Back in the 80s, I worked for a developmental center for the developmentally disabled. It was there that I decided to become an Emergency Medical Technician. For several years I worked in the clinic and did transports. During this time, I also joined the volunteers at my local ambulance company.
We see on television the excitement of responding to traumas. I remember my first accident call, my first stabbing, my first OD. Memories of my chief at the time pushing down the helmet visor as I watched in awe of the first Medavac take off. But what is ingrained in me are the other calls. Comforting family and friends. Holding the husband who lost his wife. Not knowing what to say or do for the parent whose child was lost in an accident.
There were regulars like Millie in my short story 911 What’s Your Emergency. The lonely souls who just needed human contact. There were times I rolled my eyes when we received the call and responded to false alarms. There were times I was humbled when, on the second, seventh, or seventeenth response, there was an actual emergency.
And don’t forget, like in my second short story, A Very Special Valentine, that the responders are also human beings with real lives, problems, joys, and sorrows. 
I hope you enjoy these peeks behind the curtain.

911 What's Your Emergency
by
D. V. Stone
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSG2MBHQ
Small town/ First Responder/ Romance

If you ever wondered about the life of a First Responder, D. V. Stone pulls back the curtain. Two short stories follow the life of Shay McDowell
Story One Making a Difference
In Northeastern Pennsylvania, EMT Shea McDowell faces a long night. One emergency follows another until she and her partner Joanna can finally call it quits. Yet, the sense of accomplishment from a job well done always triumphs over exhaustion.
A Very Special Valentine
After a bitter divorce, Shay wonders if she will ever grow old with someone. So climb aboard for some romance.
These short stories are a part of the Impact Series, which includes Rock House Grill and Jazz House, a contemporary romantic suspense series. The original story appeared in Australia Burns but has been edited.

Welcome to my fire, Mickey!
Thanks for having me today, D.V. Many blessings to you.
Thank you. Why don't you tell us about yourself? Where did you grow up? 
I grew up in Passaic and Clifton, New Jersey. My father had a florist shop on Dayton Avenue in Passaic, right up the street from the famous Botany Mills. The street was very busy and we lived in an apartment behind the store. When I was eight, my father moved his shop one block up to Dayton Avenue in Clifton. Many of the other businesses made the move, too, so my neighbors were the same! We lived behind the shop in an apartment there as well. In fact, I didn’t live in a house until my third year of college, which was in a suburban area. I grew up accustomed to the sounds of trucks and traffic, so living in the stillness of a quiet town was a big adjustment. 

Well we were nearly neighbors. I was born in Brooklyn but then we moved to Whitehouse Station NJ. What was your first car? How old were you when you got it? Was it a gift or did you buy it yourself? 
My first car was a revved up black Mercury that didn’t have heat. One of my older cousins was a car racer. He rebuilt the engine, which accelerated very fast like the beast it was meant to be. This was the early 1970s and my parents paid well under a hundred dollars for it. I was eighteen at the time, so I had my own wheels to go back and forth to college. That one was a gift. The first car I bought myself in 1974 was a mint-green Gremlin. Yes. You heard me right. It looked like chocolate chip mint ice cream with brown strips down the sides.  
 
Mwa! I had a 72 Pinto wagon with wood sides. Do you have pets? Who was your “heart” pet?
We’ve had many wonderful pets through the years, including a truly lovable mutt named Chopin, Pucky, a sweet whippet and Betty, a very comical basset hound. Currently, I have a 25-pound rescued Maine Coon. I call him Sweetie Pie, even though he’s such a big-boy man-cat. He is the most affectionate and cuddly cat I’ve ever had, and the current pet of my heart. So much so that I gave him a spot in one of my novels. 

(I've added his picture below. He's adorable.) What’s your favorite way to relax and unwind? If it has a window what would you look out on?
The way I like to relax and unwind is by reading or doing a huge jigsaw puzzle. I love puzzles.  I also find relaxation in watching old movies. The place I unwind is at the back of my home in a three-season room that overlooks a forest. It is also where I write all my novels. The forest is tranquil and inspiring—as well as stunning. With windows facing the backyard, I’ve seen only one bear in all the years I’ve lived here. Besides a variety of birds, I’ve had deer and buck, a very old groundhog, rabbits and raccoons, as well as fox and beaver come to visit.  
It sounds lovely. Do you like to bake or cook? What is your specialty dish? Who taught you to cook? 
I like to do both! My pasta sauce has been a favorite among family and friends, especially the way I make the meatballs. Through the years, my children often skipped the pasta part and used a nice chunk of Italian bread to sop up the sauce with meatballs in a bowl. Although I watched my mother cook, I taught myself to make sauce, stews and soups. And I love to bake! There was a time when holiday baking included twelve different types of cookies and, of course, a gingerbread house. My nephews still fight over the cream puffs I bring to holiday celebrations. Now, besides the cream puffs, a creamy cheesecake, Italian Christmas cookies, and nut crescents are my specialties. My sister won’t let me into her home at the holidays if one or two of the above are not with me. 
I'm coming to your next Christmas. It sounds delish! Mickey thanks for spending some time around the fire with me. I'd love it if you'd tell us a little about your latest book.

​Sweetie Pie! Isn't he a handsome fellow!

​Happy New Year to you and yours. This past year has been a whirlwind for me. It had its ups and downs, but here we are in 2025, and it's a time of new beginnings. 
In Forest Gump, was it Long Leg Lenore or Cunning Carla who said,
"Don't you just love New Year's? You get to start all over. Everybody gets a second chance."
I believe every day we get a second chance to be as Benjamin Franklin said.
​

The winter is really rocking and rolling this week into next. It was 60 degrees a few days ago and now we are on the look out for some snow. The midwest and south need to keep their head down too- or at least wear a hat. ​Until next month.