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Gary Doherty

Gary Doherty

EMTs are heroes to many people

TRINA BELL ized after spending 5 years as a police officer in the past, the
tbell@dddnews.com lights, sirens, and missed excitement was luring.
Most heroes do not consider themselves heroes and
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s) are usually a pa- Doherty is no different. But it’s hard to deny how men and
tient’s first point of contact in a medical crisis. Doctors and women in these positions are seen by many as heroes.
nurses are usually recognized after someone has a medical “What I enjoyed most about being an EMT was helping
issue which sends them to the hospital or emergency room. people,” Doherty said. “In EMS, we meet people on their
But do the EMT’s and Paramedics get the recognition they worst days, and sometimes I was able to make that bad day
deserve? a little better.”
EMT’s and Paramedics respond to emergency calls af- Like any job or career path, not every day is pleasant. “The
ter being dispatched by their ambulance service. They are down side to EMS is having to witness people’s heartache
most likely that patient’s first medical contact and in some because of a lost child,” Doherty said. “Or trying to console a
cases, are the person’s lifeline between the time the experi- child when he/she doesn’t understand why mommy won’t
ence the medical emergency and the time they are seen by answer back is just heart breaking.”
a licensed doctor. Doherty talked about how the look of desperation, mixed
For Kennett resident Gary Doherty, being an EMT meant with pure hope in someone’s eyes while they watch him
using his medical and social skills to help someone in a time perform CPR on their loved one, when he knew it was not
of need. Although Doherty made a career change recently, doing any good, killed him inside.
he spent 14-years on an ambulance crew, working between “You take these down sides and add to this, the incred-
Hayti, Jonesboro, Kennett and Senath. ibly long shift hours, the seemingly endless hours behind
“I got my license in 2002 after being laid off from my job,” the wheel, irritating work partners, lack of sleep, lack of
said Doherty. “My wife at the time was in nursing school, home life, missing your family time, and reheating your din-
and when she suggested I give the EMS a shot, I turned ner three times because the nursing homes keep calling to
my nose up at her. “The thought of being a male nurse just transport Patient A because he may have fallen, and the
didn’t seem right for me.”
But Doherty said after thinking about it for a while, he real- See DOHERTY page 17

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