Frog: The Secret Diary of a Paramedic, by Sally Gould charts the first five or so years of her career as a paramedic. From early ride-alongs on placement, learning from more experienced workers, to becoming a trainer herself and then applying for the Intensive Care Paramedic (ICP) program. Gould shares about encouraging and challenging co-workers, and weaves together funny, poignant, sad and awful stories about patients. She is also open about her struggle with depression, which escalated a few years into the job.
The Gap by Benjamin Gilmour focuses on one summer (2007-2008) when Gilmour worked as a paramedic. Those who are unfamiliar with Sydney may not immediately understand the book’s title. The Gap is a prominent and beautiful
location on Sydney’s coastline, but also where many people choose to end their life. He includes a large range of call-outs - to brothels, nightclubs, mansions, emergency births and numerous heart attacks. Woven into this plethora of emergency work are the regular calls to The Gap and the personal lives of his fellow paramedics. In hindsight, this book headed in a relentless direction. The high mental health cost for emergency workers is evident.
You Called An Ambulance for What? by Tim Booth. This is much more cutting look at the people who call an ambulance unnecessarily - whether selfish, unknowing or entitled, and perhaps all three. Booth worked for years in south-west Sydney, and he does not hold back on his opinion of those who abuse the healthcare system. From the man with a blocked nose and the woman who wants her prescription refilled to the people who fake seizures in the middle of domestic disputes, Booth exposes the full gamut of people who call an ambulance who shouldn’t. Halfway through the book, Covid hits, radically changing the landscape, risk levels (and frustrations) for paramedics. It’s written in an acerbic tone laced with annoyance, frustration and condescension, so it won’t appeal to all. However, you may well also find yourself asking: “They called an ambulance for what?”
You Called An Ambulance for What? by Tim Booth. This is much more cutting look at the people who call an ambulance unnecessarily - whether selfish, unknowing or entitled, and perhaps all three. Booth worked for years in south-west Sydney, and he does not hold back on his opinion of those who abuse the healthcare system. From the man with a blocked nose and the woman who wants her prescription refilled to the people who fake seizures in the middle of domestic disputes, Booth exposes the full gamut of people who call an ambulance who shouldn’t. Halfway through the book, Covid hits, radically changing the landscape, risk levels (and frustrations) for paramedics. It’s written in an acerbic tone laced with annoyance, frustration and condescension, so it won’t appeal to all. However, you may well also find yourself asking: “They called an ambulance for what?”
Overall, these books have been a reminder of the amazing work our first responders do and the unique circumstances they operate in. Also, that 000 is for real emergencies only.
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Another book by Benjamin Gilmour, Paramedico, tells of his experiences serving with ambulance teams across the world in places like Iceland, Mexico, Pakistan and South Africa. It’s fascinating how different they are, often depending on funding and training. While every healthcare system has challenges, this is a good reminder of just how good we have it in Australia.
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