bstone
Forum Deputy Chief
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While driving in rural Connecticut this afternoon I saw the immediate aftermath of a sports car having bounced around the highway like a pinball. Know that EMS and FD response times in this area are lengthy I decided to see if I could stop and hold C-spine or control severe bleeding until their arrival. A police car from a far-off city pulled over and radioed in for assistance just as I calmly walked from my vehicle to the scene. The police officer handed me a pair of gloves from his first aid kit and I climbed in behind the restrained driver and held C-spine. Local FD arrived ~15 minutes later and asked me to keep holding C-spine as they cut apart the car with the Jaws of Life. I was talking to the PT the entire time, a young man who always thought of himself as immortal. I told him that if you don't wreck a car once in your life then you have too much luck. He laughed and smiled at that. The FD covered him and I with a blanket as they spend about 20 minutes cutting apart the vehicle. An ALS ambulance showed up and the paramedic said, "Let's use the KED." This is the first time I have ever seen the KED in use. I briefly mentioned this to him and he said, "Yeah, me too." The KED straps were so stiff and difficult to use that it took the medic and AEMT another 10 minutes to secure him in to it. Fire then cut off the door and moved the patient to the longboard. I exited the vehicle and stood off to the side. Highway patrol thanked me for helping as did the FD supervisor. They said, "Holding C-spine was the best thing you could have done. Thank you."