Copyright 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Inc.
By SUSAN WEICH
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — A paramedic who divides her time between 911 calls and changing diapers is this year’s county Ambulance District Paramedic of the Year.
Cindy Dahm, 30, who recently had her third child, is the first part-timer to receive the honor.
Dahm has been a paramedic with the district since 1997, but she shifted to part-time status in 2001 so she could spend more time with her son, Adam, who is now 5. Since then, she and her husband, Greg, have added two more to the family — Brian, 2, and Clare, who was born May 11.
Dahm’s experiences as a mom apparently have served her well on the job.
“She is one of the calmest people I’ve ever seen in a very chaotic situation,” said Rick Lane, training officer for the ambulance district.
Dahm says she’s heard the compliment before from co-workers.
“They tell me, ‘Man, you can tell that you’re a mom,’” Dahm said. “I guess I have a tendency to look at them all and say, ‘It’s going to be OK. Everybody just take a deep breath.’”
Dahm also was feted because she is a first responder with Medic 40, a volunteer network of paramedics and EMTs in the northeast corridor of the county serving Orchard Farm, Portage des Sioux and West Alton.
Lane, who also coordinates the volunteer group, said Dahm joined to give back to her community.
Dahm lives in Orchard Farm and said she likes working where she was raised and now lives.
“It’s nice when you get to the call, and it’s someone that you know,” she said. “For the patient, I’m a familiar face, so it’s comforting to them.”
Marty Limpert, spokesman for the district, said Dahm is great with people and treats the patients as if they are part of her family.
“She exudes compassion and demonstrates genuine caring,” Limpert said.
Dahm said she is able to answer the emergency calls because she lives next door to her parents, and they have agreed to baby-sit her children whenever possible. Her father was a volunteer firefighter with Orchard Farm for years and understands the calling.
Dahm said she feels fortunate to be able to work and to raise her kids.
“I’m really blessed in that way, that I get to do both things that I love,” she said.
Cindy Dahm cuddles Thursday with Adam, 5, and 2-week-old Clare at their home in St. Charles County. She works part time in order to spend time with her kids.