Anatomy of a night call

When a calls comes in at night, the tones go off and all the station lights come on. However soundly I’m sleeping, I wake up.

I walk to the apparatus bay, get dressed, and get in the rig. I’m so tired I try to close my eyes for a couple more minutes as we drive to the call. It’s poor-quality sleep but I do it anyway. I tell myself that the call will soon be over and I can go back to sleep. I remind myself that I can wait until the morning to do the paperwork.

We get there, and we take care of the call. As professionally as we can. And with a smile.

We get back to the station, but now I’m not quite sleepy anymore. So I do my paperwork.

I get in bed, but I can’t sleep right away. Eventually I do, if I’m tired enough.

Then the tones go off and all the station lights come on again. However soundly I’m sleeping, I wake up again.