By Samantha Reilly
The New Hamphire, U. New Hampshire

(UWire)--A male student at the University of New Hampshire approached the service counter to order a sandwich at Wildcatessan when he began to slur his words. In moments his face turned ashen gray.

Less than a mile away, the McGregor Memorial EMS ambulance crew was lounging around eating homemade chili and passing chips and watching re-runs of Family Guy when the call came in. Each one clutched their radio and waited for further instructions. In mere seconds the crew was dressed and ready, leaving a dinner that was hardly touched, to cool.

This is what 25-year-old Travis Fleury encounters daily as an emergency medical technician. Chances are that if anyone in the Durham or Madbury area dials 911 on a Tuesday evening, Fleury and his compatriots will be at the scene.

Fleury's favorite part of the job, although he said it sounds cliché, involves helping people.

An EMT-Paramedic is equipped to perform nearly all the procedures as a doctor, including providing medication, but obviously excludes surgery

"And there are unique situations and random stuff," he said. "You always hope for a quiet night though because that means people are doing well."

He said the worst situations involved children, such as assisting infants that have stopped breathing. Fleury has also been at suicide scenes and dealt with severe trauma victims.

As a crew chief, Fleury is responsible for anything that happens on a call. Each bus is equipped with two certified EMTs and two attendants who are either probationary officers or observers.

"Some nights we're out non-stop most of the night and other times we're there until the next day without any calls at all," he said.

Tuesday nights hold a tradition at the station.

"We make a big dinner for the entire crew, as opposed to eating junk food," said Fleury, who usually cooks. "It's a pretty cool tradition."

Yet, the tradition can quickly be interrupted.

"It's like Murphy's Law," said Fleury. "Whenever the food you're cooking is done, or the food you ordered is ready to be picked up is when we get calls."

Fleury recalled a time about a year ago that he went to an area food establishment to pick up food when the owner came out from the back and requested that he check a patron who was stumbling around.

"Much ice cream has melted and food gotten cold as we tend to the needs of the towns we serve," he said.

When the bell does ring, Fleury's least favorite part is waking up.

"I would rather stay up forever than have to wake up," he said.

Each run usually lasts one to two hours if it is a transport. It takes McGregor crews an average of 6 1/2 minutes to get to the scene after the initial call-in.

Despite this, Fleury said he and his 60 staff members and volunteers have been fighting a public perception there isn't enough experience on the buses.

"Everyone thinks we're mostly students, but most... are alumni and local residents," he said. "We're one of the largest volunteer EMS organizations on the Seacoast."

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