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A Chicago paramedic reached a personal milestone on Wednesday, one that was decades in the making.
Terry Sullivan wanted to handle at least one emergency call from every one of the city's 75 ambulances.
Paramedic Terry Sullivan responded to a call early Wednesday morning in ambulance number 75 in West Englewood. It's the ambulance that helped him hit his goal, handling a call in every one of Chicago’s firehouses that has an ambulance.
Sullivan's full time assignment is Ambulance 12 at Archer and Narragansett. He traded shifts with paramedics in other firehouses to chalk up runs from more than 70 firehouses.
“The firehouses have all got their own personality. It depends on where you're at. They're all different. North side, south side, I'm a south sider so I'll have to say the south side is my favorite place,” Sullivan said.
This accomplishment has been two years in the making. Sullivan says it was 20 years ago that he decided he wanted to make a run in every ambulance in the city.
He just made it. Sullivan’s retiring in December after 28 years with the department. And while he'd like to say he's the first to reach this milestone, a female paramedic hit 75 a year ago.
“It's been fun, we were in competition a little bit, going back and forth, finding out which rig you still got to go, and she retired last year,” Sullivan said.
He says the best part of working from so many firehouses has been working alongside some great people. And of course, providing emergency services to neighborhood residents.
“Oh it's a lot of fun. When you’re helping people and they're at their lowest moment, it's a pretty good experience. You know, you really feel good about what you’re doing,” Sullivan said.