Working LE in a small dept is bad when this happens. If I'm on I know I'll spend at least a few hours with the body. I investigate, take my own photos, assist coroner in the morgue and take more photos there. I've been on lots of things nobody should see just like the rest of us in this job. From babies to elderly. Natural, murder and suicides. On calls like this I can tell from the smell what happened when I step in the door. The worst smell is a tie between an elderly man that fell into a garbage burn pit and was cooked in the coals or the guy who nobody missed for over 3 weeks in July. You will never forget using a snow shovel to put maggot soup into a bag. We borrowed air packs from the fire dept for this one. We have nobody to talk to here. 15 years ago I wish we would have. I might have a better outlook on things now.

I had the misfortune of making this scene. Doesn't wake me up in the middle of the night, but I'll damn sure never forget it. Makes you want to keep a pretty short leash on your daughters.

Three days in the Houston heat and humidity does nothing for the dignity of the dead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Jennifer_Ertman_and_Elizabeth_Pe%C3%B1a

Winter time here a few years ago, I got a CVA on elderly man. Got to the house, heat was cranking. Wife was grieving loudly. Man was late 80's-early 90's, in a hospital type bed, with a diaper on. He was very frail, think Nazi death camp prisoner photo frail. He was covered in vomit and feces. He had aspirated vomit. I assess, cleared airway to a degree, got oral airway. As I did compression the ribs broke loudly. My help was 20 minutes away. The heat, the smells, the wailing, and 20 minutes or so of compressions was rough.

I had forgotten about the GSW I started this thread about until I looked at my subscription page.

This.

Been on the job a little over 18 years now, 7 to go till I can retire. I have had days were i have walked into the Chiefs office and said i am done.... Closed the door and vented/cried/screamed and just let it all out... Luckily for me, I have a Chief that has been there and understands. CISD is a great tool, use it. It isn't just the "Bad" calls that get to you, It's all the little ones too. Be safe Brother.

I have been on a Volunteer Fire Department for 15 years now. I worked my first fire with a fatality on a Christmas morning years ago. Pulled two bodies out after the trailer had burned for one and a half hours and all that was left was the trunks. Went home and cooked steaks that day. But it was still a couple of weeks before I could close my eyes without seeing that. Walked into my neighbors house one day when he had not been out expecting a stroke or heart attack. He had gotten depressed and laid down in bed, put a pillow on his head and shot himself with a .38. That was another one that did not leave me for a few weeks. I have worked many wrecks with fatalities and most don't affect me but some like the teenagers will stick with me. God gave me the ability to deal with this and I have several friends and other volunteers to talk it out with which is the most effective way to deal with it. It has never really upset me but I do have some stick with me longer than others and as some have pointed out you never really forget any of it.

This!





My last 1st involved a child and tarping the scene. CISM is important, I hope you have one in your district.

Head canoe.

Thank you for your service.

I had a scene exactly like that. The brain looked perfect! Except for the pieces dripping off the ceiling of course. Shotgun to the mouth. Those scenes have never bothered me. I actually feel pretty good knowing that whatever problems I may have at the moment, they are trivial compared to what someone else may be experiencing. It makes me appreciate what I have. The only one that was tough was a 5 year olds murder/suicide by his mother. And they were decomposing.

Thanks for your service....

This exact conversation came up at work a couple days ago with my boss. Im really sorry you had to deal with that. CISD even if its not for you, you need to be there for anyone else.

Research has shown some pretty strong links between smell and memory, specifically smells we classify as unpleasant, which in EMS is most of them.