The last guy to cut my hair is dead. He died in his sleep, a peaceful death no doubt, floating away on a narcotic high, no regrets, no fear, just oblivion. Kind of like how he lived; on an opiate high, no regrets, no fear, and simply oblivious that at thirty-two there’s a lot more […]

I always had an affection for the illegal immigrants that I transported to area emergency rooms during my decades long run as a firefighter/EMT in the Sanctuary City of Providence, RI. I couldn’t help respect the courage, perseverance and grit that these people showed. The way I figured, if I were in their shoes, and […]

I stuck the needle into his hand, immediately realized that my first choice was lousy and he was running out of time, pulled the needle out of him and accidentally stuck it into me. And I didn’t care. It barely drew blood. I wiped the fleshy part of my left hand, just below the thumb […]

By Michael Morse In my column, “To Force or Not to Force Entry,” I discussed the decision-making process involved when responding to a well-being check. You never know who will read your articles; Battalion Chief (Ret.) John Healey, my friend and first permanent officer when I was appointed to the Providence (RI) Fire Department in […]

The bad news is; the public has no idea what we do. The good news is; we don’t need the public’s understanding of what we do to do what we do. The worst news is: an uneducated public will not come to the defense of their fire department when an elected official decides that he […]

Under a highway, next to some railroad tracks they made their camp. It was her birthday; she turned thirty-three today. He bought her a cake and a tube of frosting so she could write her name on top. Nobody had ever bought her a cake he told us as the IV went into her arm. […]

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King, Jr. The beauty of EMS lives within Martin Luther King’s famous quote. Our patients are not judged […]

A Firefighter’s Life Well Lived 11/16/2016 Fire Engineering By Michael Morse Before you know it, your career will be over. You may make it 10, 20, 30, or 40-plus years; it matters not, it goes by in a blink. I made it to 25, spent more time than I care to recall complaining about this […]

A Real Emergency 01/10/2017 By Michael Morse “Rescue 1, Respond to 1835 Broad Street for an intoxicated male at the payphone.” Duty calls. Duty waits. I refastened my belt loosely and hit the pole. “Rescue 1, responding.” We rolled out of the station and into the city. Some folks would have taken care of business […]

The City of Providence closed two fire stations and three companies yesterday. There was no public outcry, no candlelight vigils, no “Save our Station” protests, just firefighters leaving their station for the last time and locking the door behind them. Those firefighters start their new assignments today, different station, different truck, different life. http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20170107/providence-firehouses-closing-as-part-of-downsizing In […]