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EMSWORLD.com | MAY 2016 25 A B O U T T H E A U T H O R Thom Dick has been a passionate advocate of sick people and the safety of their field caregivers since 1970. He has written hundreds of articles and three books on those subjects, including the People Care books. You can reach Thom via Facebook, or at boxcar414@comcast.net. 27. Respect and be honored by the gift of trust. And make no mistake, it is a gift–never an entitlement. 28. Many people clamor to be called heroes. Only a few are awarded that distinction, and those awards are often based on faulty information. It's enough in life to be recognized daily by the owner of that face in your mirror, and those who love it. 29. Honor people's right to live, their right to die, and the impact of their deaths on those who love them. 30. When someone trusts you with their life, try to be truthful toward them and silent about them. 31. You'll never be omnipotent. Admit your limitations openly and without embarrassment. 32. Sick people deserve as many pillows and blankets as they think they need. (R bert Harts n) 33. Life is full of people who know more than you do and people who know less. Try to learn from the ones who know more, and share with the ones who know less. 34. A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small package. (Ben Franklin) 35. Don't be in too big a hurry to get promoted. If you're a good EMT, and you like being an EMT, be an EMT. (Chris Ol n) 36. Your certificates authorize you to do things r people, never them. 37. As a caregiver, you dignify yourself most when you lower yourself. 38. What is popular is not always right. And what is right is not always popular. (Les Feder ff) 39. Some of the most beautiful people you'll ever meet as an EMT will be plainly wrapped. 40. No one loves and understands EMTs like other EMTs do, so it's easy for us to regard our colleagues as family. Just remember, your family at home is the one to whom you've made your lifelong commitments. 41. Don't be too sure you're better than anybody. 42. Nobody gets out of here alive. (Jim M ris n) All people die someday, despite our best efforts. That's OK. 43. EMS is a serious business, and you have to take it seriously. But try not to take yourself too seriously. 44. People have emergencies every day that have nothing to do with medicine. We're here to help those people along with the rest. 45. Western medicine is based on the premise that sick people are impotent, and the medical establishment is omnipotent. Eastern medicine, which is more ancient, is based on the premise that all people have the capacity to heal themselves, and a few special people have the capacity to facilitate healing. 46. Fake smiles don't do diddly for sick people. Real smiles come from inside of us. 47. Sick people and their diseases are supposed to have different names. 48. People who've just lost someone they love don't always want to hear what you believe God is thinking or what the angels are doing. 49. Skeptical observations are usually framed as questions. Cynical ones are usually framed as judgments. (Mike Taigman) Skepticism is one of an EMT's most valuable tools, but you need to turn it off before you get home from work. 50. It's not your emergency. It's somebody else's emergency, and what you can do to help may not be enough. That's OK.