« We are used to working on holidays. » Four nights a week, Laurent Bridonneau and Guillaume Busson work throughout the department to help people in need. Night ambulance drivers, they will celebrate the New Year at work, between their ambulance and the Jussieu Secours Tours center. « There is no holiday for emergencies », notes Guillaume.
For the two paramedics, working on New Year's Eve is not a problem. “ This would have bothered me more during Christmas, when I prefer to be with family. New Year's Eve is an evening with friends that can be postponed », Estimates Guillaume, who, like his partner, was able to take a holiday during Christmas week.
“We are governed according to the call of the 15th”
On deck from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., they will celebrate together the transition to the year 2025. In pairs since 2019, Laurent and Guillaume form a duo with obvious complicity. “ We spend more time with each other than with our family. We complement each other well. There is the old and the young », s’amuse Laurent, 50 ans.
Both favored night work for professional reasons, despite hiring on party nights. “ Night work is a choice and a preference. We do more pre-hospital emergencies, that's what we feel most comfortable with and what we prefer to do. », shares Guillaume. “ At night there is less traffic on the road. And we get to intervention faster », adds Laurent.
However, for the end of year celebrations, their leader wanted to make a small gesture for his teams. “ We called on a caterer for a special little meal, on New Year's Eve and the next day », Describes Pascal Barthès, president of Jussieu Secours France.
The ambulance rest room is also decorated with Christmas decorations. Table football, television, sofas… Multiple facilities offered to spend free time between two interventions. Laurent and Guillaume work particularly hard on table football, with confrontations with balanced results. A comfort that they must however abandon at the slightest alarm. « We are governed according to the call of the 15th », comments Guillaume.
“A family spirit”
Once a mission has been assigned to them, the two friends then set off, without haste, but with efficiency. “ On holiday evenings, we tell ourselves that we will have more interventions, but in reality no. More teams are made available. We mobilize five on these evenings instead of the usual four », says Laurent. “ At Christmas, we get called a lot for indigestion, food poisoning or allergies. There are also many calls from people who feel alone, depressed », notes Guillaume.
At the scene of intervention, the two paramedics take care of the person in need, with dialogue and kindness. “ Intervening at Christmas or New Year sometimes means tearing people away from their families. It's frustrating, but necessary for their health », recognizes Guillaume. In fact, it is sometimes essential for them to take people in care to the emergency room.
There, Laurent and Guillaume find colleagues, from various trades, who also work at night. Everyone greets each other in a friendly and convivial manner. “ By always seeing the same colleagues, we know each other well. They become friends. We feel a real family spirit “, underline the paramedics. Professional friendships that allow for a pleasant and welcome daily life during the holidays.
