The Best Gifts Come in Small Packages

As I watched my family opening their gifts on Christmas day, it got me thinking about the suspense of the unknown.  Often times, we may have a pretty good idea what is inside the brightly decorated gift boxes.  After all, we all made our lists, shared our wishes, and answered the over-asked question “What do you want for Christmas?”

If that doesn’t work, we immediately call upon our other senses to help us guess what is inside the package.  How big is the box?  How much does it weigh?  Does it rattle or shift?  Who is it from?  Are they generous or stingy?  Why do we have this fascination of finding out what is in the package before unwrapping it? 

Then, as I usually do, I compared that little part of life to the emergency services.  In many ways, we do the same thing every time we are dispatched to a call.  We do a mental reconnaissance, based on the information we get from dispatch.  We consider the words of the dispatcher carefully.  The word “possible” always raises doubt, while “multiple calls received”, or “across from…” raise the pucker factor a notch or two.  We also consider the time of day, the neighborhood, the specific location, and the pitch of the dispatchers’ voice; much like we consider the size and shape of the “gift”.

Occasionally, the info is very clear; as easy as guessing a football that is “shrink-wrapped in foil paper.  Other times, the information is vague, like a shirt box from Grandma.  The truth, however, is that we never really know what we are getting until we arrive at the scene, or “unwrap the gift! 

We can easily make the comparison between the “big one” under the tree and the “big one” we get dispatched to.  But how do we define a “valuable” call?  With gifts, it is not always the dollar amount that makes a gift valuable.  We must consider sentimental value, personal need, sacrifice by the gift-giver, timing, and thoughtfulness when we “value” a gift.  But with emergency calls, things are a bit different. 

Obviously, calls that result in saving a life are the most valuable of all, and we can certainly stick a feather in our hats if we do an exceptional job saving property.  But sometimes, the most rewarding calls are the most innocent ones… like an engagement ring in a shoebox full of packing peanuts. 

One that comes to mind was a “possible structure fire” call I ran on Christmas night.  Dispatch received only one call from the resident, reporting a “pop” and a smell of something hot from the microwave. You kind of knew right away that this was going to be like getting a pair of tube socks from your aunt, but manners dictate that you smile and say thank you either way. As expected, it was quickly determined to be a malfunction in the appliance, and no fire.  The units packed up their gear and cleared the scene, thankful for the “socks”, unaware that there was a diamond to be found in the toe. 

The resident was a sixty-something widow, who lived alone, and was clearly feeling lonely on this holiday evening.  The panic and excitement clearly added to this poor woman’s stress.  As I collected the necessary information for the fire report, I took an extra 15 minutes to listen to her story.  She was frightened, lonely, and sad.  But by giving her my time and attention, I relieved her tension, soothed her anxiety, and had her looking forward to the new microwave she would soon have.  While driving back to the station, I had a warm fuzzy feeling.  I am not sure if this sensation was from giving or receiving.  All I know is that this gift cost me nothing and meant the world to her.

Merry Christmas Margaret!