American Medical Response paramedic Joy Miyoshi hands out badge stickers and shares information with youths Friday at the AMR first-aid booth at the fair. Paramedics Jake Castro (rear) and Brad Cramer were also on hand.

He’s delivered babies before, but it took working at the Santa Cruz County Fair for American Medical Response paramedic Jack Castro to get a chance to deliver a calf. You never know what could come up, and that’s why Castro likes to work the fair — that, and how much fun it is.

“It’s great out here,” Castro said while sitting in his booth and handing out stickers to kids Friday morning. “We stay steadily busy as far as handing out supplies and Band-Aids, treating bee stings and checking blood pressure. We are here to help.”

Castro has led a crew of three paramedics stationed at the fair all week. They were especially busy Friday with all the elementary students from a number of Pajaro Valley schools visiting. Bruised shins, skinned knees and cut fingers were the common ailments of the day. If they weren’t treating them, they were giving them stickers and teaching how to dial 911 in case of emergency.

Joy Miyoshi, new to the crew this year, said meeting and treating the little children is what she most enjoys about being at the fair.

“That, and driving the First Aid golf cart around,” she laughed.

The most serious situation the crew has dealt with is people passing out, but Castro noted he has not treated anybody for an animal bite. He has, however, had his experiences with animals — two years ago, Castro delivered a calf.

“That was really different for me,” said Castro. “I had delivered children, before but not animals. We used chains to pull the hooves out while extracting the baby calf.”

You can find the AMR paramedics on Apple Blossom Lane near the Poultry Exhibit.

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*Photo by Tarmo Hannula*

(Published in 9/13/08 edition)

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