"When one of us falls, we all stumble a little" - Unknown
It was with heavy hearts we learned of our friend and colleague Dan Martin's sudden illness January 27th, 2011, he and his family were in our thoughts constantly as we waited for word on his condition. It is with an even heavier heart that we were informed of his passing during the evening of January 30th, 2011 with his family by his side and his extended EMS family both nearby and far away.
Dan will be forever remembered by all who knew him as a dedicated Paramedic with more than twenty years of service. He served the public in many roles during his career, including that of an ACP, preceptor, mentor and most recently a member of the Tactical EMS team.
Dan was a good friend to many and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
The link below will take you to an online book of memories for Dan:
Lee Funeral Home Book of Memories for Dan Martin
Trust Fund Information
A trust fund has been set up by the PPA and Local 277 for the future needs of Dan's daughters. As agreed upon by the PPA board of directors and Local 277 executive, Brent Gorzynski and Joe Korstanje have been named Trustee's of the account.
Donations can be made at any TD Canada Trust branch using the following information:
TD Canada Trust
Transit # 3553
Account # 6044297
Alternatively cheques made out to Brent Gorzynski at Tedlo, or Joe Korstanje at Maingate can be forwarded via interoffice mail by PRPS staff. Please ensure that “In trust for Kaitlyn and Tamara” is included on the memo line.
Donations can also be made securely via PayPal by clicking the "Donate" button in the box on the right. Please add “In trust for Kaitlyn and Tamara” in the special instructions box when using this method.
Cheques can be mailed to the PPA C/O Brent Gorzynski:
Peel Paramedic Association
P.O. Box 42069, 128 Queen St. S.
Mississauga ON
L5M 4Z0
Comments
When the Lord Made Paramedic Dan Martin
When the Lord Made Paramedic Dan Martin
When the Lord made paramedic Dan Martin, he was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”
And the Lord said,”Have you read the specs on this order? Dan has to be able to carry an injured person up a wet, grassy hill in the dark, dodge stray bullets to reach a dying child unarmed, enter home the health inspector wouldn’t touch, and not wrinkle his uniform.”
“He has to be able to lift 3 times his own weight, crawl into wrecked cars with barely enough room to move, and console a grieving mother as he is doing CPR on a baby he knows will never breathe again.”
“He has to be in top mental condition at all times, running on no sleep, black coffee and half-eaten meals. And he has to have six pairs of hands.”
The angel shook her head slowly and said, ”Six pairs of hands...no way.”
“It’s not the hand that are causing me problems,” said the Lord, “It’s the three pairs of eyes a medic has to have.”
“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. “One pair that sees open sores as he’s drawing blood and asks the patient if they may be HIV positive,” (When he already knows and wishes he’d taken that accounting job.) “Another pair here in the side of his head for his partners’ safety. And another pair of eyes here in the front that can look reassuringly at a bleeding victim and say, “You’ll be all right ma’am when he knows it isn’t so.”
“Lord,” said the angel, touching his sleeve, “rest and work on this tomorrow.”
“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I already have a model that can talk a 250 pound drunk out from behind a steering wheel without incident.”
The angel circled the model of the paramedic very slowly, “Can it think?” she asked.
“You bet,” said the Lord. “It can tell you the symptoms of 100 illnesses; recite drug calculation in it’s sleep; intubate, defibrillate, medicate, and continue CPR nonstop over terrain that any doctor would fear...and still it keeps it’s sense of humour.
This medic also has phenomenal personal control. He can deal with a multi-victim trauma, coax a frightened elderly person to unlock their door, comfort a murder victim’s family, and then read in the daily paper how paramedics were unable to locate a house quickly enough, allowing the person to die. A house which had no street sign, no house numbers, no phone to call back.”
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the paramedic. “There’s a leak, “she announced. “I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.”
“That’s not a leak, “said the Lord, “It’s a tear.”
“What’s the tear for?” asked the angel.
“It’s for the bottled-up emotion, for patients they’ve tried in vain to save, for the commitment to that hope that they will make difference in a person’s chance to survive, for life.”
You’re a genius, “said the angel. The lord looked somber. “I didn’t put it there,” He said.
Unknown Author
"Medic 1, UP!" God yelled. "Your time there is done, Rest, for you have deserved it." You will always be Medic 1, Dan. RIP. You will be missed by so many. You touched many, many lives in your short time on earth.
Title unknown
The medic stood and faced God.
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his uniform was clean,
He'd gotten dressed kinda fast.
"Step forward now, paramedic.
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To my church have you been true?"
The medic squared his shoulders and said,
"No Lord I guess I ain't,
cause those of us who wade in blood,
can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
and at times my talk was tough.
And at times I've been violent,
cause the streets are awful rough.
But I never took a penny
that wasn't mine to keep...
although I worked alot of overtime,
when the bills got far too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
except to calm their fears.
If you have a place for me, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't I undestand."
There was silence all around the throne,
where saints had often trod.
As there medic waited quietly
for the judgement of his God.
"Step forward now, paramedic.
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on heavens streets.
You've done your time in hell."
RIP Dan
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you waken in the mornings hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of gentle birds in circling flight,
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry -
I am not there, I did not die!
RIP Dan, you are missed!
God's Garden
God looked around his garden
And found an empty place.
He then looked down upon the Earth
And saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering,
He knew that you were in pain,
He knew that you would never
Get well on this Earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb,
So he closed your weary eyelids
And whispered "Peace be thine".
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you didn't go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
Dan,
On behalf of your sisters and brothers at Trillium Health Centre, we send our deepest sympathies to you, your family, and your loved ones.