Rescue 122

Here in Quiche it isn't Rescue 911, but rather the emergency number of 122 when you need help from the Bomberos Voluntarios (aka Volunteer Firefighters and EMTs). As many of you might or might not know, I, Toby signed up for the volunteer fire crew here in Guatemala. Figuring my experience of forest fire-fighting and Search and Rescue qualified me for duty, a connection through the organization I work for here got me in touch with one of the guys from the station and in only a week or two I was a Bombero with a letter from my former boss at the Forest Service. The guys and gals have been more than friendly, welcoming with open arms and excitement. On Sunday we have role and a meeting of everyone during which attendance is taken and the Bomberos Hymnal is sung. I also have an overnight turn at the station every Wednesday night from 8pm to 6am or so in the morning. The Bomberos stay pretty busy everyday responding to a lot of medical calls along with accidents and the occasional fire. Fires here are usually forest fires during the dry season with very few home fires due to just about everything being made of cinder blocks. Last week however the Bomberos responded to a pretty significant structure fire in a building that sold used clothing. One of the fire fighters went to the hospital after opening up a hose while on a ladder which in turn blew him back of the ladder. Don't worry, I won't be that stupid.

This Wednesday I finally got a little action with our first call coming in soon after I arrived for my turn. We responded to a medical emergency where a male was having some severe stomach pains. It was quite crazy when he and about 3 family members piled into the van so we could transport him to the nearby hospital. I suppose if he was in really dire condition when we got to his house the medic would have done something, but we just took him to the hospital to be examined there. I on the other hand am simply there on these types of calls for the muscle, in case we need to lug someone out in a stretcher. After returning we hung out for awhile, sitting on the fire truck, an old one from Santa Rosa, CA, shooting the breeze, the other guys smoking, and me alertly listening to the Spanish, trying to continuously understand what everyone is saying. Getting ready for bed I started reading my book and was relaxing when the alarm went off around 11:30pm. I hopped up, eager to go wherever I was need while a medic and aspirante (aspiring bombero) joined me in putting on our boots. We grabbed our jackets and slid down the fire pole (doing this on a regular basis is awesome and has always been a dream). Hopping into a Bombero Pickup we headed out to the call not knowing much other than it was a medical call. In the countryside we found a bike rider who was going to the house we were headed who guided us the rest of the way there (addresses aren't as exact like in the States). We left the pickup and had to climb up a semi-muddy hill with the stretcher, passing a few milk cows along the way. Once we got there a woman was squatting on the floor with about 6 other women around her speaking K'iche', and it didn't take long to figure out she was having a baby. Right as we arrived the head was coming out and the baby was being born in front of my eyes. We stood watch as the women did most of the work. Awhile later after the placenta passed, our medic got down there to make sure everything was okay and tied off the cord with some string. Eventually we left after it was clear that the woman and baby (it was her first) were going to be fine and didn't need transport to the hospital. It's a good thing too because that would have been a heck of a carry down the hill with the stretcher. It was pretty awesome seeing a baby be born in a mud brick house in the countryside of Guatemala. It is a story I won't soon forget and I am sure the first of many more to come. Kindly refusing the offer of coffee on the way out we headed out to the pickup and back to the station. As we drove back with the windows down and our fire jackets on, I couldn't help but think, how crazy and cool my life is...