Signal 25- Signal 25!! Signal 25!

 There is nothing like hearing the pleas for help as a coworker and friend comes over the air with "SIGNAL 25! SIGNAL 25! SIGNAL 25! HE'S GOT A GUN ON US!!" There is NOTHING more nauseating, nothing more helpless, nothing more paralyzing. Until that air traffic happens only days after a mass shooting that rocked your community and your security.

We were responding to a cardiac arrest when suddenly the dispatch channel lights up with "RESCOM FROM DISTRICT 6- WE NEED HELP!" Followed by "SIGNAL 25! SIGNAL 25! SIGNAL 25! HE'S GOT A GUN ON US!!" We call him "Bull". Many don't care for Bull because he has a not so fantastic rapport with his coworkers. Bull and I have a history of not getting along ourselves, but something happened to Bull over the past few years and we've mended fences. Bull always happens to pop up at the oddest times, sometimes he shows up and has no idea what's going on- creates some drama (albeit, maybe not intentionally), likely by "thinking" he knows the full story and trying to "fix" the problem that may or may not exist. Other times, Bull shows up right on time. He listens to the radio and strives to get us all home safely. He's popped up unexpectedly as someone was escalating- right before a gun was pulled on us. He saw it, immediately alerted us, and got us all out safely.

Some consider Bull to be in the way- I consider him my friend. So, hearing his voice quiver on the air sent chills down my spine. Bull is a big guy- probably over 6'4" and he's from New York. For Bull's voice to quiver, it's got to be bad. 

I tell my trainees we have to focus on our call and put this aside- easier said than done! We are responding to a cardiac arrest, someone's heart has stopped and we can't afford distractions- even if it means my friend is in trouble. About a minute later, he announces, "RESCOM, we got him down. He's on the ground and everyone is safe." At this point, I start to shake. Another near miss- but they're safe. Everyone is SAFE. It's ok- I keep telling myself. But how many more of these before we aren't safe?

Once the calls are done, I reach out to Bull to see if he's truly "OK". "No, I'm not ok. I didn't think I was going home tonight." He politely tells me he doesn't want to talk about what happened. It's understandable- we have to take time to process, to breathe. Later he begins telling me the story.

He and others respond to a bad car accident- one ejected, the driver is not hurt. PD is not onscene yet. Bull is overseeing the scene and calls for PD and the driver, who likely knows he's in some trouble, announces "no PD". The driver goes to his car, reaches in the center console and pulls out his handgun. At this point, Bull calls for help and two firefighters, who happen to be behind the driver, recognize the threat and tackle him to the ground, disarming him. Thank GOD for fast thinking and a safe ending! But once again, our responders were in harm's way. Once again, they go home with their sense of security rocked. Once again.. Once again.

I'm so thankful this call ended safely, but after the events of the past week, it shatters my security deeper. I'm losing my drive to do this. I'm losing my motivation to help people. I'm losing my ability to separate myself from the dangers of the job and the reality that we're safe. I used to be able to compartmentalize and move forward, but it's getting harder to do that. Each call brings a new level of danger. We shouldn't fear those we try to help!



Driver, disoriented after Knightdale crash, reaches for gun
A man involved in a Thursday crash in Knightdale reached for a gun but never pointed it at the first responders trying to help him. Around 1 a.m., troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded to a single-car crash at 1712 Horton Road.

A passenger inside the van had minor injuries. The driver was uninjured but appeared disoriented and reached for a gun, officials said. The man cooperated with first responders, following their orders and never pointed the gun at anyone. The man could face charges involving the weapon and drugs found inside the car.

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