California 200

[firetender]

What I'm interested in is YOU!

How are you doing? What did you learn? What advice do you have for those of us who WILL end up in hellish scenarios like that? Not only on the technical end, but in matters of the heart. Did you ask for and get help? What did that help mean to you? Once it does happen to others on this site, where would you direct them to go, and to whom?

A year later, of course what remains are the logistics. But I'm curious about your adjustment to being center stage in hell.

...and thanks for letting us take another look!

 

[mycrofft]

Second that.

:excl:

 

[TacoMEDIC]

Was there radio between ground and aircraft, and who had it?
Were there predesignated helo pads or were they improvised?
What do you see doing differently in all aspects to prepare for such an event in the future?
Would the presence of a "hardshell" (preexistent) austere medical facility with electricity and commo been of use? Secured prestaged medical supplies?

We have a big off-road event area near us, Prairie City, which seems very rural but is about ten miles or less from a non-trauma center hospital; those are a winding, two lane ten miles though.

Yes we had radio contact with the flight crews on a designated helo channel (Calcord)

Unfortunately, we did not have any designated landing zones. It was a huge camping weekend in the desert so, of course, all the nice flat spots (lake beds, etc.) were filled with RVs. We landed air ships in several difficult locations 300-500 yards from the incident. I have worked with several off-road organizations since the incident and all have worked to designate 100'x100' landing zones around race courses. Usually every 7-10 miles.

It is difficult to prepare for such an incident without bringing MCI trailers to every event. We have worked with organizations to make events safer by designating spectator areas and requiring people to stay back 150' from the course. Also, as I mentioned above, we predesignate landing zones, etc. I also make a habit of notifying local EMS systems of large scale events and obtains availability of resources prior to any incident. In short: plan instead of react.

Of course a large building stocked with medical supplies and comms would have been a great resource, but it is simply not a possibility due to the scale of events. How could you justify a building on a 40-70 mile course? Where would you put it? Not to mention there are 4-5 courses used every year.

How are you doing? What did you learn? What advice do you have for those of us who WILL end up in hellish scenarios like that? Not only on the technical end, but in matters of the heart. Did you ask for and get help? What did that help mean to you? Once it does happen to others on this site, where would you direct them to go, and to whom?

A year later, of course what remains are the logistics. But I'm curious about your adjustment to being center stage in hell.

...and thanks for letting us take another look!

I am doing much better now. I admit, I was pretty messed up immediately after the incident for about 10 days or so.

I learned that we all have limits. We like to be "heroes" but we can't alway be. How do you treat that many patients? Where do you start? How do you tell a teenaged girl that you can't help her pulseless brother? How do you treat so many acutely injured people spread over 50 yards as a single resource. Remember, they are all trauma patients. We only carry 4 backboards. It was absolutely humbling.

I would suggest anyone put in that situation remember the basics. TRIAGE! Have concrete information to pass on to additional resources when they arrive. How many, how bad. Know what resources are coming. Know their capabilities. Have a PLAN!

After the incident, I was pretty messed up (like I said above). Mostly because that is a normal human response to such chaos. I did have a unique emotional connection due to my involvement in the sport. I did seek help. I talked to the department counselor as well as attend CISM. I found both to be very helpful. I would suggest that anyone who is unusually stressed or troubled after an incident of any scale seek help. Whether it be in confiding in a coworker, friend, family member, department counselor, or CISM after the incident. Do not wait too long. The longer you wait, the more likely that the incident have lasting effects on you.

 

[DrParasite]

Unfortunately, we did not have any designated landing zones. It was a huge camping weekend in the desert so, of course, all the nice flat spots (lake beds, etc.) were filled with RVs. We landed air ships in several difficult locations 300-500 yards from the incident. I have worked with several off-road organizations since the incident and all have worked to designate 100'x100' landing zones around race courses. Usually every 7-10 miles.

odds are, even if you did have designated landing zones, I would imagine you would have one, maybe 2 designed LZs. if you are calling for 10 medevacs, your system will get overwhelmed. sounds like you (and by you, I mean everyone there) did a great job on the fly making things up as they go.

It is difficult to prepare for such an incident without bringing MCI trailers to every event. We have worked with organizations to make events safer by designating spectator areas and requiring people to stay back 150' from the course. Also, as I mentioned above, we predesignate landing zones, etc. I also make a habit of notifying local EMS systems of large scale events and obtains availability of resources prior to any incident. In short: plan instead of react.

maybe you should bring an MCI trailer to every event? 99% of the time, you won't need them. bring one guy to drive the trailer, set it up, look pretty, and take it all down at the end of the day.

it's good PR, and if your system has access to it, and can preplan for it, it can often be accommodated.

Of course a large building stocked with medical supplies and comms would have been a great resource, but it is simply not a possibility due to the scale of events. How could you justify a building on a 40-70 mile course? Where would you put it? Not to mention there are 4-5 courses used every year.

that's where a mobile MCI kit comes in handy. the NJ EMS Task force has a few of these

capable of 100 patients and

for 50 patient incidents

I am doing much better now. I admit, I was pretty messed up immediately after the incident for about 10 days or so.

I learned that we all have limits. We like to be "heroes" but we can't alway be. How do you treat that many patients? Where do you start? How do you tell a teenaged girl that you can't help her pulseless brother? How do you treat so many acutely injured people spread over 50 yards as a single resource. Remember, they are all trauma patients. We only carry 4 backboards. It was absolutely humbling.

with that many patients, you aren't doing much treating.... those 4 back boards aren't going to do much.

I would suggest anyone put in that situation remember the basics. TRIAGE! Have concrete information to pass on to additional resources when they arrive. How many, how bad. Know what resources are coming. Know their capabilities. Have a PLAN!

having a written plan, even if it will never be used, is essential for any major event. it will help you when all hell breaks loose, even if nothing else than gives you something to follow.

After the incident, I was pretty messed up (like I said above). Mostly because that is a normal human response to such chaos. I did have a unique emotional connection due to my involvement in the sport. I did seek help. I talked to the department counselor as well as attend CISM. I found both to be very helpful. I would suggest that anyone who is unusually stressed or troubled after an incident of any scale seek help. Whether it be in confiding in a coworker, friend, family member, department counselor, or CISM after the incident. Do not wait too long. The longer you wait, the more likely that the incident have lasting effects on you.

glad to hear you are feeling better. i know they can be chaotic and take a toll on you.

I know the ems coordinator for one of the drag racing courses in NJ. he has plan in place, and every time he has a major event (like when NASCAR or other things on that level where the ticket sales increase 10 fold) they staff extra ambulances, extra ALS units, and an MCRU, SOV

or some other Task Force truck just incase something happens. We have the warp tour, every year in NJ, and we have units assigned with EMSTF resources to assist with the planned for 100+ patients.

Some people consider all those trucks a waste of tax payer and grant money. And it is. but when you need it, it's great to have them just a phone call away. and even better if they are standing by at an incident just ready to go.

 

[TacoMEDIC]

DrParasite,

I think part of the problem is/was that we do not consider a "local" off-road race a large scale event (<10,000 attendees). Maybe we should.

My company covers very large events as well. We cover 100,000+ person raves, NASCAR (100,000+ for a weekend), Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festivals (100,000+ for 2 weeks), The Baja 1000 (hundreds of thousands of people over 1100+ miles), etc. In all these examples, we deploy MCI capable resources to include Task Vehicles, on site Emergency Rooms with several trauma Docs, RNs and Paramedics, Helicopters, EMS command centers, etc.

 

[firetender]

I am doing much better now. I admit, I was pretty messed up immediately after the incident for about 10 days or so.

I learned that we all have limits. We like to be "heroes" but we can't alway be. How do you treat that many patients? Where do you start? How do you tell a teenaged girl that you can't help her pulseless brother? How do you treat so many acutely injured people spread over 50 yards as a single resource. Remember, they are all trauma patients. We only carry 4 backboards. It was absolutely humbling.

After the incident, I was pretty messed up (like I said above). Mostly because that is a normal human response to such chaos. I did have a unique emotional connection due to my involvement in the sport. I did seek help. I talked to the department counselor as well as attend CISM. I found both to be very helpful. I would suggest that anyone who is unusually stressed or troubled after an incident of any scale seek help. Whether it be in confiding in a coworker, friend, family member, department counselor, or CISM after the incident. Do not wait too long. The longer you wait, the more likely that the incident have lasting effects on you.

I'm really happy to hear you sought and got help and are doing better with it all. Let's face it, you got a tour through hell. The help you got, as potent as it was, is still a Band-Aid because such stuff has echoes. My prayer is that along the way you found at least one person with whom you have permission to "work through" the trauma without being judged.

Sometimes it takes talking about it again and again until it becomes real to you. You experienced a series of relentless moments where you likely have yet to see your way clear. All this is nothing to be feared, and the fact that it still may take you a while to integrate the experience is no reflection on your ability to serve. In fact, going through the process of what amounts to a recovery will strengthen you.

But maybe more important is that you will then become a resource for others who were assaulted in similar ways by the work. The name of the game is to get another tool in your bag of tricks that you can use to help others. This time, though, it's about your peers.

Why else would you have gone through the experience if not to use it to benefit others?

I call it "turning sh*t into d*amonds" and that's how you heal! (I claim copyright on the phrase as written from around 2005, so I don't think I can get nailed on trying to beat the censors, but we'll see!)

Does it make sense for me to say "Thank You for going through this for all of us."? I hope you come to understand why.