Civilan responses

[bstone]

I came across this video today:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c48_1236895451

I am curious what our suggestion and advice would be to civilians who have little to no rescue experience. Do we advise them to remove people from such vehicles? Keep them put but talk to them? I did hear a voice repeatedly say "keep his neck still" but that wasn't happening.

Thoughts?

 

[Sasha]

I came across this video today:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c48_1236895451

I am curious what our suggestion and advice would be to civilians who have little to no rescue experience. Do we advise them to remove people from such vehicles? Keep them put but talk to them? I did hear a voice repeatedly say "keep his neck still" but that wasn't happening.

Thoughts?

Sorry, I couldn't watch the entire thing without wanting to throw up from motion sickness.

Suggestion? Call 911. They have no idea what they're doing or how to keep themselves safe.

 

[daedalus]

unexpected help

While I was on the 405 freeway yesterday, in the midst of one of its "parking lot" hours, a motorcycle came flying down and nailed the back of a car right in front of my partner and I. Naturally, my partner radioed for Fire and CHP and I got out to check on him. He had become pinned under his bike and into the center divider wall, and three people had gotten out of their vehicles and pulled the bike off of him. Than, two of the LA Metro tow/service vehicles came and one of them set flares and cones while the other helped my partner and I back board the patient! I was amazed, and I actually just wrote a letter to the Metro Patrol thanking them for their amazing freeway guys. These people respond to most accidents and get there before CHP or EMS/fire, and they really know their stuff. They were cool and calm even as the patient was panicked because he could not feel his arms or legs, they could probably do my job better than I can!

I am also eternally grateful to them for responding en masse to me when my unit caught fire on a mountain road.

 

[Hockey]

I came across this video today:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c48_1236895451

I am curious what our suggestion and advice would be to civilians who have little to no rescue experience. Do we advise them to remove people from such vehicles? Keep them put but talk to them? I did hear a voice repeatedly say "keep his neck still" but that wasn't happening.

Thoughts?

I laugh at the public the public's ignorance some of the time on a scene. They watch a few shows and know it all.

At least people tried to "help" instead of everyone sitting around with their cell phone cameras. Only had one this time.

 

[Sasha]

I laugh at the public the public's ignorance most of the time on a scene. They watch a few shows and know it all.

Why? The general population does not take an EMT class, so how do you expect them to know what to do?

 

[Hockey]

Why? The general population does not take an EMT class, so how do you expect them to know what to do?

Because when you roll up they start giving you a "report" and then go on to "explain" why and what we need to do. Not sure if its everywhere, but it surely seems to be the norm around here anymore.

 

[Sasha]

Because when you roll up they start giving you a "report" and then go on to "explain" why and what we need to do. Not sure if its everywhere, but it surely seems to be the norm around here anymore.

So you would rather them just stand there in silence? The very few MVCs I've been present or the lead on, I liked it when a bystander told me what they saw and how the patient got out of the car. How fast the cars were traveling when they hit, did they go swirling around or simply forward? Rolled over? Did they see someone go flying out the open window? Did the patient self extricate? Were they helped out?

It could be useful.

 

[exodus]

I have always wondered this too about roll overs when you're acting as a lay person. Should you extricate? I would think you should because if there's a serious head injury, it can cause a TON of damage by having so much pressure being forced onto the brain. I'm not sure. Obviously with something like this, everyone was doing their own thing. And nobody really took any precautions. I think in this situation best thing is if you can safely get the pt out of the vehicle whiel mainting manual cSpine, that may be better.

What would be best in this situation as a lay person.

 

[VentMedic]

Because when you roll up they start giving you a "report" and then go on to "explain" why and what we need to do. Not sure if its everywhere, but it surely seems to be the norm around here anymore.

Often they do have valuable information about the scene or the area that could prevent you from getting injured when you are blinded by that chip on your shoulder. You might be wise to listen to them.

 

[Shishkabob]

I'm in between.


After having actually gone through the training for it, I know how hard it is to do even WITH the proper equipment, training, and personnel to help.

If traffic was rushing by them, I would have flat out called them idiots and scoffed like a mad man, but seeing as all traffic was pretty much stopped, I didn't see "much" danger in them going up to the vehicle...just not en masse.


What I hate is how no one even attempted to control his head on the way out, even though they said so multiple times, let alone how they yanked him out.



Now, if I rolled up on the accident and had the inclination to help, then I would have, and would have told all bystanders to stay away as I simply do not trust the lay person and their abilities. I would have personally just helped stabilize his neck in the vehicle, kept him calm, and done basic vitals/A&O/GCS till FD came for the actual extraction.

 

[AJ Hidell]

I laugh at the public the public's ignorance some of the time on a scene. They watch a few shows and know it all.

Paramedics laugh at your ignorance. Nurses laugh at paramedics' ignorance. Doctors laugh at nurses ignorance. I suppose we all have to put someone down to make ourselves feel superior. It's the natural order of things. But in that chain, the general public is the one group that is expected to be ignorant. At least they are trying to help, which is uncommon these days.

Rather than play that game, might I suggest that it is much more productive to simply focus upon yourself and being the very best you can be by always continuing to further educate yourself.

 

[firecoins]

This is a position? Bystanders and witnesses tell you what they saw. It may or may not be useful depending on the situation. I am neither for this or against it. Either way, I have a job to do.

If people tried to help, great. I "release" them and do what needs to be done from there.

 

[mikeN]

1. They are having a seizure, put something in their mouth so they don't choke.
2. Bloody nose, easy tilt the head back.


I'd rather have people do the stare of life instead.

 

[Shishkabob]

1. They are having a seizure, put something in their mouth so they don't choke.
2. Bloody nose, easy tilt the head back.


I'd rather have people do the stare of life instead.

3. A jellyfish stung you? PEE ON IT!

 

[firecoins]

4. call an ambulance, it will get you seen faster in the ER.
5. the car is on fire, pull them out! (car is not on fire)

This stuff happens all the time. Its part of the job. Nothing can really prevent it. Unless.....more education.

 

[JonTullos]

Because when you roll up they start giving you a "report" and then go on to "explain" why and what we need to do. Not sure if its everywhere, but it surely seems to be the norm around here anymore.

I have to agree with what Sasha and one or two others said: Listen to a bystander when they present information about the scene, what they saw, etc. It's different, of course, when they start telling you how to do your job; in that case they should be politely asked to let you do your work. But automatically writing them off when they may have valuable information isn't wise. They're just trying to help in whatever way they're able, after all.

 

[medic417]

I have to agree with what Sasha and one or two others said: Listen to a bystander when they present information about the scene, what they saw, etc. It's different, of course, when they start telling you how to do your job; in that case they should be politely asked to let you do your work. But automatically writing them off when they may have valuable information isn't wise. They're just trying to help in whatever way they're able, after all.

That or you might be telling your medical director to get out of the way if your not careful.:blush:

 

[BEorP]

What I hate is how no one even attempted to control his head on the way out

Why does it matter?

 

[firecoins]

That or you might be telling your medical director to get out of the way if your not careful.:blush:

people have done that. If he doesn't identify himself as such, your would be right to do that.

 

[mperkel]

While I was on the 405 freeway yesterday, in the midst of one of its "parking lot" hours, a motorcycle came flying down and nailed the back of a car right in front of my partner and I. Naturally, my partner radioed for Fire and CHP and I got out to check on him. He had become pinned under his bike and into the center divider wall, and three people had gotten out of their vehicles and pulled the bike off of him. Than, two of the LA Metro tow/service vehicles came and one of them set flares and cones while the other helped my partner and I back board the patient! I was amazed, and I actually just wrote a letter to the Metro Patrol thanking them for their amazing freeway guys. These people respond to most accidents and get there before CHP or EMS/fire, and they really know their stuff. They were cool and calm even as the patient was panicked because he could not feel his arms or legs, they could probably do my job better than I can!

I am also eternally grateful to them for responding en masse to me when my unit caught fire on a mountain road.

happen to me when i was working down there. On my way to L.A. for a fire call and happened to come across a pickup on fire. Called it in, first on-scene besides us was the tow/service who put up cones and secured the scene within like 2 minutes. Then the local fire service arrived, put out the fire. Finally CHP took 15 minutes to get there. Luckily the one patient was fine and was waiting on the side.