07/13/2026
12 Hour Shift with a Falck Ambulance Crew
Yesterday, from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, I did a "ride along" with a Falck ambulance crew. Falck Rocky Mountain is the contract ambulance and emergency medical service provider for the city of Aurora.
I do this public safety ride along program because public safety is the top responsibility of any local government and they help me to better understand how effective the city's resources are deployed when it comes to our EMS Falck ambulance service, Aurora Fire Rescue, the Aurora Police Department, and our Aurora 911 Emergency Dispatch Center. I also do them to provide a window into what our public safety personnel experience on a daily basis.
During my ride along with a Falck ambulance crew, I rode with Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Andrew Nixon and Paramedic Zach Becker for their 12-hour shift.
With every medical emergency response, an Aurora Fire Rescue (AFR) paramedic worked alongside the Falck paramedic in examining and treating the patient. For the more severe cases, an AFR paramedic would go in the ambulance while enroute to an emergency room.
All transported patients, during the shift, either went to UCHealth ER, on the Anschutz Medical Campus, or to HCA Health ONE ER, by Mississippi and Potomac.
The following is a chronology of events for the shift:
10:00 am - Prepared vehicle, medical equipment, and other supplies loaded for the shift.
10:20 am - Departed for the assigned coverage area in the city to wait for calls.
12:00 pm - Responded to a call for a 63-year-old male who complained about debilitating back pain that was so severe that he was unable to move. Transported to an ER.
3:30 pm - Responded to a call for a 2-year-old female who, according to her parents, ate chocolate flavored laxatives that were inadvertently left out to where the toddler could get to them. The toddler suffered severe diarrhea for the previous 24 hour resulting in a painful rash on her bottom. In addition to the rash, there was a significant blister. The toddler was transported to an ER accompanied by her mother.
Since the blister was not consistent with a rash but a burn, by state law, the Adams County Department of Human Services was required to be notified due to suspected child abuse.
3:00 pm - Responded to call for a motor vehicle accident. One of the drivers complained about a possible injury and requested an onsite medical evaluation. Individual was found to not require any subsequent treatment.
4:00 pm - Responded to call for a 38-year-old male who was being seen at a Kaiser Permanente outpatient clinic and complained of severe pain and weakness. He was believed to be suffering from complications stemming from vascular sorosis. (hardening and thickening of blood vessel walls). Transported to an ER.
4:50 pm - Responded to a call for a 23-year-old male who had a history of pancreatitis and complained about pain stemming from the left side of his abdomen. Transported to an ER.
6:00 pm - Responded to a call for a 62-year-old male who complained about numbness on his left arm and chest pains. He had a history of heart disease. Transported to an ER.
7:40 pm - Responded to a call for a 38-year-old female who had passed out after giving blood and was suspected of having a seizure. Transported to an ER.
9:30 pm - Departed for Falck headquarters where ambulance was prepared for another shift.
EMT Andrew Nixon and Paramedic Zach Becker are dedicated and caring medical professionals. The residents of the city of Aurora are lucky to be served by them.
In the photo, from left to right, are EMT Andrew Nixon and Paramedic Zach Becker at the start of their 12-hour shift.
