No calls since the last one at the hotel, a week ago. It's been way slow for the last several months. I did miss a serious accident on Friday, though, as I was on my way to MM38 (woo, hoo!).

FF1 class this evening. First Aid. The class was the taught by the lead instructor.

I'm fortunate that I am taking the course in the town where I am... I am the only long-haired male in class out of a class of twenty-five or so males and one female. EMS and rescue courses are like that; no male has long hair, ever, except me. It usually takes me a while to get my instructors past my freak exterior, but the lead instructor and the administrative lead, the chief at that station, have both seen me at scenes and know that I'm serious.

I found the first aid stuff dullish, although the lead instructor has an interesting, very energetic way of presenting things. He stalks between the rows, speaking to individual people and including everyone in his manic performance. His descriptions of red and white blood cells and platelets were vivid enactments involving wrapping himself around various student's drink bottles and notebooks, distributing them around the room as oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules and clotting agents. He was pretty entertaining, and I know that he will be very interesting teaching the fire curriculum.

Some of the slides were the usual pictures of horrific injuries. BB-to-the-eye was a good one; and I just this evening had a discussion of "no BB guns in this house" with me taking the "sixteen and responsible" side. There was also nail-through-the-finger, digits-burned-off, avulsed-and-lacerated hand, ring-desleeve (warned since Navy boot camp about the horrific dangers of the wedding band, I've finally seen a picture), foot-electric-exit-wound, and several flavors of bit-by-snake. Sure, there were other pictures; these were the highlights.

The text book and workbooks form an 8 x 10 stack about six inches high. In two weeks time, we are supposed to start bringing our turnout gear.

News on the EMT-I front... My state has a bizarre EMS setup that recognizes the National Registry for Basics and Paramedics but not for Intermediates. In fact, there's a whole new state set of protocols for Intermediates, the '03 'I' curriculum, that is not quite as advanced as the latest National Registry stuff but has certain contorted differences. So, now ALSI is looking into what that would entail for their training of my 'I' section in March, and how I would get Vermont certification afterwards. Another option I'm considering is to get state reciprocity with a state that Vermont recognizes, so, take 'I' at ALSI, get National Registry and New Hampshire certification, and use that to get Vermont certification. To do that, though, I would have to get the sponsorship of an EMS squad in New Hampshire and probably have to do the clinicals at a hospital in NH. I have a loose affiliation with an ambulance squad, but no contacts at the hospital over there. It would just be easier if I didn't have to deal with New Hampshire.