Meth in a Can Keith M

Home , Cocaine (drink), Gladiator (energy drink)

Health & Fitness

MCD at CFTC VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2013

Upcoming Events in the North State: Meth in a Can Keith M. Graves, Crossfit Journal Many people have come to  Habitat Home Run 5K accept and use Red Bull and Feb 16th, 0900 its clones on a daily basis. I Bidwell Park want you to walk away from reading this by remembering  Almond Blossom 5 & one thing: energy drinks are 10K simply meth in a can. Yes, Feb 23, 0900 meth—methamphetamine, a Durham High highly addictive central nerv-  Bidwell Classic 5K & ous system stimulant. The more meth you take, the more Half Marathon you crave it and the more you Mar 2, 0800 Irritability. Heart arrhyth- need it. The same thing ap- Bidwell Park plies to energy drinks. mia. Osteoporosis. With-  Gladiator Rock n Run Some people might think that drawal pains. The huge June 15, 0800 this is just hyperbole. Some quantities of stimulants in think there is no way that you Mount Hamilton, energy drinks can make can compare energy drinks San Jose them as risky as “real” and supplements to meth. But the fact is that some of the drugs. more common ingredients in It’s hard for longtime CrossFit- INSIDE THIS energy drinks are serious ters to forget the article “Getting ISSUE: stimulants, including caffeine, off the Crack,” which ran in the taurine, guarana, ginseng, Meth in a Can 1 October 2005 edition of the and L-carnitine. (The sidebar Journal. Part of the reason is to the left details the effect Healthy Cooking 2 the striking photo of author each ingredient has on the Nicole Carroll’s beautiful abs, body.) On top of that, one Workouts to beat stress 3 but mostly it’s her revelation can by itself often contains that food can be much like the these stimulants in amazing Safety Corner 3 very addictive drug, crack. She quantities—as much as three relates how certain foods are to four times the amount of EMS Corner 4 bad for our health and perform- caffeine in one cup of coffee. ance, why we crave them, and And caffeine is typically just What’s in a energy drink 5 why we need to stop eating one of several stimulants pre- them now. It got me thinking sent. about a related and insidious Most energy drink supplement problem: the influx of energy companies often use the drinks on the U.S. market. extreme amount Continued on Page 2 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 PAGE 2 Slow Cooker Recipe Jamaican Beef Pepper Pot

Ingredients: Preparation 2 Sweet Potatoes Place sweet potatoes in slow 1 tbsp Coconut or Maca- cooker. In a large saucepan or damia Oil Dutch oven, heat oil over high 2 lb stewing beef cubes heat; brown beef in batches. Add to slow cooker. Add bacon 8 slices of Bacon, chopped to saucepan and fry over medium heat until crisp. Drain off fat. 2 Onions, chopped Add onions and garlic; cook, 4 cloves Garlic, minced stirring occasionally until 6 cups Beef Stock softened, about 5 minutes. Add stock, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/4 cup Tomato Paste tomato paste, thyme, salt, and 1 tsp dried thyme pepper; bring to a boil. 1/2 tsp salt Pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 1 tsp pepper hours or until the beef and sweet 1 sweet Red Pepper, potatoes are tender. chopped Great recipe to prepare in the morn- Add the red and green peppers. ing and let it cook all day. It will fill 1 Green Pepper, chopped Cover and cook on high for 15 the station with some good aromas 1 tbsp Lemon or Lime minutes. and be ready for dinner time with Juice Stir in citrus juice and hot pepper minimal extra effort. 1 tbsp Hot Pepper Sauce sauce. Recipe courtesy of:

Paleofood .com

Meth in a Can (cont. from Pg 1) I did notice that the young, laughing student was actu- of these stimulants as a marketing tool. ally drinking a nice, tall can of Rockstar, a popular en- Names tell the story. One company sells their ergy drink, just before the exercise. energy drink by the name “Cocaine.” Other brand I noticed that he did show some signs of drug influence, names include “Amp” and “Wired.” But the charge so I asked this young officer what energy drinks he’d they give you is fleeting and the negative after- taken that day. The answer was alarming. That morning effects linger far too long. he had already downed a 16-oz. can of “Rock Star En- Energy-Drink DUI? ergy Shot,” a packet of “Zip Fizz,” and two other “energy As these drinks began crowding the market, I supplements” to help him stay awake and provide en- began to wonder if someone could appear to be ergy for his morning workouts. “under the influence” of these stimulants, much I decided to a do a drug influence evaluation on the like being under the influence of meth. Sure officer, since the consumption of the energy products enough, I was teaching a class of police officers had been fairly recent. I wanted to see what effect the recently about how to identify people who are high energy drinks and supplements would have and to see on drugs. During the class the students, all current how it compared to someone under the influence of police officers, were practicing their new skills by meth. administering sobriety tests on one another. As I found that the student had the signs and symptoms of they were practicing, one of the students was jok- drug influence. His pupils were dilated and his pulse ing that his partner was high on meth. elevated, and I saw muscle tremors. These are signs of methamphetamine influence. The only thing missing Everyone in the class was a police officer, so you was the massive euphoria that meth users feel would hope they weren’t actually using meth. But, when they Continued on Page 5 THE BEST WORKOUTS TO RELIEVE STRESS By: Scott Quill

Chances are, nobody has to tell you that exercise is a great stress reliever. But here's the thing: You can reduce stress even more—and make that reduction last longer—if you tailor your workout specifically to your personality type. "The psychological boost of adhering to a program that you enjoy doing is much greater than the reward you get from any single session," says Steve Edwards, Ph.D., a professor of sports psychology at Oklahoma State University. Edwards has identified six distinct exercise personalities. Find the one that best describes you, then follow our tips. You'll end up ripped and relaxed.

The Aesthete The Thrill-Seeker The Social Activist You thrive on the artistry of sports and exercise. You work out for the rush. You like the camaraderie of exercising with others.

Check Yourself Out Add Risk to Your Runs Join a Team The mirrors in a weight room help you notice Try running up and down stadium steps to exhaus- For you, going it alone is misery—and that only when your form starts to fail, but you can also tion. The stress release is in the danger: "It gets adds to your anxiety. So build your program around see what you do well. And for you, that's ten- trickier the longer you go. If you mess up, there group activities and team sports. "Join a jogging or sion-taming. "Some suggest that vanity is at could be a nasty fall," says Edwards. Not a stadium cycling club," says Edwards. Or, if you spend your work here, but it could just as easily be a more in sight? Run outdoors over rugged terrain. time in the gym, create an exercise schedule that's profound appreciation of the capability of one's workable for your similarly stressed buddies. body," says Edwards. Aim Heavy Stop doing three sets of 12 repetitions of every Disguise Your Exercise Master a Skill Sport exercise; there's no challenge in that. Do fewer Make all of your activities more active and you'll "Get involved in any sport you think is well exe- repetitions and more sets with weights that are near find yourself sweating in solitude less often. "Try cuted," says Edwards. The sweet sound of a 5- your one-rep max on compound exercises, such as doing business on the golf course. Or join a Big iron meeting a Titleist, the crack of a big- deadlifts, squats, and bench presses. Then lighten Brother program and take the kid with you to the barreled Louisville, or the plunk of an aced first the load for power moves, such as jump squats, gym," says Edwards. serve satisfies your senses and leads to less which appear riskier. stress.

The Deathophobe The Fanatic The Energized Animal You exercise to stay healthy, but wish there were You like feeling committed to your exercise rou- You hit the gym to release energy. an easier way. tine. Shock Your Body Add Iron to Your Lunch Don't Go Too Hard Given your loyalty to sweat, ensuring variety is a The longer you go without exercise, the more The more comfortable exercise is for you, the challenge. You can avoid irritating ruts and keep stressed you feel, says Edwards. Try to fit a work- more you enjoy it—and high satisfaction equals your muscles growing with a lottery approach, says out into your workday. If you can, go to the gym high stress relief. So use moderate weights and Burke. Before you work out, grab a Men's Health around 2 p.m., just after the lunch crowd dissipates, do a moderate number of repetitions. Just keep workout poster and several slips of paper. Write so you can finish faster. your rest periods short to maximize the muscle down the names of the exercises for the target body benefits, says Edwards. part and then draw from a hat. Keep a Racket Close By Avoid Rush Hour By stowing your gym bag and other sporting goods Distract Yourself Waiting in line for benches and squat racks inter- in your car or under your desk at work, you can Combine your workout with something you find feres with your mission to get fit, so grab the al- exercise whenever you feel the urge. "This also relaxing, such as reading, watching TV, or listen- ways-available Swiss ball. On an upper-body day, encourages variety in activities," says Edwards. "If ing to music, says Kevin Burke, Ph.D., a profes- do two or three sets of Swiss-ball pushups to fail- you're driving by a park and it occurs to you that a sor of sports psychology at Georgia Southern ure. On a lower-body day, do two or three sets of quick run would be fun, you can grab your shoes University. You'll focus more on what calms you 20 Swiss-ball wall squats: Stand with the ball and go for it." (good tunes) and less on what you hate (the wedged between your back and a wall. Now squat, treadmill). allowing the ball to roll with your back as you go down.

IAPS Data from January 2013 Reportable Injuries: 0 “SAFETY CORNER” Record Only Injuries: 2 Injury by Activity:  1/3/13, Green Sheet, 12CARRU0126832– MVA PT:  1/4/13, TGST, Hazard Zones Incident: 1  1/26/13, IIPP Ergonomics Plan Update Training: Station Duties: 1 Injury by Body Part: Head: Torso/Back: 1 Extremities: 1 Heat Illness: Exposure: 15 Ways to Be an Awesome EMT in 2013 http://theemtspot.com It’s time. The New Year is upon us. I started last One nice thing about the leave-it-better commit- year by telling you about 17 Ways to Be an Awe- ment is this; the worse the rig is when you get it, them in a way some EMT in 2012. Yes, all of those suggestions the easier it is to leave it better. It doesn’t have to that makes them still apply. Now, here are 15 more to help you be prefect. Just a little better each time. The want to teach us. achieve your personal pinnacle of EMS awe- more you do this, the more you’ll see others do someness in 2013. the same. You can’t always control how you For the most Don’t try to do all of these tomorrow. Pick one or receive the rig. But you can control how you part, people two that resonate with you and start there. Then leave it. It may not cure all of the trashed-rig-in- enjoy sharing come back next month and pick a few more. If the-morning problems, but it’s a start. things about you choose to adopt only one of these sugges- themselves. tions for each of the coming months, you’ll be 3) Master The BVM (Especially the guaranteed a fantastic 2013. (If I’m wrong you things that hint can return 2013 for a full and complete refund.) It’s one of our most vital skills and we frequently at their talents.) Now let’s get started. do it poorly. When the time comes to use the One great way BVM on a real apneic patient, we leave the head to tap into a 1) Explore Other job Opportunities person’s talents is to simply figure out what they like to talk about. When you find a subject that Even if you aren’t planning on making a career they enjoy, chances are, you are close to a hid- change, knowing what else is available to you is den talent. liberating. Often, even when times are good (or worse…just not bad enough) we fail to consider It’s a powerful thing to get over the paradigm that all the other options available to us. This can we need to find exceptional people and then get lead to that stuck feeling. The feeling that we are them to mentor us in all the things we want to committed to this one path whether we like it or learn. Instead, find each person’s unique talent not. When you open yourself to the possibility of and let them teach you to be better at that one doing other things, it allows you to feel confident thing. that you are doing what you are doing because you want to, not because you have to. You al- in neutral position, mash the bag down on the 5) Listen to Lung Sounds ways have choices. patients face and start squeezing. Then we look around nervously for the paramedic to intubate. Knowing that our efforts are sloppy, we hope for If you are like many EMS providers, you don’t A good friend of mine took a year of leave from listen to them at all. If you are one of the rare his EMS job to accept an overseas contract in a successful tube to save us from our sloppy skills. If I sound frustrated it’s because I am. I individuals that listens to lung sounds as part of Afghanistan. Accepting the opportunity (even your assessment, you probably don’t do it often temporarily) opened his mind to a world he never witness sloppy BVM technique in the prehospital setting again and again and again. enough. The reason people who are good at knew existed. He spent time with a community of identifying abnormal lung sounds are good at it is temporary contract workers who were growing not because they’ve heard lots of abnormal lung wealthy while traveling the world as they moved It’s as if we never learned any better. But we did sounds. The reason they are good at picking out from one contract job to the next. After his year learn better, didn’t we? Move the head to a abnormal sounds is because they’ve listened to of service, he returned to his job with new skills proper angle. Make a firm seal around the mouth many, many normal lung sounds. The more and experiences. More importantly, he returned and nose. Wrap the middle, fourth and pinky practiced you are at listening to normal lung with the knowledge that he could live a com- finger under the angle of the jaw. Press firmly sounds, the easier it will be to hear abnormal pletely different life at the moment of his choos- with the thumb and index finger to make a tight sounds. ing. He now works with the confidence of know- seal. Squeeze the bag gently. Now go find a ing that he does his job by choice. That’s a pow- mannequin and practice. Practice until you are erful thing. good at it. Practice frequently. It’s a bread and Start listening to lung sounds as part of your butter lifesaving skill. Make 2013 the year you standard head-to-toe assessment. Even when commit to doing it right. you anticipate that they will be normal. …Strike 2) Leave The Rig Better Than You Received It that. Especially when you anticipate that they will be normal. When you show up to work on your next shift, 4) Learn From The Exceptional begin by opening the back doors of your rig. 6) Exceed Your Knowledge Expectations Don’t climb in yet…just look. If it’s trashed, don’t Just about everyone you work with is exceptional get angry. Regardless of the condition of the rig, at something. I think one key to developing your- decide that you will leave it better for the next self professionally is being good at figuring out Not in everything. Just one thing. Pick one sub- crew. I don’t care how you do it. It can be some- what people are exceptional at and then figuring ject in the EMS arena and learn it with a far thing simple. Wipe down the cabinet doors. Do a out how to learn from them. This requires several greater depth than anyone would possibly expect detailed inventory on the jump-kit. Set the pram steps. You need to be able to engage people in you to know. Chose anything. It could be the up perfectly. Just decide that, at the end of this a way that builds their trust. That allows us to human clotting cascade or the use of the King shift, you will do one thing to leave the rig better figure out what it is that a given person does Airway. Learn all about the effects of electrolyte imbalances on cardiac function for the next crew. exceptionally. Then we need to interact with Continued on Page 6 Meth in a Can (cont. from Pg 2) What’s Inside a Can PAGE 5 ingest their drug. Caffeine police officer pulled in behind you When I sit in briefings, I notice that a Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant discovered by a Ger- when you were speeding. number of officers are drinking energy man chemist in 1819. It can be found in beans, leaves and the fruit Even a single cup of coffee can drinks. When I go to the gym, I notice of some plants, where it acts as a pesticide by killing certain insects cause the release of these hor- that a lot of people are drinking en- feeding on the plants. It takes less than one hour for the stimulant mones. Continuing this release ergy drinks during their workout. The effects to take hold in the human body and can last up to four hours. puts stress on the adrenal gland. final straw: watching a Little League Taurine Your adrenal gland just is not coach give his 12-year-olds Red Bull Taurine is an organic acid found in the lower intestine and in small meant to release so much of the just before the game. That’s just what amounts in the tissue of animals and humans. The average intake of hormones over time. you want, isn’t it? A bunch of 7th taurine in a person’s daily diet is approximately 100 mg. Energy No Compromises: Get Off graders hopped up on caffeine, and drinks provide anywhere between 250 mg and 4000 mg of taurine. the Meth not able to function after it wears off Not a stimulant itself per se, taurine is a vital, naturally occurring Many of you who use these prod- one hour later! compound in the body that in energy drinks is often paired with ucts may already have a basic The general population does not un- stimulants (like caffeine) because it helps to keep a stimulated body understanding that these drinks derstand the growing dangers that under control. It reduces muscular fatigue, aids thermoregulation and supplements are bad for you. these drinks and supplements pose. (stabilize body temperature in physical activity), improves concen- You may have experienced some And I do mean growing. With energy tration, and relaxes the brain. of the unpleasant side-effects I drink sales up 55% a year and Guarana listed earlier. But now that you are annual sales exceeding $5.4 billion Guarana is a plant found in the Amazon Basin that produces flowers more informed, it is time to get off dollars (yes, billion) in 2006 (source: and fruit in clusters. One seed from the fruit of this plant contains as the meth. It is not going to be USA Today, 2008), the energy drink much as five times the amount of caffeine as a coffee bean. makers can afford a hefty annual easy. Just like meth, these sub- Ginseng stances are addictive and habit- marketing budget. Ginseng is a slow-growing perennial found in Asia. It is often used forming. So why are energy drinks so bad for as a stimulant, much like caffeine. What can you expect when stop- you? Let’s compare: L-carnitine A normal cup of coffee has 80 mg of ping the use of these drugs? An- An amino acid produced by your liver and kidneys, L-carnitine swer: Caffeine Withdrawal Syn- caffeine, a can of Coca Cola has 34 assists with increasing your metabolism and energy levels. Supple- drome (CWS). mg, and a Pepsi 37.5 mg. That’s ments of this substance are not allowed to be imported into Canada. nothing compared to energy drinks. According to a recent Johns Hop- 8.3 ounces of Red Bull has 80 kins study, CWS may be listed in mg; comparable 16-oz. cans of Rock- Do you need to worry that it will releases hormones in your body like the next edition of the DSM (the star, Monster, and Full Throttle have affect your athletic performance or adrenalin, norepinephrine, and corti- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 160mg. Starbucks Grande coffee has your health? Absolutely! In France, sol. of Mental Disorders), which is 330 mg; Wired 344 mg. And this is the legislature outlawed energy If you take these stimulants, they considered the bible of mental without counting the other stimulants drinks after the death of 18-year-old are addictive and you will build a disorders. According to the same in the drinks. Irish basketball player Ross Cooney tolerance to them. Soon, you will study, as little as one cup of cof- Revving You Up and Wearing just after he finished a game. He need to take more and more of the fee a day is enough to cause had consumed four Red Bull drinks stimulant to achieve the desired CWS. You Out prior to starting time. effect, such as getting your ‘boost.’ You may experience fatigue, It is important to understand what so There has been an increase in As you take these stimulants on a problems with concentrating, much stimulant does to your body. emergency room visits due to intoxi- daily basis, you will cause adrenal and irritability and headaches. Intake of more than 400 mg of these cation from energy drinks. And more fatigue or, simply put, exhaustion. Just like other stimulant drugs, stimulants can lead to a number of importantly, a California man was Therefore, the energy drink you are cessation of use will cause nasty side-effects: recently arrested for DUI. What was taking now is basically making mat- withdrawal symptoms and a crav- nervousness, irritability, problems his intoxicant of choice? Five energy ters worse for you. Over time, it will ing for more of the stimulant. concentrating, sleeplessness, muscle drinks in an hour and a half. burn you out and make matters still Withdrawal symptoms should tremors, increased urination, abnor- Looking at the side-effects of some worse. On top of that, there has subside within two weeks. mal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), de- of these drinks, I am still shocked at been an increase of metabolic syn- Energy drinks have become a creased bone density, and an upset the number of athletes and warriors drome, insulin resistance and diabe- part of our culture and have be- stomach. (my fellow police) who will tell me tes. This increase can be attributed, come widely accepted. CrossFit- These stimulants may also slow the that they use the energy drinks to at least in part, to adrenal over- ters live a healthy lifestyle and body’s ability to absorb water, leading help them stay awake and alert. stimulation. pride themselves on their level of to dehydration. Ironically, it does not actually ac- Normally, your body doesn’t get fitness. They don’t want to be told There is no requirement from the FDA complish this. It really has the oppo- stimulated until you’re put into a that they have been duped and to list the amount of caffeine in these site affect—and could be detrimental stressful situation, at which time it have been hurting their bodies. drinks, so you may or may not know to them when danger comes their will release adrenalin from your However, this stuff is poison and how much you are getting. As a rule way. adrenal glands. This gives you the can lead to a whole slew of health of thumb, no one should drink more The stimulant that you take is not ‘boost’ you need at that particular problems. than one energy drink per day. How- getting you the ‘boost’ that you are moment. Examples would be run- I have seen too much to condone ever, I recently saw an energy drink seeking and it hurts you in the long ning from a car about to hit you, halfway measures on this issue. with 2 grams of stimulant blend— run. When you take caffeine or an- reacting to gunfire or defending People using energy drinks are that’s 2,000 milligrams (mg)! Com- other stimulant into your body, it yourself from an attack. If you’re not killing their health and should stop pared that to 80 mg in a cup of coffee! activates your adrenal glands and a cop, think of the moment that a immediately. I Continued on Page 7 Be a Better EMT (cont. from Pg 4) cause he liked everything that came with it. Something happens when we make a choice to give away our time, money, possessions, or the functions of the autonomic nervous system. Coffee is cheap. Sharing coffee with a coworker creative energy or anything else that is valu- really is priceless. Bring the coffee. able, for free. It’s liberating. Our brains are Don’t get to caught up in how useful the informa- wired for generosity. Those who don’t ever tion might be to you right now in your specific job experience giving don’t always understand function. The purpose of this exercise isn’t to gain 8) Talk to the Receiving Facility About Your Patient that. It’s a unique dynamic that you can’t ex- knowledge that will be specifically or immediately plain until you do it. useful. (Read that last sentence, again because Often we drop off our patient and then rush out of it’s important.) The purpose of this exercise isn’t to Our habit is to barter everything we have for the ER to get back to whatever we were doing learn new information that will be immediately some type of monetary reward. Society tries before the call dropped. “I have to get back to that useful to you. You should actually look for infor- hard to reinforce this paradigm. (After all, capi- article I was reading from The EMT Spot!” I under- mation that you can see no specific need for you talism hinges on this very concept.) But a stand. Life beckons. It always does. But, in 2013, to know. Then dive in and learn as much as you couple of interesting things happen when we I’d suggest adopting the habit of staying around can. give away something valuable for free. First, for a while, whenever possible. Wait for the doctor we become the master of our talents as well and nurses to finish their initial exam and put in You aren’t trying to make up for knowledge defi- as our possessions. We send ourselves a their orders. Then ask some questions about the cits or catch up on stuff you should know more message that, while outside forces may set patient. about. What you are doing is freeing your mind the price of things, we always set the value. from its knowledge cage. Here’s what I mean. Ask the nurses and the doctor what they think is Most of us walk around with boxes around our Another thing that happens is that we learn the going on with the patient. Ask if there was any- learning. immense pleasure of giving. And, often, when thing you could have done better of anything else we give without concern for receiving, we you should have considered in your assessment. We learn things that we are required to know. receive gifts that were impossible to realize You don’t have to take all of their advice as gos- (Then we stop.) Or we learn things that we know from inside of our bartering mindset. that we are interested in knowing. (Then we stop.) pel, but it’s always worthy of consideration. Some- Or we learn things that we can see are immedi- times, the best EMS practitioners are the ones ately useful to us. (Then we stop.) This is an exer- that have asked the best questions throughout cise in pushing the boundaries of our knowledge their career. simply because we can. Once you stop letting the world define the parameters of your learning and 9) Become The Partner Everyone Wants to just start exploring without purpose, you learn that Work With there are no boundaries on your knowledge ex- cept the ones that you create. Everyone wants to have the best partner. If you want to expand your choices, try to be the best partner. You already know the recipe, but you 12) Learn One New Home Medication Every could still write it down if you like. Take out a Shift piece of paper and write down everything you want in a partner. Everything that makes a good Every shift you will encounter medications EMS partner. Then strive to be each of those prescribed to your patients that you don’t rec- things. ognize or understand. Start making a list. Then, each shift, pick one and learn it. With 10) Press Hard and Fast (Then Defibrillate) the help of a smart phone, you’ll have everything you need to learn about the chosen The data is clear. If we want to improve our car- medication right from the front seat of your diac arrest outcomes, nothing beats good com- medic unit. Commit to this and, by the end of 7) Bring the Coffee pressions. Yet, most of us are still reluctant to 2013, you will be able to recognize a patient’s correct poor compression performance when we entire medical history just by glancing at their At the beginning of last year, we lost Sparky see it. We may make a half-enthusiastic comment medication list. Truax. He was my partner for a good part of the about depth or rate, but we don’t really dive in and last year of his life. I consider myself lucky be- coach it. I know. It’s uncomfortable to tell people 13) Bring The Team Together cause I got to spend a lot of time with Sparky in that they are doing it wrong. But this isn’t about his last months here on earth. Neither of us had how best to clean the oven. This is about restart- EMS is a team endeavor. That happens to be any idea how valuable that time would turn out to ing a human beings heart. one of the greatest things about this job. On be. every scene there are three types of individu- Get aggressive about demanding strong, fast, als. One of my fondest memories of Sparky is his love uninterrupted compressions. And then, once you for coffee. Each morning Sparky would show up get that heart primed, don’t forget to defibrillate. There are those who do what they are told, but with coffee and want to sit down and talk. I think Maybe you’ll be shaking your next cardiac arrest do nothing to enhance the unity of the team. he liked the sharing and socializing that went patient’s hand instead of talking about how we They don’t really contribute anything beyond along with the coffee more than the coffee itself. should do better CPR. the performance of their delegated task. They And he secured your time by showing up with a move in coordination with the team. They are coffee for you and then asking how your days off 11) Give Something Valuable Away For Free useful and essential to had been. Sparky liked to bring the coffee be- Continued on Page 7 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 medicine stuff to really PAGE 7 About The Author do this job?” Those are Meth in a Can (cont. from Pg 5) Keith Graves is a certified Level 1 great questions and they are entirely appropri- know I sound militant, but this stuff is harmful and is CrossFit Trainer at MMCrossFit ate. However, at some point, we have to make doing us no favors. in Livermore, CA. A police officer as- a transition. Bottom line: These drinks are meth in a signed to both the Narcotics Unit and can. the SWAT Team, Graves is a certified At some point we have to ask ourselves, “What Drug Recognition Expert Instructor If you see someone using these products, help am I here to contribute?” Or, even better, “What (#3292), a court-certified expert in them get off the meth. If you use them yourself, get is the unique contribution that only I can make stimulant influence, and a teacher of off the meth. After all, if you’re sipping the Kool-Aid to the world of emergency service?” That’s a drug influence courses for the Califor- of CrossFit, you don’t need more stimulation. bold question. It’s easier to deny yourself the nia Narcotics Officers Association possibility that you may have something unique since 2000. He often contributes under within you that only you can contribute. Believe the pseudonym “12bravo” on the it. It’s true. And 2013 is your year to make the CrossFit blog. transition. This is your year to find your contribution and make it.

Be a Better EMT (cont. from Pg 6) ac- My career changed one day when I read through a popular EMS magazine and noticed complishing all that needs to be done. But they that there were a bunch of interesting stories are also easy to replace. They are a dime a about EMS that weren’t being told. I developed dozen. a sense that, part of what I was supposed to be doing in this field was telling those stories. Then there are those who break the team apart. Since that day EMS has never looked the same These individuals tend to be ego driven. They to me. I’m no longer just doing my job. I’m on like to be at the center of the action and dictate my path. Find your path. what needs to be done. They rarely take advice and they frequently end up in minor conflicts 15) Dream Big and squabbles. These individuals place a high priority on authority, command structure, job / Forget about your goals and your resolutions title designations and agency affiliation. If they for a minute. Those things should always be are not in a position of authority they tend to secondary to your dreams. What is it that you become do-what-they’re-told type re- dream of doing? What is your dream job? What sponders. (Only, they sulk while they is your dream life? Dream that dream until it is do it.) vivid and clear. Then set your goals and make View from Humboldt Summit your resolutions. Without a dream to follow, all Finally, there are responders who of your goals are just shots in the dark. You bring the team together. They perform have to make a target before you can take aim. tasks with a positive attitude. They always look for ways to make things Don’t forget to make it a good dream. Make it a run smoother. They attempt to do big one. more than is expected of them and they anticipate what needs to happen next, before they are asked. When Right now, you are probably overestimating these individuals are in charge of what you can accomplish in the next month. But running the scene, they seek advice you are also underestimating what you can and request ideas. They recognize accomplish in the next year. Pick one or two of their resources and include everyone. these goals and set off in a new direction. By They delegate tasks based on talent the time 2014 rolls around, you might not even and interest. Even in the middle of the recognize yourself. And…I’ll have a whole new For Suggestions or Comments: most stressful situations, everything list for you to start on. Happy New Year. they do helps to bring the team together in a calm and efficient way. Be CAL FIRE / Butte County FD that responder. 176 Nelson Ave 14) Find Your Unique Contribution Phone: 530-966-8682 Fax: 530-879-3433 Sometimes when we enter the field of EMS, we are overwhelmed with the E-mail: [email protected] things we need to learn just to get up to speed with our basic skill set. Our "Let No Man’s Ghost Say His Training Let Him minds race with questions like, “How Down!" -Unknown Author will I ever learn everything I need to know?” or “Am I good enough at this