# Live explosive ordinance - what do you do?



## adamjh3 (Sep 29, 2011)

Karla Flores, 32, was selling seafood on the street in Culiacán, Sinaloa when she heard a bang and something hit her, knocking her down, the Daily Mail reported.

Linky-poo to article

Obviously the NREMT answer is GTFO and call the bomb squad. What would you personally do if you found a patient like this? Attempt an airway before backing out? 
Remember, it was originally thought to be a stone that hit her.


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## ArcticKat (Sep 29, 2011)

I'm too stupid to be able to recognise a blood covered RPG and probably would have thought it was just a stick.

I'd likely have transported her, blissfully unaware.  

The medical staff didn't even know what it was until after several imaging tests.


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## bigbaldguy (Sep 29, 2011)

Wasn't this whole scenario on an episode of House once?


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## Sasha (Sep 30, 2011)

No, greys anatomy

Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk


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## Handsome Robb (Sep 30, 2011)

If I recognized what it was and she had no airway I might attempt a quick crich, hook up our transport vent then back out. 

I wouldn't mess with her oropharynx, personally.

If I didn't recognize what it was I'd probably just go about my business, then when I found out later, I'd poop my pants.


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## Sasha (Sep 30, 2011)

Shoot id put her on the stretcher and tow it like 35 feet behind the ambulance.

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## Handsome Robb (Sep 30, 2011)

Sasha said:


> Shoot id put her on the stretcher and tow it like 35 feet behind the ambulance.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk



This is probably the best option thus far.


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## usalsfyre (Sep 30, 2011)

Honestly, if I recognized it probably the standard NR answer. Evacuating bystanders from the area is more important at that point.


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## cpsauthority (Sep 30, 2011)

Sasha said:


> Shoot id put her on the stretcher and tow it like 35 feet behind the ambulance.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk



:rofl:


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## mycrofft (Sep 30, 2011)

*Arctic Kat is right*

Blood and airway concern would mask diagnosis. Sounds like they did ok. I'd work with them.


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## epipusher (Sep 30, 2011)

I would just cut the green wire and be done with it.


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## bigbaldguy (Sep 30, 2011)

epipusher said:


> I would just cut the green wire and be done with it.



Its always the blue wire ;/


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## epipusher (Sep 30, 2011)

bigbaldguy said:


> Its always the blue wire ;/



h34r:


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## dstevens58 (Sep 30, 2011)

I think an episode of MASH dealt with a live grenade once, not sure where it was impaled at though.

Scary thought yes, probably would find out later and have to change clothing.:rofl:


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## jpbaker1988 (Sep 30, 2011)

300 meter cordon and wait for EOD. After diffusion, I would conduct airway management with life threatening hemorrhaging stabilized and transport with secondary assessment en route. Pretty boring and lacks the heroic measures but its the best attempt to limit additional casualties.


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## Shishkabob (Sep 30, 2011)

""The doctor asked me what happened. I told him that I thought a stone hit me,” the mother-of-three said. "Then they started to look and discovered that it was some kind of projectile, but they didn't know what it was.""


Umm... how did she answer their questions while it was still lodged in her mouth?





This happens fairly often in military conflicts.


I avoid being put in that situation by not going to :censored::censored::censored: hole countries.


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## imadriver (Sep 30, 2011)

Just putting it out there. That is so much cooler than a shark bite.

Sounds like they did do a great job. Kudos to the volunteers.


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## DV_EMT (Oct 23, 2011)

look for the bubbles in the blood ..... hope its the airway and put a ET tube in it.


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## mammikoura (Nov 18, 2011)

in my opinion jpbaker has the right answer. You clear the area, 200-300m (depending on the situation) between her from anyone else. Then you just stand there waiting for EOD, if she dies then she dies. It's sucks but that's life. 

Rules are there for a reason, playing with explosives usually doesn't end well.


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## JPINFV (Nov 18, 2011)

DV_EMT said:


> look for the bubbles in the blood ..... hope its the airway and put a ET tube in it.


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MXgc8wzfC4[/YOUTUBE]

/Pretty sure I'm going to hell now...


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## Farmer2DO (Nov 19, 2011)

JPINFV said:


> [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MXgc8wzfC4[/YOUTUBE]
> 
> /Pretty sure I'm going to hell now...



I thought it was going to be a song about taking a bath.


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## Farmer2DO (Nov 19, 2011)

Linuss said:


> I avoid being put in that situation by not going to :censored::censored::censored: hole countries.




^^^This^^^


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## RocketMedic (Dec 14, 2011)

With a grenade like that, if it doesn't go off on impact, then the fuse is probably bad. Wait a few minutes, direct the patient to pull it straight back out if there's no EOD available. If they're unresponsive or can't, then wait for EOD if at all possible.

If it is one of your guys, well, in my setting, we have the PSG or an NCO pull the thing out. In this setting, kind of a crapshoot.

Some RPGs have arming pins. If the pin is still in, you can fairly safely stabilize it and transport CAREFULLY! Then again, some don't.


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## Veneficus (Dec 14, 2011)

If you see me running, try to keep up.


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## bigbaldguy (Dec 14, 2011)

4 words

"Hey probie, you're up"


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## usafmedic45 (Dec 14, 2011)

> With a grenade like that, if it doesn't go off on impact,



Eh.....still not chancing it.  



> 4 words
> 
> "Hey probie, you're up"



What he said.  There's only one person on this planet I would risk my life for and her alarm just went off for her to get up for work.


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## mycrofft (Dec 14, 2011)

*Well, OK, what IF you found UXO by a patient needing extrication...*

What are your protocols? Isn't it just part of HAZMAT except you call the police/LE and stand by? 
Embedded UXO happens but the survival after being hit by an explosive projectile is usually nil. That's one big piece of stuff, generally.

I have a WWII 22mm auto cannon slug that is either tipped with oxidized lead or magnesium. Anyone want to standby while I take my Dremel tool to stand find out??


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