Customer Reviews

The Street Saint: Emergency at the Emergency Services

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am currently reading this book and also a veteran paramedic who has worked with Mr Purdy in the past. I did not know that Chuck is currently working in the St. Louis area until I read this review. So far, I can NOT find Chuck saying that HE is the Street Saint nor that he wrote about his St. Louis experiences. There are a couple of stories that I know happened at a former job. I know Chuck well enough to know that he thinks ALL paramedics are Street Saints. Who ever wrote that aweful review shows that they have not read the book at all and the review is just a personal attack against the author. I also found it cowardly that the review was not signed. When I worked with Chuck, He saved lives, taught co-workers how to take control of out of control situations and does Not have any reason to lie. The reviews are supposed to be about the book and if you read it, you will not put it down. Very inciteful and courageously written. Good Job Chuck, Now let's go to Washington D.C. to get things changed!

first off...I am the author but I've never been a patient in Albuquerque...however I did work there as an emergency room nurse. Sara, everything you say is true and if you had bothered to read the book before you wrote a review on it you would have seen that. Incidentally, the violence in Albuquerque is nothing compared to other cities in the U.S. Thank you for the review, but to serve the readers better it might be a good idea to read what it is that you are talking about first.
Chuck Purdy NREMTP RN

I am the author. Thanks for agreeing with what I said,; even though you don't like me. I never said all paramedics were stupid, in fact, the paramedic that is "the saint" represents all the "good" paramedics. The other comments reflect the view of "the sinner." Not all doctors and/or nurses are stupid...few people are stupid, but many have lost the sight of the reasn why we are there because the patients they treat are not emergency patients. If all they treated were emergency patients the inept would stand out like sore thumbs. You have made a good point as to what I am trying to say, you've defended the book admirably, you just don't get what it was that I was trying to tell the public...and you like working for 9-10 dollars an hour?

My description of Chuck's book was not meant to disrespect EMT's or Paramedics. Obviously I have a dislike for Chuck, but I assure you it is on a professional level. Chuck is an extremely intelligent person and can, at times, be a worthy opponent in a debate. I have had many discussions with Chuck on several different subjects. I have also worked side-by-side with Chuck, on an ambulance, and I have seen him do things that are extremely unethical. There have been times that I have personally pulled Chuck aside and reprimanded him for his patient care. Chuck's ability to document the patient's status so that his treatments looks justified has been his saving grace over the years. I can personally state that on at least one occasion he exaggerated his patient's status so that he could perform an unnecessary procedure. Most of Chuck's stories follow this trait and are exaggerations of what happened in real life. At least one of his stories he was not even present for.

As I said before, "None of us are saints, some of us are not even nice people." I did misstate one thing; most us do not do it for the money. The ambulance service that Chuck and worked for closed down in December 2003 and I miss it everyday.

Again, my hat is off the every EMT and Paramedic that has crawled through the mud, ran into a house where everyone else is running out, or has gotten caught in the rain while extricating a patient.



****************

I have read this book in its entirety. I also know Chuck and have worked with him over last several years...Contrary to what Chuck has written all paramedics, beside him, are not [fools] and not all doctors and nurses are stupid...Most of his stories are true, just not accurate. In my opinion, all EMS workers will enjoy this book, as long as they do not know the author personally. For those of you not in the EMS field please remember "WE ARE NOT SAINTS", most of us are not even nice people. If John Q. Public ever overheard us talking and joking about our calls he would faint. Most of us have a sick and slightly demented sense of humor. We do a job, a job we enjoy, if we did not enjoy the job we would quit. We do it for the excitement, we do it for the money, and OCCASIONALLY we do to help.

So far i have read a few chapters of this book and I must say that chuck hits the nail on the head with the legalities and the day to day life of EMS. It is nice to see someone write an honest account of our career. It isn't all glorious all the time, Thanks Chuck

I love the book! I too, am a paramedic. I think it is very insightful and well written, and right there when it comes to the truth. Whomever wrote that awful review is obviously just another "Big Mouth" who refuses to look at the truth of the state of EMS today. Welcome to Corporate America! We, who still care about "the Human Condition" suffer for our "Saint-ism" because knowing you helped a fellow human is worth the crazy life we take on, it is unfortunate that this person is so un-enlightened, he chose to write those words. What goes around comes around, my dear "anonymous" coward. You have to face the mirror in your lonesome life. Shame on you!

I love the book! I too, am a paramedic. I think it is very insightful and well written, and right there when it comes to the truth. Whomever wrote that awful review is obviously just another "Big Mouth" who refuses to look at the truth of the state of EMS today. Welcome to Corporate America! We, who still care about "the Human Condition" suffer for our "Saint-ism" because knowing you helped a fellow human is worth the crazy life we take on, it is unfortunate that this person is so un-enlightened, he chose to write those words. What goes around comes around, my dear "anonymous" coward. You have to face the mirror in your lonesome life. Shame on you!

I am Chuck Purdy. Yes it is true that I am currently licensed in Illinios as a paramedic. It is not true that I have been brought up on many medical reviews[ that does not mean that those who don't understand the true nature of EMS haven't requested review boards. The doctors laugh at their attempts and have declined. I push the envelope when it comes to my patient's treatments; those that live are grateful. Those responsible for granting licensure in the state have said that the book was well written. However, they can not write reviews because of the politics involved. The person who wrote the negative review needs to read the book even though there aren't any pictures. Names like Steve, Dave, John, and others do not hold anyone in a bad light; I am not the Street Saint. Again, if the would be reviewer had earned a high school education he would have realized that the saint is the way the public sees paramedics; he's a saint. His alter ego "the sinner" is how paramedics are forced to act. The reviewer's English is horrible,his puncuation is at a sixth graders level and does anyone believe that my book was not reviewed by lawyers before it was published? He has brought focus on us. It's a shame he didn't read the book and is allowing his guilt and jealousies to speak for him. He may have learned a lot if he could read.

Sorry, my mistake. She said he was the author of an EMT true life book...So I apologize. And while, yes, there are more violent cities in the country than Albuquerque, we have our share of atrocities. I was simply trying to say that not all EMTs and Paramedics have the same view of their job as the "dazzling exaggeration" fellow. Some really love their job, and care about their patients.

I haven't read this book, but I do have a little something to say to the one who wrote the ridiculously harsh and quite UNTRUE review...My aunt is an EMT-Intermediate, and works nights in a very violent city. Does she do it for the money? $10.63 an hour? Give me a break. Does she do it for the excitement? Sure, she LOVES picking up shooting victims, and drunks, and heart attack victims, all throughout the night, on 4 hours of sleep. She is one of the great ones, who does this job because she wants to make a difference. She does it because she has a true, honest love and compassion for people. She doesn't always enjoy it...But she goes back to it, night after night, with the hope that maybe she'll save someone's father, who just suffered an AMI...Maybe she'll help control someone's bleeding, so that they can go home to their kids. Just because YOU sound like some washed-up burn out...Don't make it seem like all Medics have that mentality of "Do it for the money and the excitement." Perhaps it's time to consider a career change.