Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 11, 2021 News
Committed to providing emergency care for those in distress…
By Rehanna Ramsay
In emergency situations, paramedics, or Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), are usually the persons on the frontline attending to those in a health crisis.
On any given day, EMTs dedicate 24 hours at a time to be at ‘the beck and call’ of people in need of urgent medical assistance, yet, ever so often, their efforts go unnoticed or without any real recognition for the selfless work they provide.
This week, Kaieteur News’ ‘Special Person’ is EMT Kleon Knights, a ‘dedicated frontline warrior’ whose commitment to the efforts of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) has never wavered from its inception in 2016. He has stayed committed to the work even in the face of his own personal crisis—the loss of his beloved parents.
EMT Knights recently shared some of “the highs and lows” of working with patients in need of emergency care.
Indeed, the 30-year-old has been there for some scary moments in people’s lives but he has also been there for moments of triumph as well.
The medical worker has been present at times, as he puts it “when unfortunately the patients passes on, despite relentless efforts to save them,” and other lifesaving moments “when patients miraculously escaped the jaws of death.”
Under his career portfolio, the EMT has conducted scores of emergency lifts, administered Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on countless medical/trauma patients and even delivered babies on the job.
While some of his stories are certain to trigger an adrenaline rush, what is most remarkable about the easy going EMT, is his ability to remain focused on his work while dealing with his own grief.
Though he is still reluctant to talk about his loss, the EMT noted that his beloved parents, Clifton and Jocelyn Knights, passed away within a year of each other, even as he was going through some advance level EMT training.
Nevertheless, he expressed gratitude to his parents and those who mentored him into becoming the paramedic he is today.
He agrees that his parents would be pleased to know that he has continued to advance in his career.
Knights, whose childhood aspiration was to secure employment at a high level in the health sector, is now an instructor/trainer for EMTs after being among the first batch of paramedics to be trained to operate the service in Guyana.
He explained that his drive for helping to save the lives of people in distress is what kept him on course.
REALISTIC GOALS
As a youngster, Knights said that he dreamed about pursuing a career in medicine.
“I really wanted to become a doctor; that was my dream,” he said.
But the former pupil of J. E. Burnham Primary School and Master’s Academy recalled that as he got older, he realised that the cost attached to that dream, was something that his parents could not afford.
“The financial circumstances at home made it difficult for me to pursue medicine at that level so I had to set more realistic goals,” Knights said. Nevertheless, he still pursued employment in the health sector.
Soon after leaving high school, Knights secured his first job at the Davis Memorial Hospital, which is located at D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown. At that hospital, Knights completed a health course and became a nursing aid/assistant.
He recalled that at the time, he still yearned to do something greater in the field of healthcare but the opportunities for development were limited.
As a result, Knights took a hiatus from working in the healthcare sector and went into operating heavy-duty machinery. He said that he worked for Courtney Benn Construction Services for two years when his desire to study medicine started to surface again.
Knights recalled that he was looking for career opportunities in the health sector when he came across an advertisement in the newspapers inviting suitable persons to apply to be trained as EMTs.
He said that the advertisement specifically requested persons “who have a passion and care for lives to join the career path which would impact the lives of Guyanese.”
According to Knights, this was exactly the kind of challenge, which he was looking for.
“I applied and was selected among like 30 other candidates to undergo the training for EMTs. It was an exciting time for me because I knew I would be doing something meaningful that would directly impact people’s lives.”
Knights graduated at the top of his class and entered the EMS as a trained paramedic. He noted, however, that while the training was helpful, his initial job as a nursing assistant gave him an advantage over the other candidates.
“I had the experience, so I kind of knew what to do in a number of medical situations,” he said.
Nevertheless, Knights said he was grateful for the opportunity which was afforded to him and his batch mates. “The training offered us deeper insight on how to manage medical emergencies, like for instance how to deal with a patient with health problems such as heart attack and those in trauma who suffered blood loss due to an accident or some other horrendous experience. It definitely helped to show us how to be quick thinkers in emergency situations,” he explained.
Towards this end, EMT Knights has deep appreciation for Dr. Zulfikar Bux, the Director of the National Emergency Medical Service, who he said was instrumental in setting up the service which is operated via the Guyana Fire Service in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
During his time training, EMT Knights also met his mentors, Messrs. Nandaram Datt and Rohan Morris. He told this newspaper, that he is eternally grateful for the knowledge that his trainers instilled in him.
“They were helpful in getting the service up and running so that today so many people can benefit from much needed emergency care,” he added.
ESSENTIAL SERVICE
To date, EMT Knights has accumulated over five years of experience as a paramedic. He recalled that initially, there were some constraints due the unavailability of equipment.
“Then we started to receive support in terms of acquiring ambulances and other types of equipment to help make our work a bit easier. As the service developed, we were able to get updated equipment and continuous training for staff. So I am happy with the growth of the service,” EMT Knights said, obviously proud of the accomplishments of the EMT service.
He said, nonetheless, that his greater reward is “seeing how people respond to the ambulance and how happy they are when we (EMTs) are able to help them. Helping people out does it for me, especially when I can do this for my own family and friends.”
To this end, Knights recalled how amazing it felt for him to safely deliver a premature baby who many thought had been stillborn but through his interventions, along with other EMTs, the baby survived.
“Both mom and baby are alive and well today!” he declared.
The EMT spoke of the adrenaline that ensues whenever a paramedic receives an emergency call.
He explained that, “sometimes it’s an accident where there are multiple injuries or something like that. You always have to be ready and prepared for the worse. We have a system in place where we can respond to multiple casualties but no matter the situation, we always have to work by the system to put the need of the patient first, looking at who is the most distressed first.”
In spite of the response, EMT Knights emphasised that the delivery of EMS is still being advanced. “At present, most of our services are centralised. We operate through the central fire station in Georgetown and the branch in Alberttown but the 912 service is growing as people become aware. When we first started, we would get like two to three calls a day but then it increased to 10-15 calls. To date, we would have responded to a couple thousand of emergency situations,” he noted.
While the response to the Guyana Fire Service’s ‘912’ emergency hotline has improved, Knights said that the EMTs are now also focused on providing training to other emergency stakeholders – Fire Service and Guyana Police Force – to offer similar medical aid.
Knights is among 89 EMTs who have been trained in addition to 618 police officers, 115 firefighters and 165 staffers of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) who have been trained in methods of emergency care.
The career-driven EMT continues to advance in his work. He is among a selected few in the field to benefit from overseas training. At present, Knights noted that his focus is on helping to become a better instructor.
He is hoping to help other EMTs fulfill their mandate at their best capacity.
“I often tell them that if you have a drive to help people…a career in emergency care is definitely one you should pursue,” said Knights.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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