Day of fun for paramedic turns into hospital stay

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Jennifer Brown, a paramedic for Three Rivers Healthcare, took Monday night off from rescuing people from life and death situations. Then she was the one who needed to be rescued after being thrown from a carnival ride and hitting the pavement at Poplar Bluff Square.

"We were just going around and up and down on the spider," said Brown from her hospital bed. "The next thing I know, I came up off my seat."

Brown went flying and hit the ground.

She said she was there with one of the city police officers and began to yell for him because he wasn't on the ride. She was conscious and knew she needed immediate help.

She also wondered about her co-rider, a boy named Kade.

"I was just thankful that he didn't get hurt," Brown said. The whirling ride appeared to hold Kade in, but something went wrong on her side.

Paramedics worked on Brown, and when she got to Three Rivers Healthcare-North Campus, she learned she didn't have any broken bones or major injuries.

She said she's bruised and scraped up and overall miserable but, "I definitely feel lucky."

Katina Pipkins, a friend and co-worker, said the impact could have killed Brown.