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Twentieth Job of Bob - Rural Ambulance - Part VIII - Bystander Syndrome; the new demographics
This entry was posted on 5/24/2011 1:30 AM and is filed under Jobs of Bob.
In the pursuit of sometimes working or other times volunteering in public service, a guy learns or should learn a bit about human nature. There was a thing I guess I subconsciously knew from life's experience, but never thought much about it until my ambulance work. "Bystander syndrome;" it is both fascinating and tragic. At a busy scene of some catastrophe, bystanders often do not want to get involved, do not know what to do anyway, just assume some one else has already helped, or they figure someone else will eventually help. The upshot....people stand, stare, or just walk on by....consequence....someone often dies.
There was another realization that caught my attention in my ten years in public safety. People were living longer. What used to be considered "old" in my childhood years was now pushed out. The former 50 year old person now acts 30. The former 75 year old now acts 50. No one used to be too surprised if a 60 year old farmer kicked the bucket one day. Now if they aren't taking a cruise, golfing, or kick boxing at 90 years old, people indignantly complain that they are being short-changed in life.
The aforementioned phenomena was brought home to me one day as I took a page-out to a rural home. The dispatcher relayed the initial information that an elderly person was having difficulty breathing. That by the way was a common mantra that was often just the tip of an iceberg. We arrived out in the boonies to a home that in my first impression looked like some digs built to accommodate someone's "retirement" years. It was a newer and solid house on the rolling farm hills of Southwest Wisconsin - a retired farmer, dairy worker, or government employee I surmised. My partner and I dragged the appropriate equipment for a breathing issue up to the house. At the door, a well-dressed woman probably in her eighties answered the door. She looked vibrant and agile.
"You look like you are feeling better," I blurted out without thinking.
"Oh," she said. "You must be here to take a look at my mom." She nodded to the kitchen.
There at the table sat an old woman who looked a bit tired as she nibbled at her Cheerios. As it turned out she was well over 100 years old.
I remember thinking at the time, myself then creeping up on 50 years old, having grown up living a rather tough lifestyle, and eduring a somewhat rugged blue-collar work history, that....
...."I should be so lucky to live to 60."
Note: This blog "Jobs of Bob" Category does not list the jobs chronologically - I write about the experiences as they pop up in my memory and I often revisit an older job. Go to the Cooldadiomedia Web site and the Jobs of Bob Page for an ordered chronology.
Wisconsin Military Service Person Special Mention of the Week
(each week Cooldadiomedia mentions a Wisconsin service person killed in Iraq or Afghanistan)
Sergeant Nickolas Anthony Mueller, 26, of Little Chute, Wisconsin, died in Darreh-ye Bum, Badghis province, Afghanistan on October 26, 2009. He was killed due to the crash of the MH-47 Chinook helicopter he was aboard. Sergeant Mueller was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), out of Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia. Mueller was one of seven soldiers killed in the incident. Two choppers were involved in the crash.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes the village of Little Chute is in Outagamie County, Wisconsin. Nickolas was a 2002 graduate of Little Chute High School. He was a member of the school's wrestling and football teams for the majority his high school years. He was in the pep band and sang in the school's choir. Nickolas also was homecoming king in his senior year. He is remembered as a well liked young man. Mueller was a crew chief on one of the helicopters. The Journal Sentinel also mentioned Family members are quoted as saying Nickolas always wanted to be a fighter pilot. He had a long interest in the military and aircraft.
Information via Arlington National Cemetery mentioned the Pentagon said the helicopter crashed while returning from the scene of a battle with suspected Taliban drug traffickers. It is not believed the crash was a result of hostile fire. Mueller was remembered in school as outgoing and gregarious and he enjoyed debating with his teachers. Aside from wrestling and football, he ran track, and played the saxophone. Mueller joined the Army in June 2004. After basic training, he served for two years with the 252nd Aviation Battalion at Camp Humphries, South Korea, repairing helicopters. Mueller then joined Special Operations as a flight engineer in 2007. He had reenlisted in the Army twice and was on his third deployment to Afghanistan at the time of his death. The Arlington obituary went on to mention Nickolas' dream was to someday be a pilot. He also enjoyed his motorcycle. Nickolas met his girl friend in September of 2008.
Wisconsin 2009 Joint Assembly Resolution 104 notes Sergeant Mueller's military awards as including Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; Combat Action Badge; Basic Aviation Badge; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Korean Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; two Meritorious Service Medals; five Air Medals; and, three Bronze Star Medals.
At the time of his death Nickolas Mueller was survived by his parents, Sharon and Larry Mueller; older brother John (Stefani) Mueller; and his girlfriend Heather Huckett. Sergeant Mueller was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Nickolas Mueller was the 16th Wisconsin military service person to be killed in Afghanistan since October of 2001.
As of this blog entry's posting date:
1 American/Coalition casualty in Libyan "Operation Odyssey Dawn" since March, 2011
100,949 Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
9,950 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,455 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1582 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
318 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
881 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
32,090 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
11,411 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
107 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
31 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
148 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
21 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
5 journalists (regional and independents) have been killed in Libya since March, 2011.
Wisconsin military service person special mention of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; thehighground.org; Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; iraqbodycount.org; www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf; and, icasualties.org.
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