Christmas on the clock

In 1943, Bing Crosby sang “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.” Those words ring true for essential workers around Creston who will be on the clock instead of under the tree on Christmas.

Everyone knows the police department and firefighters will be working to keep the community safe during the holidays, but who else are the unsung heroes of Christmas?

In the nursing home, the beloved elderly are taken care of day and night by the hardworking staff. They work to spread Christmas cheer for their residents.

Sitting behind a desk alone, a dispatcher waits for the phone to ring. They will spend most of their shift by themselves, waiting to make sure someone is available in case of an emergency.

In contrast, the workers in the ambulance and emergency room department at Greater Regional Health spend so much time together, they are like a second family. They feel the camaraderie as they celebrate the holiday with a potluck.

As people travel across the state to celebrate, they stop for gas and a snack at the local Casey’s General Store on Taylor Street. The employees are ready with a smile to serve travelers, regulars and panicked chefs who forgot to buy marshmallows.

These essential workers keep Creston afloat while most of its residents are spending the day off with family.

In the first responder world, Christmas is either slow or chaotic.

“Most people don’t want to call 911 on holidays,” Greater Regional Health paramedic Tyler Smith said. “So it’s usually pretty legitimate 911s if someone calls for us.”

Union County Chief Dispatcher Tamara Fitzgerald agreed. “It varies,” she said. “Sometimes you don’t have a call the whole day; it’s very quiet. Other times it seems to be more domestics and medical calls.”

Fitzgerald has been with dispatch for 14 years and has worked many holidays, including Christmas. “This year I’m working Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and into the weekend Saturday,” she said. “I’ve had to work birthdays, holidays, sporting events, Christmas concerts.”

In a county this size, only one dispatcher is needed most of the time, meaning they are alone in dispatch as officers and deputies are free to spend time with family unless needed for a call.

“It’s just kind of lonesome in here,” she said. “I usually just use the downtime to try to catch up on records and things for the county attorney.”

Regardless, they try to make it festive.

“I usually put up decorations. We have a tree. I decorate the windows outside with garland and lights,” Fitzgerald said.

In contrast, while there isn’t a tree up in the emergency room, the spirit is boisterous as paramedics, EMTs and nurses spend the day together.

“There’s definitely a big sense of camaraderie. The nurses are with us for 12 hours at a time. EMS, the four of us are together for 24 to 48 hours. We are our own family here. It makes it easier working the long days or the holidays,” Smith said. “Usually the group that’s on for Christmas, we will try to have a potluck or something. We try to get something going to involve everybody, especially because we are all away from our families.”

Food is a major part of the holidays — especially dessert.

“One of our medics, her and her mom make candy every year,” Smith said. “So they bring in a huge tray of candy for everybody.”

The community often brings goodies to the Union County Law Enforcement Center for officers, deputies and dispatchers to enjoy while working the holidays.

“It seems like at Christmastime we are loaded with candy and food out there,” Fitzgerald said. “Usually the desserts are a big hit.”

At Creston Specialty Care, today is the day for the big holiday party.

“We have Santa Claus come in,” LPN Lisa Wilson said. “We have snacks, punch, it’s a big ordeal for them.” They will also enjoy desserts like cookies and cupcakes.

On Christmas Day, the residents still in house are served a special meal — last year they had ham with the fixings and pie.

Wilson has been with Creston Specialty Care for 36 years and said working on Christmas is wonderful.

“It’s nice seeing the family come in or take the residents out for meals,” she said. “I like to be there just to give them joy for the day. Christmas is special.”

It can be tough to watch some residents go the day without visits from family. “But you know, that’s our job — to make them feel special, give them a good day. We do that every day," Wilson said. “When you work here, they become your family too.”

At Casey’s, the 24/7 service halts from 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve to 10 a.m. Christmas Day.

Amy Angell has been with Casey’s for 22 years. She said they laugh and joke to try to bring up everyone’s spirits on Christmas.

“On Christmas Eve, we all play Secret Santa,” she said. “We exchange gifts and we all bring something for a potluck. We just stand and talk and for once get to enjoy us.”

But once the store opens back up, it’s time for business. Angell remembers a year when Casey’s was still on the corner of Taylor Street and Sumner Avenue.

“I opened on Christmas, and at 10 until 10:00, they were beating on my doors,” she said. “All they wanted was like some marshmallows. But I get that.”

Most of the customers coming through on Christmas are appreciative.

“People forget their batteries or forget the marshmallows,” Angell said. “Or they need pancake syrup. I think we are the only thing open on Christmas Day.”

During the early part of the day, travelers stop to fill up on gas and get a bite to eat on their way to their final destination.

“Christmas night is really bad,” she said. “We get bombarded with orders - lots of them. They don’t want the leftover turkey anymore, so they order lots of pizza.”

The regulars also make an appearance, getting a fountain soda or their favorite snack.

Whether working on Christmas is festive or lonely, it impacts family life.

“It’s hard on the family,” Angell said. ”My husband hates it. We’ve been married 20 years. My grandson is very understanding. He understands grandma’s got to work. It’s hard on everybody, but you come in with a smile on your face and do your job."

Smith said the impact is different for everybody. “My family and my fiance, we have big enough families that we do everything on different days,” he said. “So I’ll work this Christmas. We’ve gone as late as celebrating Christmas at the end of January.”

After nearly four decades, working on Christmas doesn’t bother Wilson.

“We work around it,” she said. “Around here, us nurses take turns. One year I’ll work Thanksgiving and not Christmas. We all rotate. I usually work on Christmas because I don’t have kids at home. I let the young mothers stay home with their young ones.”

Fitzgerald’s family is used to the life of a first responder. “They have always been understanding,” she said. “I was on Prescott’s Fire and Rescue as a firefighter and EMT for 12 years. So they were always used to having a pager in the house, me having to go on calls.”

This year is extra hard for the family as Fitzgerald’s mom passed recently and her eldest son is serving overseas in the Iowa National Guard. A bright spot is a new granddaughter, born just two weeks ago.

She will celebrate with her youngest on Christmas Eve and have some more Christmas festivities after her shift is over on the 25th.

“For me, I just treat it as any other day,” Fitzgerald said. “Somebody’s got to be in this seat 24/7. I always want to step up and do my part.”