Call it an adrenaline rush, a need for the extreme or simply job satisfaction, that knowledge of being inextricably entwined in the life-and-death moments of others is part of what has kept paramedic Steven Lopes involved in emergency services for the past two decades, and it's what drew Lopes' wife, Amanda, into service two years ago.
"I love getting out there, knowing I've made a difference -- especially those calls that come out good in the end," Amanda Lopes said. "Knowing I was there, that maybe something I did made a difference."
 One of several families working together on the Mat-Su Borough's emergency services force, the Lopeses say they spend nearly as much time at the Central Mat-Su station as they do at home. From left, Amanda Lopes stands next to daughter Briannah while Steve Lopes holds Joey. RINDI WHITE/Frontiersman |
The Lopes family is not unique in the rosters of emergency responders from the Mat-Su Borough. Many couples or husband-wife teams serve as on-call responders on the force, and many of the borough's 406 responders have family members who are also in service -- including Amanda, whose brother is now an emergency medical technician in Palmer. Steven, who's been involved in emergency services since he got out of high school, followed his two older brothers into the field.
"Ever since I was 5 years old, I had two older brothers who were volunteer firefighters, growing up in Rhode Island," Steven said.
"I think it gets in your blood," Amanda said. "It's one of those things you grow up living."
Having family involved in emergency response can make things easier, Steven and Amanda agreed. After a stressful day in the ambulance, it can be reassuring to come home to someone who's sat in the same ambulance and faced similar situations.
"What I like about the fact that Amanda responds and is involved in this is, ... having her involved in it, she definitely has an understanding of what I go through," Steven said.
But having both primary family members involved in emergency services doesn't always make being on call easy. Steven works as the District 1 Mat-Su Emergency Services Battalion Chief and has been doing double-duty as the acting chief of the district's ambulance division. His job lasts anywhere from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 9 p.m. or even 3 a.m., he said, depending on what's happening that day. Amanda has a part-time job at Camelot Family Health in addition to being a level-two EMT. She was recently promoted to EMS lieutenant for Central Mat-Su's EMS division.
Holding down another job and being on-call on the weekends, Amanda is like much of the borough's on-call responders.
"We have responders who do anything from banking to drywall," Amanda said. "It's a mish-mash."
What many don't realize about being an on-call responder, however, is the dozens of hours involved in training and keeping their certifications current.
"It gets rough," Amanda said. "I count heavily on my friends and family -- they're one of the main reasons I can make the training."
Amanda and Steven have two children -- Briannah, 3 1/2, and Joey, 8 months. They, too, are living the lives of on-call responders. Steven said Amanda's job generally allows her to care for the children during the week, and he takes the role of "Mr. Mom" on the weekends when she goes out on runs with the ambulance.
"The kids are growing up in this station," Steven said, as Briannah explored among the forest of tables and chairs in a training room at the Central Mat-Su Station 6-5 in Wasilla and Joey lay on the carpet, practicing his mouth sounds. And in addition to being a place filled with firefighting suits, glistening fire engines and whirring ambulances -- icons of many people's childhoods -- the encouragement Briannah and Joey receive from others in the emergency services department is unbeatable.
"They're our second family," Amanda said of the EMS responders they work with. "The members tend to think of [the kids] as their mascots. I can't think of a more positive atmosphere for them to grow up in."
And although the responsibility of the job may, at times, seem enormous or overwhelming, that network of support is there to carry the responders through. It's a humbling job, but when people acknowledge your efforts in taking care of themselves or a loved one, Steven said, it really touches your heart.
"Every thank-you I've ever gotten, every card I've gotten, I've saved," Steven said. "Obviously, we have to pay the bills and make ends meet, but you have to get satisfaction out of your job, and that's something I've always gotten. I consider myself fortunate to be get involved in this."
Comments
25 comment(s)anita wrote on Mar 7, 2009 4:08 PM:
you have the right to judge? u must not have a life, or anyone in your family who have had altercations in their youth that made them grow up, and furthermore, the thing that matters, is, if they turn out to be useful good members of society, right? are u perfect? exactly! "
Gerry Ardo wrote on Nov 15, 2008 1:59 PM:
jill wrote on Nov 5, 2008 6:15 AM:
LMAO wrote on Oct 28, 2008 9:04 PM:
The Truth wrote on Oct 5, 2008 11:48 AM:
Michigan Lady wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:48 AM:
Michiganvoter wrote on Oct 1, 2008 5:53 PM:
Marci Bereu wrote on Sep 24, 2008 3:25 PM:
The report is true, including going into the army to avoid jail. I'm sure strings can be pulled for kids of VIP parents. "
Steve McAdam wrote on Sep 16, 2008 4:19 PM:
California Gal wrote on Sep 16, 2008 3:23 PM:
Doug Polcin wrote on Sep 14, 2008 9:49 AM:
Will wrote on Sep 13, 2008 6:31 PM:
Log Dog wrote on Sep 11, 2008 2:27 PM:
Fran wrote on Sep 11, 2008 12:32 PM:
DEMSWRONG wrote on Sep 10, 2008 4:15 PM:
Rock Roll wrote on Sep 9, 2008 9:42 AM:
wes wrote on Sep 8, 2008 8:08 AM:
Jay wrote on Sep 6, 2008 4:58 PM:
Sue wrote on Sep 6, 2008 1:14 AM:
Foobar wrote on Sep 5, 2008 2:59 PM:
The entire Palin family is like a well-dressed episode of Jerry Springer. "
MrUniteUs wrote on Sep 5, 2008 5:31 AM:
Was Sarah Palin's son "Track Palin" arrested for vandalism ... Most recently there is discussion that Track Palin, then 16, was one of the 3 boys arrested for vandalizing 44 Mat-Su school buses - an incident that forced ...
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080904193702AAGlSCL - "
aklocal wrote on Sep 2, 2008 8:07 PM:
Destyne Pope wrote on Feb 12, 2008 4:20 AM:
vacation wrote on Jan 30, 2008 12:39 PM:
Thank you! "
Nyakeh Sam Suale wrote on Nov 14, 2007 10:59 AM: