10 Questions with Neal Young, IPS EMT-A
1. How long have you worked for IPS?
2. What types of schedules have you been required to work?
3. Why did you decide to become a medic?
4. What was your background before joining IPS as an industrial medic?
5. What type of locations do you typically work at?
6. What is it like to live in a camp in Northern Alberta?
7. Do you have a lot of downtime during your shift? What do you do to pass the time?
8. How do you handle being the only medic on the jobsite during an incident?
9. What types of incidents have you dealt with?
10. What advice would you give anyone interested in exploring this career path?
1. How long have you worked for IPS?
I have been with IPS since February 2004. I came aboard at an EMT grad status while I was awaiting my test results from Alberta College of Paramedics. I spent 2 ½ years in the field and was rewarded with a field sales positions with IPS, which began in September 2006. In February the sales strategy was changed and I got to spend a majority of my time doing sales in downtown Calgary with occasional field calls. All these opportunities came with hard work and dedication.
2. What types of schedules have you been required to work?
Through my time in the field, I have worked a variety of schedules. I started off on a 2 and 1, which means 2 weeks in the field and 1 week home. This was a fairly big adjustment from being home at night every day, to all of a sudden being gone 2 weeks at a time. I worked this schedule for over a year and then necessity on the project we were on required a 3 and 1, because my position was upgraded to area coordinator for our project. This was not as hard of an adjustment except we had a new baby at home and my wife was luckily on maternity leave. I worked this schedule for a few months and then pitched the idea to a coworker to work 2 and 2. It was a go and I finished off my time in the field on that schedule. You are still gone for the same amount of time but your time being at home isn’t as rushed when you have 2 weeks off every month. The time away in the field, especially from your family was hard but the payoff was being home and not having to go to work for 2 weeks.
3. Why did you decide to become a medic?
I originally got my EMR to join the Fire Department. I was in between my first and second interview when I got my EMT-A certification. I realized that I enjoyed the EMS side of the job and stuck with it. You realize very fast if you love the job or if it isn’t for you. I am grateful that I stuck it out and have had the opportunity to move up in the ranks at IPS.
4. What was your background before joining IPS as an industrial medic?
My background was in the restaurant industry. I worked my way up through the ranks from dishwasher to kitchen manager, bar manager, and general manager. A majority of my life was spent in restaurants and the experience there transferred over to IPS well. Dealing with customers and dealing with patients is a lot alike. Patience and understanding goes a long way in the field.
5. What type of locations do you typically work at?
Oilfield work is basically the same thing on any location. The only thing that changes is if you are on a drilling rig, service rig, pipeline construction, or a frac. When I arrived at my first job on a drilling rig it was quite overwhelming. I hardly knew what a derrick was much less what mud did, or what tripping pipe meant. But as long as you ask what is going on and listen to the answer, rig hands are happy to educate you as long as they have spare time. And if they can’t spare the time at that second they come and get you when they can. Drilling and service rigs are one area that we watch but we also are asked to watch pipeline construction and well tie-ins. Pipeline construction is a major part of the oilfield and the work they do is just as dangerous as any other area. Falling trees and digging trenches in the freezing cold or pouring rain didn’t look like fun. The service rigs have to do fracs (fracturation) every few days to get the product (oil or gas) out of the formation. We need to be there for 2 main reasons; one is the number of people on location, mostly between 45 and 60 and two, there are lots of high pressure lines and chemicals flowing, so the possibility for an incident is higher than normal.
6. What is it like to live in a camp in Northern Alberta?
Camp is overwhelming when you first get to one. You soon realize that the crews are a family and it is always good to know where you fit in. When you are new on location you are definitely an outsider, but you soon get to know everyone and its your home away from home. The food is almost always good and if it isn’t the crew always has something to say and it either improves or the camp gets a new cook ASAP. You definitely need to have some self control and not eat all the time because there is always food around as well as desserts. Mostly, as the lone medic on location you get your own room so that is always a perk. All the camps are the same within a degree or two. The camp attendants make your bed, there are always clean towels and there is almost always hot water…all the comforts of home without the effort.
7. Do you have a lot of downtime during your shift? What do you do to pass the time?
Our shifts are almost all down time. I have always said that ‘if we are bored everyone is on the crew is having a good day’. When I was out in the field I was one of the busiest medics around, because I had anywhere from 1 site to visit upto 13 in one day. I was mostly busy driving but with that many people to keep an eye on, I usually had one incident a day. You need to fight the boredom in any way that you can. Personally I have read a lot of books watched even more T.V., and kept the pounds off by running and using the gym at our camp. We had the luxury of being on a project where there were other IPS medics in the same camp, and sometimes in the same room so we played a lot of cards and a few long games of Risk.
8. How do you handle being the only medic on the jobsite during an incident?
I was the area coordinator for the project we were on so I had back up if it was required. I did work a few jobs where I was the only one on location and when you are needed, your training takes over and you get others on location to help you or back off, whichever is the best for the situation. It is definitely a little nerve racking until you get your first incident under your belt and you realize that you do know what you are doing. That first incident can come a few minutes after you arrive on location or take a year or more.
9. What types of incidents have you dealt with?
As mentioned, I was probably one of the busiest medics out there for a period of time. I have had to deal with both ends of the spectrum. Treatment for dust in peoples eyes or pinched fingers to roll overs in the freezing cold. We had one incident that we called STARS out for which was the most involved call I’ve been on. It was raining, muddy, a lot of people on location and the patient was hit with a 1000 pound pipe rack. There were a lot of sprains, strains and stitches too. Rig workers getting hit with objects on the rig floor, kitchen staff cutting themselves, and a few seizure patients to keep your skills up.
10. What advice would you give anyone interested in exploring this career path?
My advice would be to know where you want to be before you pick how you want to get there. If you want to get experience as an EMS provider the oilfield won't get you there alone. It is however a good place to make some money and advance your oil and gas career if that is what you want to do. Many of my colleagues successful balance both by working casual for a EMS service and casual on the industrial side….the best of both worlds. Working industrial is definitely a good stepping stone on your career path no matter where you want to be. There is an opportunity to make some great contacts along the way, which could prove invaluable down the road.