forgot To Mr. Joe LaFurgey at WOODTV 8-

First off, my husband is a 15 year medic here in West Michigan and I will admit I am a strong supporter of EMS. Over a dozen of my closest friends are Paramedics or EMT Basics- five of which went to the tragic scene in Sand Lake on Tuesday.

Your story on the 6pm news yesterday was based on the emotional trauma suffered by those police, fire,
and 911 dispatchers (one that dealt with the call I also know personally). Having just gotten home from a celebration in honor of the heroes that make up the community of EMS- you story struck a cord. That of anger. What you apparently failed to notice during Im sure was five minutes of story research, is that this week is National EMS week. Not local, not state, NATIONAL EMS week. The week set aside for those to in EMS to be honored as the heroes they truly are. If you even bothered to watch your own video accompanying the story, there were not one, but two ambulances that were at the scene- also a paramedic supervisor vehicle. Did you just forget about them? Or are you someone that subscribes to the ridiculous theory that paramedics are soulless robots that show up in the meat wagon and walk away when they are done- unflinching and uncaring? That is a stupid, stupid way of thought and I would hope you arent that small minded.

The first two person crew that showed up on that scene, along with the paramedic supervisor, had the gruesome and sad task of searching that poor little girls body for any signs of life. Not the fire department members, not the deputies, but the medics! They had to pronounce her death, not anyone else, but them. But you didnt think of that did you? Not for a minute did you stop and think before opening your mouth on air about those men- how hard it is for them and how they thought of their own small children at home, when they did what had to do. No- you were too blindly occupied with the fire fighters and police officers on scene and their glittering light bars that really took no part in care for the little girl.

Instead your focus was on the deputies and the fire fighters. Where, by the way, your real focus should be. Why were there 12 police officers, when by the book maybe four on scene would be standard? Why did the entire fire department show up, when there was no extrication or rescue needed, but still they lingered long into the night drinking coffee- just to have the chance to have it as a story. A stroking of the ego I was there that night story Much like Im sure you hold dear to your heart about tragedies you yourself cover. That- should be investigated.

Youre ill regard for the heroic men and woman that were there that night that wear the EMS uniform is disgusting and pathetic. It warms my heart to think there is still a reporter at WOOD TV that practices the Geha Guide to Crap-tas-tic Journalism. Might I suggest you cover the full story, not just the parts you like? Do your job or get off the air."

I am biased. I will in no way say that I am not. Since this is EMS Week, it is a time of the year where those that are Paramedics, EMT Basics, or Critical Care Medics deserved to be honored. They are heroes in my eyes.
The things they deal with on a daily basis makes them heroes. Not every day is there a deeply saddening event such as this, and granted they are trained to do things by the book. But when they go home to their families, the emotional occurrence during such a call is harder then any one person not in EMS could fathom. I am the wife of a paramedic that to this day, has calls that haunt him. I try to help him thru them as best I can, but sometimes that just isn't enough. And to see such a bastard TV reporter completely ignore those men and women in the EMS uniform- pisses me off to absolutely no end.

Coincidently- this is the same bastard reporter that had such a fevered blood lust for the gore and details of the quadruple murder/ house fire that occurred in my area a few years ago- that he stalked the police officers, fire fighters, and fire chief just to have a "breaking news" report to go on air with. The members of my small town damn near escorted the son of a bitch to the county line with shotguns loaded. Some tried picking him off with their cars. And he deserved it.

It seems to me that members of the EMS community never get good press. They never get the praise they truly deserve. But the minute one is found out and charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct with a minor- all over the news. When one is found to have solicitated a minor and having kiddie-porn on his computer- all over the news! When a crew has a mishap in an ambulance bay at the hospital- sure enough- the grainy footage from a security camera and the "sobbing" family member is on constant nightly play for a week! I hope these worthless assholes calling themselves journalists get the honor of being spat on when they call an ambulance when they are in medical need. And hope the crew members are unabashed assholes to said journalists and maybe, just maybe, not so tender when placing the IV in their arm. Perhaps forgoing the nicely placed arm IV and go directly for the IO needle in their forehead! That would be great too!

Tell a member of EMS thank-you for all the hard work... They deserve to be cared for and supported too!