See You Soon, Mark

I’ve had a lot of blog ideas for this week’s edition of EMS in the New Decade kicking around my head: Health Care and EMS, the ongoing Massachusetts EMT scandal, and a few others, but I feel it more appropriate for right now to put those on the backburner and say goodbye to a colleague, and a pioneer who has played a huge part in the movement to make my job better:

As many of you know, Mark Glencorse has decided to close down his 999 Medic blog.I understand and sympathize with him for his main reason for doing this: family comes first, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to miss his posts.

When it comes to Blogging Age, I’m still a young’n.My blogging career didn’t get started until March, which is nothing compared to Mark’s 18 months and more than 450 posts.Heck, I remember my first night on Twitter when I got to join Justin and Ted on their limo ride intoBaltimorevia UStream, and later reading about Mark’s experiences at EMS Today.

That gradually evolved to where I had my plane tickets on standby to fly toDenverjust to spend the evening with the poor guy and share a beer or two because of some silly volcano that had stranded him state-side.

This is my chance to say thank you, Mark.Thank you for everything that you have done.Thank you for being a leader in the Chronicles of EMS movement.Thanks for pointing us in a positive direction to help fix our struggling nationalEMSsystem.Thanks for your fun comments on all of our blogs, and thanks for all of your posts over the last 18 months.Most of all, Thanks for being willing to take time away from your family to come and share your knowledge with us.I can only imagine what a huge sacrifice it must have been for you and it means more to many of us than you could imagine.

Now it is time for the rest of us to carry the torch, and pick up where Mark is leaving off.I’m sure there will be many occasions when we will all say “remember what Mark said?”And share all of those words of wisdom.The wisdom you shared in your written words will be missed, my friend.

Thanks for everything, Mark. I’ll see you on Twitter.

2 comments

  1. Chronicles of EMS /

    You couldn't have said it better and I am honored that you were actually paying attention to Justin and I in Baltimore! CoEMS is becoming a place for everyone to share their ideas on how to improve the industry and I am equally inspired by your energy and enthusiasm!

  2. medic999 /

    And thank you to you too matey!

    What people like you have given me cannot be underestimated either. From the comments, emails and posts that so many of you have written is both very humbling and amazingly flattering. As you said, it's over to you now, I will continue to be an avid reader and will always wear my CoEMS badge with pride!