EMS and Poverty
I am so fortunate. Each morning I wake up to a warm and comfortable home. I have a closet full of clean clothing. I open a well provisioned refrigerator and start my day with a full belly. I have two beautiful children and I am a few days away from my 10 year wedding anniversary. I look around at my house in the suburbs with the 2 cars in the garage. I am really thankful for the family, friends, and bounty that surround me.
Like many of you I work in EMS to help others when they need it most. If it were not for EMS I would not see how so many others live. Seeing children with hollow and hungry eyes, smelling a homeless man under a viaduct, listening to an addict complain of having no where to turn, and touching the skin of sick elderly female that has not been bathed for weeks keeps me humble and grounded.
It is so easy to disconnect from the greater world. Our friends and family usually live like we do. EMS keeps me connected to how the rest of the world lives. For a few minutes with each patient and their family I can offer care, compassion, and comfort to ease the anguish of poverty.
Ending, combating, battling poverty (pick your verb) starts with individual actions. As EMS providers we ask every patient two very powerful questions:
- What can I do to help?
- What can I do to make your more comfortable?
Today, October 15, is Blog Action Day 2008. The theme is poverty. Today bloggers and podcasters are writing about Poverty to raise global awareness. Learn more at www.blogactionday.org.
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Tags: Blog Action Day, Poverty
