Groomer Is March Responder Of The Week

Paramedic Barbara Groomer has been involved with Emergency Medical Services since 1991.

"Over half of my life," Groomer said.

She made the career move to EMS after a comment someone made.

"A little blonde in respiratory therapy who said I would make a good EMT - that's all it took," Groomer said. "I never even considered it before she told me I would be a good EMT."

How has it been since 1991?

"It's like any other job, it's got its days," Groomer said. "It is nice and it's got its problems."

During her career there is a defining moment Groomer says might explain to people "why we do this."

"There were about three years that I did not work for an ambulance service," Groomer said. "During that time I worked several different jobs just for fun. One of them I worked for Leo Jo Lowry laundry company. I was replacing rugs around the area and stopped at a location. A young man approached me and said I want to thank you and give you a hug. I said, 'okay, who are you?' And he said, 'you took my dad to Wichita seven years ago.' He never forgot me. He wanted to thank me and told me who he was. That's why we do the job."

Being a paramedic or EMT is not an easy job all the time.

"Depends on your patient," Groomer said. "If you know what to do - every job is easy. Sometimes the results are kind of hard."

One of the things that can make the job difficult is familiarity.

"Having grown up in EMS and in Grant County, I'm at the point where I am seeing people I've known since I moved to Grant County," Groomer said. "That's the hard part of it."

For the difficult calls, Groomer says they "have each other."

"I'm teaching an EMT class right now and the biggest part of them don't know each other, but by the time the class is over, since they have gone through the exact same stress - they can relate to each other," Groomer said. "Even if there is 20-30 years difference in their ages, they can relate to each other one a level that no one else can understand because no one else has done that. That's the way EMS works. That's why we call EMS family. Law enforcement, fire departments - all of them call themselves family, because no one else can realize what we have been through. And, we know how to handle each other's feelings because we work together. Some of us don't have feelings by choice - meaning we have them but we don't really want to share them with anybody else.'

How long does Groomer plan to continue working with EMS?

"I'm retiring in two years," she said, adding she doesn't know what she will do from there. "It's going to be fun. I have never, ever been without a job. I will probably find something."

She says she enjoys teaching so may consider teaching more EMT classes somewhere. 

Groomer was nominated for the Responder of the Week honor by Grant County EMT Robert Stamey.

“She is a great asset to the county,” said Stamey. “She shows she cares and is willing to help others.

"She not only provides superior service to her patients but is also a great partner, team player, and fun to work with, no matter the situation,” Stamey added. “She helps make the situation easier to deal with.”

Working in EMS is a learning experience.

"There are some difficult parts," Groomer said, adding that shortages of those working in the field are nationwide. "Learning makes it easier to do. If you know what to do you can handle any situation."

In 1991, Grant County EMS had around 40 people on the roster with EMS, today, Groomer said there are 14.

"Grant County cannot take transfers past Dodge City, because we don't have enough people," she said. "Our job is to protect Grant County. If we take a transfer out we have taken two people out of service and a truck out of service. It weakens our staff to protect Grant County."