Feature -- by Mark Sproxton

City paramedics deal with different circumstances every day.

Speaking calmly, yet authoritatively, one paramedic's voice blends in with the others, computers and ringing phones that flood the dimly lit room. A Calgarian has just called 911 to seek medical assistance for her partner who lies unconscious on their living room floor. The paramedic poses a set of specific questions to try and get a basic medical assessment of the ill person, while at the same time arranging for an ambulance to get to the residence.

"Being a dispatcher is a challenge because you can't see or touch the patient, and often it's not the patient you're talking to," explains Mason Coombs, a paramedic with Calgary Emergency Services. "You're doing the same job over the phone you're doing on the street."

But it's that challenge, and the excitement of the unknown that Coombs loves about the work. "Every day is different, every call is different. You may see 100 diabetes calls in your career, but every one has a different story. It is definitely a challenge dealing with different patients." Part of the test dealing with such a variety of people is finding the best method to ensure you're communicating properly, he said. "It's almost like being a detective in a way. You ask as many questions as you can to get to the bottom of the problem."

Coombs has long had an interest in getting to the bottom of a situation. Growing up he was fascinated by the work the paramedics undertook on the TV show Rescue 911. Always interested in health care as well, as he grew older he took first aid courses and began networking with friends and their families and managed to arrange ride-alongs in ambulances. The first-hand exposure pulled him in.

Within five years from being an observer, Coombs completed the required education and gained the needed experience to become a paramedic in Calgary. He first enrolled at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in the three-month emergency medical responder (EMR) program. Upon completion and after writing the required provincial exam, he worked as an EMR for a year before returning to school for an emergency medical technician (EMT or EMT-A) program. He worked in that capacity for nine months before returning to school for a two-year paramedic (EMT-P) program.

Each of the programs has a practical component, so, over the years Coombs gained much hands on experience to compliment his classroom learning. Working in places such as Cochrane, Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca, he soon gained the experience the Calgary Emergency Medical Services department was looking for, and he was hired.

Now he works the typical four-days on, four-days off schedule that includes two 10-hour days, followed by two 14-hour nights. Coombs works on the street in addition to the dispatch room. (See this month's Double Take for the many other opportunities available with the Calgary EMS department.) "I'm early in my career, but sometimes the 14-hour nights get to you," he said. "The hours are long and it can get stressful, especially in this room. But there's not a day I haven't looked forward to going to work."

The days working the streets (riding or driving an ambulance) begin at one of the halls located throughout the city. After checking the vehicle to ensure it has all required equipment and supplies, the emergency services crew will read or do paperwork while waiting for a call. "As soon as the bells go off, you're out," Coombs said. "We have to respond within 90 seconds. You're heart rate goes up because you never know what you're going to."

Once on scene, the paramedic puts his medical, communication, physical and calming skills to use. "We have a protocol we follow," he said. That protocol includes asking a series of specific questions to determine what the problem may be, how long the person has been in trouble, what may have cause the problem etc.

Sometimes, such as the case of a car accident, some of the questions are immediately answered, but other factors enter the scenario. "When you're trying to treat people and explain to them their family members are dead, it is hard," Coombs said. "You see the worst of it."

The difficult parts aside, he hopes to carry on with EMS for many years and eventually move into a community relations or supervisory role. He also has some good advice for those just beginning their pursuit of working in this field. "Don't expect to be hired by the city right away. There are so many people who want to do this job, you may have to work up north to get the experience. If you can't find a job, be persistent."