Paramedic goes beyond the call

Lolita Harper

You can take a man out of a firehouse but you will never take the

firehouse out of this man.

Brian Slater, a retired Newport Beach paramedic, still jumps to

action at the sounds of sirens. In fact, he responded to a medical

call Thursday night on his own block.

Donna Boston, spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Fire Department,

said the station sent a paramedic unit to the 400 block of Colton

Street for emergency medical aid. When the crew arrived on scene,

Slater, who lives a few doors down, was there, Boston said. Slater

was not acting in official capacity as far as medical attention was

concerned but in an emotional capacity, as his neighbors watched a

loved one languish in pain.

“It is just such an incredible feeling to see him helping us

again,” Boston said. “In true Brian fashion.”

Slater, 52, is recovering from a body surfing accident that put

him in critical condition for weeks. On Aug. 30, Slater was swimming

in the ocean near his home, while his family was on the beach.

Lifeguards found him floating face down in deep waters. When

Newport Beach rescue crews pulled him ashore to resuscitate him, they

recognized him as one of their own.

While Slater remained at Hoag Hospital, people from the community

flooded the lobby with well wishes and prayers. They cited the

paramedic’s loving nature and giving heart as two of the many reasons

they care so deeply for him.

He pulled through and has spent the past eight months

recuperating.

Liz Slater, Brian’s wife, said her husband was not quite ready for

an interview, as he is still focusing his efforts on rehabilitation.

She said the family is deeply grateful for the support from the

community and thanked everyone for keeping her family in their

thoughts.

“God willing, it will all be straightened out soon,” Liz Slater

said.

It is Slater, however, who deserves the thanks, Boston said.

“Brian helps everyone and there he was [Thursday] helping again,”

Boston said.

Slater helped talk to the family, in their difficult situation. He

talked them through the necessary procedures and reassured them that

everything would work out.

“Here we are applying first aid and trying to treat a patient,”

Boston said. “And Brian is there giving emotional first aid to the

family that had to get through that difficult situation. We just

loved seeing that.”