So, as some of you know, I'm a paramedic and occasionally in the course of my duties I'm called to transport a patient via helicopter. Last night was one of these times. Now, I had never been in a helicopter at night before, but I figured no big deal, right? right.
So we were going out to this resort about 70 miles from the hospital we needed to transport the patient to. I had driven out there in an ambulance with a couple other medics and the helicopter was meeting us there.
So we get the patient, get everything ready, and I get on the helicopter with the patient and take off to head towards the hospital. The helicopter is a military aircraft, so it was a Blackhawk, which is super cool type of helicopter, and it's got 2 pilots, and 2 basic military medics on board.
So we've been flying for about 5 minutes, no big deal, everything is going great....NOT.
Suddenly ALL, and I mean ALL the lights go out in the helicopter and the damn thing lurches and drops a few feet. I begin to have a heart attack and scramble for my special night vision safe flashlight (since it was dark all the military guys had on night vision goggles, and you can't use a normal flashlight.)
Then the lights come back on, and the helicopter continues flying normally.
I choose to refrain from speculating what had happened, although I had a good idea.
So we get to the hospital eventually, drop off the patient (who was fine), and I talk with one of the military medics I knew for a bit. He proceeds to tell me exactly what had happened with the helicopter much to my dismay, I was trying to go with the whole "ignorance is bliss" thing, but no such luck.
He proceeds to tell me for no detectable reason, the helicopter lost all power. All power, as in power to the controls, power to the lights, power to the engines, power to the rotor....you get the picture.
Sufficed to say, I really didn't need to hear that.
Then I find out from the medic when they tried to turn off the heilo at the hospital, the problem happened again, so they turned the engine on again full blast and left before the helicopter could totally break down.
Needless to say, I won't be on THAT helicopter again anytime soon!
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
hahahahaha but did you have to get a ride home once you knew that?
Sorry i ahve a sick sense of humor, oh and you didnt tll yursecdon brush with death story!
mwhaaha
(you know i dont do sympathy, dont expect any lol
Well, my ambulance was coming to get me from the hospital, I didn't have to go home with the helicopter thank goodness.
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
Would have been mnoe funny if your friend then asked if you where ready to go back in it.
I can just imagine you walking like 30hours to save goin in it heheeh.
But I was about to bite it, figuratively speaking.
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
Bet thats not the first chopper youve wanted to bite hey Aidey??? :P
Or the first time youve almost gone down on a chopper in the middle of the night hey Aidey??? :P
Glad you are ok tho. Dont listen to Erin, shes mean!
I love you!
~Phoenix~ is my Little Sister of Awesomeness and Self-Delusion :P Bitter Angel is my Mitten Animad is my Top Trump All Im Living For - Is my beautiful and special daughter who isnt called Kim but will moan if i dont add her :P
But but but... it's much more fun if there's a risk of crashing... Especailly when you're in one over the grand canyon. Or going with your friend on his FIRST solo flight after he got his licence...
I don't envy you, at all. 'Least planes can glide.
Yeah Laura....my boyfriend will enjoy the line of duty death settlement and funeral I get....lol
Oh yeah, and Laura, to top of off, my car got backed into also right after the helicopter thing..... I had like all my bad stuff for the month happen right at once.....
What really topped off the whole experience of the night was talking with the other paramedic I was working with after they picked me up at the hospital. She's a pilot, and she proceeded to explain to me how helicopters are like bumblebees and are basically like big rocks that use brute strength to defy gravity.
Yeah....that was nice to think about.
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
Yeah, hopefully I won't be in a helicopter for a long time. It's not something I'm frequently asked to do, once or twice a year or so, if that.
I think i'm going to try and avoid getting on another one for a while.
Well it breaks my heart to see you this way,
The beauty in life, where's it gone?
And somebody told me you were doing okay,
Somehow I guess they were wrong.
I had like all my bad stuff for the month happen right at once.....