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I retired from the fire service almost six years ago.  I will never forget an incident I was involved with in the early 90's.  We were dispatched to a reportedly injured female infant, but upon arrival, the injuries were not nearly as significant as initially reported.  During the assessment and treatment of the infant, I became increasingly uncomfortable with the infant's environment.  My feeling at the time was that the baby's mother really needed help and guidance.  When I returned back to quarters, for the first and only time in my 25 year career in the fire service, I called what was then termed Children's Services Division of the State of Oregon.  I reported what I had seen, and made a point of saying I thought the patient's mom just needed guidance.  I hung up, thinking I had done my part, done what I can, played my part.  Three to six months later, while at work, I recieved a phone call from Washington County, asking me to testify in a murder trial.  I at first thought there had been a huge mistake. But during the conversation, I learned that the patient I had helped treat, whose situation I had reported to CSD, had ultimately died shortly thereafter under suspicious circmstances.  Shock, frustration, anger, sadness . . . . . .  Mark MacDonald 503.684.8316 

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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