Megan- Graphic Organizer Chapters 1-13

These key points are the journey throughout the story. Each one of these points is a name of a chapter within this book. All of these chapters or points are woven together to form Perry’s final thought of saying that this is where he belongs. These events play a significant role in his life in New Auburn, Wisconsin. This is his home and these are the people and events that make it.

Megan- Article Finder Chapters 11-13

This whole book revolves around a small town, with a small town feel. I came across an article about, “The Small Town of Pawning,” which has that same community feel. A quote under the title states Pawling, “is truly a community-based town, where you grow up with your neighbors.” That one quote describes the small town of New Auburn completely. The author goes on to explain what is in the town. All of the businesses are mom and pop places, other than the CVS. Just like New Auburn where there is a Supper Club and the meat market. Also, in Pawling, people around the community great everyone, same with New Auburn. This article just confirms that small town communities still exist and that what Perry wrote about goes beyond just the city of New Auburn.

To read more about the Pawling, click here.

Summarizer - Jenny Halopka Chapters 11-13



Chapter 11 is comprised of all the different things that the professionals that Perry works with, including himself, have messed up on. It shows that although they wear the uniform and are seen as people who never mess up, they are still people and do somtimes make mistakes that anyone could make. Chapter 12 is about digging for more. It comes up everywhere in this chapter. It starts with Jack Most's rock, then goes on about how Perry was digging in his backyard to see what he could find and even when the septic backed up. Perry had to dig to find the problem there to. Chapter 13 was entitled "Sarah" throughout the chapter Perry explained how Sarah came to be in their family and then the tragic ending of her life.

Chapters 11 and 12 are writtin much the same as the rest of the book. They start at point, usually a story and have relateable topics inbetween and end with the story from the begining. The language used is still much more sopisticated than the backwoods hick he comes off to be and the tone is one of a humorous sarcasim. Chapter 13 is different from the rest of the book. He uses most of the same language, but there is no sarcasim. You can tell by the way he wrote it that it is still painful. One quote caught my attention. "The tough times start the day the last casserole dish is returned" This strikes me as notable because it made me stop and think. I 100% believe in this quote.

Article Finder - Jenny Halopka Chapters 11-13

http://www.firehouse.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53221

I choose an article about an EMT that found his son to be one of the victims of his emergency call. This has to be one of the biggest fears for a firefighter of EMT. In the last chapter of the book, Jed is one of the first people on the scene. He did what he could to save her but then what? No one else knew either so one of the other firefighters pulled him away and held him, but what would you do? It is one of those things that you would never wish upon someone else and yet firefighters and EMT's go to every call knowing that there is a chance that they will know the person.

Vocab - Jenny Halopka Chapters 9-10

Somnolescence (pg 143) - sleepiness: a very sleepy state

Acquiescent (pg 148) - willing to carry out the orders or wishes of another without protest

Hypertrophies (pg 149) - abnormal enlargement of a body part or organ

Palpable (pg 1490 - capable of being perceived; especially capable of being handled or touched or felt

Omniscient (pg 150) - all-knowing: infinitely wise

Ineffable (pg 152) - Beyond expression in words; unspeakable; Forbidden to be uttered; taboo

Hemoglobin (pg 155) - gives red blood cells their characteristic color

Sclera (pg 156) - The white part of the eye

Louvered (pg 178) - Horizontal slots cut into the sides of diesel and electric locomotives and certain goods vans to give ventilation

Eradicated (pg 180) - eliminated, utterly destroyed

Discussion Leader - Jenny Halopka Chapters 9-10

1) Chapter 9 revolves around the idea of using a pager. Do you think a firefighter's life revolves around his pager? Does being constantly on call take away from other attributes of a persons life such as family and friends?

I think it takes a special person to be a firefighter or EMS. They have to be prepared for anything at any time of the day. Yes, I think their life does revolve around the pager but I also think that they like that part of their job. Maybe it's the unknowingness of what could happen in the next couple minutes or that they are responsible for other lifes, but I think they love what they do and thats why they do it. I also thing that it takes away from family time, but that their family membors look up to them for taking on such a great responsibilty. So, with all the negitive aspects, I think the positives still outweigh the bad in the mind of a firefighter or EMS.

2) With all the terminology firefighters have to use it can be easy to mess up as Perry showed. Do you think it was unprofessional of him to use the term "flat-linner" in front of a family member? Why or why not?'

Yes it was unprofessional but not to the point of being inconsiderate. With all the terms i'm sure it's easy to get mixed up and he still had to communicate to the ambulance what was going on. He could have used much worse terms but, I think, even under pressure he still found a suitable replacement word.

3) In this chapter, Perry takes a cat out to shoot it because it is very sick. Do you think this is ethical or should he have taken it to be ethanized? Why?

Personally, growing up on a farm I would side with how Perry handeled the situation. It isn't a pleasant thing to do, however it is better than letting the cat suffer. On a normal farm it wouldn't be possible to humanly euthanize every animal that was to sick to survive just for financial reasons. If the cat was killed with the best intentions in mind then I believe that anyway you do it, as long as it is done quickly, is ethical.

4) "Memory is a means of possession, but eventually, the greatest grace is found in letting go" Do you agree with this quote? Why or why not?

I do not completly agree with this quote. I think that letting painful memories go is part of a healing process, but I think we still need to keep good memories of people we have lost to keep them close in our hearts. I can relate to this because my mother died when I was young. My younger sister has come to me crying because she cannot remember certain details of our mother. I am thankful that I still have those memories to remember my mom and try to live up to who she would want me to be.

Article Finder-Stephanie LaPointe

Article Finder

Chapters 9 and 10

http://falcon4u.web.officelive.com/default.aspx

        This article was chosen based on the fact that most of chapters nine and ten were dedicated towards one of the most important pieces of equipment  a firefighter posses, a pager.  Pagers are electronic devices that alert a firefighters about emergency calls.  Pagers allow firefighters to go about their normal business on a day-to-day business, and alert them if they are needed.  This article about pagers contained loads of information; everything from their own blog, to all different kinds of pagers to buy.  One should pay attention to this article if they are reading Population: 485 because Perry mentions multiple times in many of the chapters about his pager.  He talks about the significance, and how important it is to helping others.  By gaining a better understand of the important parts to Perry's job will allow one to understand the book better.