Beautiful Rescue

Mike Victory was my call sign back when I was still an active regular nurse paramedic volunteer at emergency rescue unit foundation. Every 24-hour duty was very memorable and what I'd like to share below is an account of the real meaning of volunteerism--at least for me, that is.

December 2, 2009

Here I am facing my computer @ almost 2o'clock in the morning. I cant sleep with this very high dose of adrenaline running through my system. Just got home from what could have been a real disaster! good thing nobody got really hurt. Hopefully by sunrise it will remain that way. Our department heads are still there making sure that the evacuation runs smoothly and that every passenger will all be there and accounted for.

Earlier i went to bed around 10pm..i got really tired from my 12-hour duty. At this point, I am already joggling a 24-hour eruf volunteer work and a 12-hour work as a private duty nurse. To continue:

just as i was blissfully embracing my dreams to oblivion i heard a very loud knock on my door. 

My mom was trying to wake me up coz i have a phone call. She usually dismisses phone calls when she knows I'm asleep already, however, for this particular call, she made an exception when the person on the other line insisted to speak to me even after my mom told her that I could not come to the phone. It was later when I knew that my mom was told that this call was for an emergency.

Moving on, I was less than awake when i got hold of the receiver, squinted at the clock only to find that it was just a few minutes away from midnight. 

I heard a very familiar voice on the other line, who sounded rather shaky and was blabbing words to me really fast! My heart was pounding way too loudly from being taken away from my slumber..i couldn't hear much of what she said coz there were also very loud interruptions from the radio on her end and sounds of sirens running here and there. my mom was standing a few inches from me a worried look on her face and yearning to understand what it was all about. 

"OLD BRIDGE. MCI." [multiple casualty incident] 

that was it. that was all i could make out of our conservation that lasted for about 30 seconds only. all i could say was: 

"Okay. I'll be there." (in Bisaya of course)

I didn't know what to do. that's the only time i recognized i was awake. i tried to call my fellow volunteers to verify what it really was. all i got were a number of rings, i guess they were pretty much asleep too. i don't exactly recall the sequence of events in details, all i remember doing was getting dressed and looking for my arrow-up shirt which i couldn't seem to find. then i remembered i don't have one at home. 

The next thing i knew i was on my way to the old bridge [first Mactan-Mandaue Bridge].

I saw a little traffic jam on one lane. no rotaries anywhere. which i thought was a bad sign. then i followed a small group of people heading up to the bridge. from afar i could discern that they were all looking down. 

when i got to them.......................

there I saw a huge passenger ship tipped to one side still afloat at sea.

I wanted to shout for HELP!!!!!

I decided to go to the base, which was approximately less than 5 minutes away, to find help. 

oh i forgot, we are suppose to be the HELP i was looking for!

When i arrived at the base only 1 fire truck was left..all mobiles were gone and one person was frantically pacing the station getting all things ready with phone and radio calls to answer in between. 

My timing was perfect, a mobile dropped by to gather all the equipments and supplies needed (disaster kits). So i grabbed my overalls and hopped to the mobile.......which i haven't done for the last 3 months. i miss this, i thought. Blue rotary is on and the wail is set and we are on the run. How i miss this!

and so it was...

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleid=528965

when we got to the site...i saw that everyone was there even in the depths of midnight. we made it there. The spirit of volunteerism came alive like never before. ERUF: Operations, Communications, Businessmen, Medical Advisory Group----were all represented!
And proudly dressed in our uniforms..we came to help..no matter what. we were ready..no matter how grave the situation could've been. Our leaders made us more proud. they were doing their jobs well.
At the end i realized how accidents like this bring us all together.... 

coastguard 

navy

police

other rescue teams

other volunteer groups

they all helped to save all passengers. 
God Bless us All.

"We serve so that others may live."