# Scariest thing that I have ever witnessed



## musicistheforce

On Wednesday morning as I was driving to my very last clinical as an advanced student (I was basically just getting some experience as an EMT) I witnessed a car wreck. But not just any old car wreck, no, I watched as a red SUV was pulling towards me on the road and a grey SUV ran the red light and ran into the red SUV at 45+ MPH. I watched helplessly as the red SUV was hit hard enough to go onto 2 wheels and then in the air and back down on its side. I look over to the lane next to me and watch the lady in the car have her hand over her mouth and I knew I had to do something. I quickly went to the closet and safest parking lot I could and parked my car throwing my keys into the pocket of my BDUs and ran across the street. I remember yelling that I was an EMT and for someone to call 911. I quickly ran to the red SUV and yelled through the windshield that they would be okay and that we had an ambulance and the fire department on the way. I remember that the lady from the grey SUV was out of her car so I asked her if she hurt anywhere besides her hand (she had a gash on her thumb) and she said no, so to try to cam her down I asked if she wanted to sit down and wait for the police. This whole time people are working on getting the doors/windows anything off of the red SUV to get the people out. I noticed some paper towels in the red SUV and I told the guy whose leg was on it that I was reaching down and grabbing them (so he didn't get freaked out by me touching him) and I grab a couple of and tell the grey SUV driver to hold them one her finger until the paramedics arrive and have a better look at it. By then the police and Fire and EMS have arrived and they take over everything and I answer about 40 times what happened and my give them my information. One of my teachers responded to that call and laughed and asked if I was okay...I told him I was just a little excited because I witnessed the whole thing. The last police man that I walked to told me I was a good student/Samaritan for staying to help and I told him that I woulda felt bad if I didn't. I actually rode the rest of the day with the truck that responded to the wreck and when I left the medic I rode with told me that they appreciated my help with the roller that morning. 


I hope that you enjoyed reading this, because it was one heck of a learning experience


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## Lifeguards For Life

So what did you learn, exactly?


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## bigbaldguy

He learned red lights mean stop and SUVs are top heavy.


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## HotelCo

You yelled at them that they'd be okay, before they were extricated (read: you're able to do a thorough assessment)?


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## NomadicMedic

bigbaldguy said:


> He learned red lights mean stop and SUVs are top heavy.



...and that your car keys go in your BDU pockets when you're running across the street?

Maybe? 

I'd think your first job should have been to call 911. Then keep the bystanders out of the road and away from a potentially unstable vehicle. 

But that's just me.


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## Sasha

> yelled through the windshield that they would be okay



Don't ever make promises you don't know if you can keep.


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## BEorP

musicistheforce said:


> I quickly went to the closet and safest parking lot I could and parked my car throwing my keys into the pocket of my BDUs and *ran* across the street. I remember yelling that I was an EMT and for someone to call 911. I quickly *ran* to the red SUV and yelled through the windshield that they would be okay and that we had an ambulance and the fire department on the way.



The only time an EMT should run is if it is really cold outside and you're trying to get back to your nice warm ambulance and no one is looking so if you slip and fall it is no big deal. Other than that, no running.

As another poster asked, I would be curious to know what you learned from this experience.


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## bigbaldguy

Seriously though props for stopping and helping. A lot of folks wouldn't have even bothered to make the 911 call.


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## Niccigsu

Wow, talk bursting somebody's happy bubble. I'm sure if all of you think back to the first time you felt like you actually helped somebody that you felt pretty dang good too. 
I'm just saying.


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## Sasha

Niccigsu said:


> Wow, talk bursting somebody's happy bubble. I'm sure if all of you think back to the first time you felt like you actually helped somebody that you felt pretty dang good too.
> I'm just saying.



I agree. Everyone was new once, the sarcasm is kind of uncalled for.


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## musicistheforce

wow thanks guys....your sarcastic replys have really made joining this forum worthwhile..no really thanks


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## musicistheforce

Sasha said:


> Don't ever make promises you don't know if you can keep.



dude...the driver was an elderly woman who was freaking out, from what I saw there were no life threats, she wasn't bleeding, and was wearing her seat belt. If I was in the same situation I would want someone to tell me that I would be okay if I had just flipped a car


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## Sasha

I'm not a dude. And i'm just saying, for all you know she could have been bleeding internally. You open yourself up to liability by telling the patient "Everything is going to be okay"

You can verbally calm them without making empty promises. "My name is musictheforce and I am trained to help. An ambulance is on the way" would have had the same affect without promising something you truly do not know.


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## LostViet408

I feel this forum personnel always has something negative to say to one another in most o the threads, not really a good place to even post about anything at all besides looking for a job. Admins not doing anything to disburse the tensions in this forums. Great job, now your losing another user.


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## Sasha

I think this forum is a great resource. There were posters defending the OP. Mods have their hands full and do the best they can.

Been here for years. It's always survived.

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## usalsfyre

LostViet408 said:


> I feel this forum personnel always has something negative to say to one another in most o the threads, not really a good place to even post about anything at all besides looking for a job. Admins not doing anything to disburse the tensions in this forums. Great job, now your losing another user.



As I've said before, if your not willing to have it ripped to shreds, don't put it out there. We learn much more from people critiquing us than patting us on the back. The world's not all puppy dogs and rainbows.

Our patients deserve that we swallow our ego and be willing to get called on the carpet.


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## Niccigsu

usalsfyre said:


> The world's not all puppy dogs and rainbows.



But I love puppy dogs and rainbows! lol


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## Pneumothorax

I hope you had gloves on, & made sure the scene was safe before running*across the street to SUV man. What if he had a gun was on pcp or w/e. dead first responders can't help anyone... Just sayin

.+1 on the old lady with possible internal bleeding. Unless you're a human xray or whatever just say "rescue is on the way, and  doing all I can to help"


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## firetender

*Okay, then, let me step in...*

Everyone!

Carry on, be nice, be honest, admit if you goofed, don't go down without a fight, appreciate that anyone listens at all, be willing to change your position, and HELP OTHERS to appreciate your wisdom.

That is all.


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## mycrofft

*Not too bad. Could have been worse.*

I see nothing wrong with reassuring someone in trouble, it hardly constitues a diagnosis. If it doesn't come to pass you might lose some creds, but with excited people on a scene, that can happen even if you'r doing it right. _*Promises*_ are another more personal matter.

Good on you for staying and giving your account of the wreck.


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## Hunter

I gotta say great job for stopping and helping making sure people were alright, and to all the negative people, you may be right about some things but you don't gotta be an a**  about it.


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## Handsome Robb

I don't know if I even want to poke my nose in here....

Music, you worked with the tools that you had, and that is a great skill. Don't let situations work you up. It's not your emergency, it's the patient's. If you put yourself in a bad situation and get hurt yourself you remove a potential resource and add a patient. I frankly am tired of reading news articles about on and off duty EMS providers being killed, but that's just me. 

The best tool you have when you are off duty is your cellphone. It's part of your scene size up, BSI, safety of the scene, MOI/NOI (which you witnessed so this was already established), number of patients, then *additional resources*

I witnessed a roll-over on the freeway the other day, and i'll be the first to admit I didn't stop. I called 911 and continued on my way. That was my choice.

Don't let responses discourage you, people are expressing their opinions. EMS providers are jaded, and this is one of the many things you will learn with experience. This site is a great resource, use it, absorb it, learn it and apply it.

I'm glad everyone was ok.


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## phideux

If I witnessed a bad accident off duty, I stop. Or even a fresh bad one that I didn't witness, but has no one on scene yet I'll stop. The only things I take from my truck is my phone and a pair of gloves. I'll call dispatch, let them know who I am, and what the scene is like, what they need to send.  Then when someone on duty comes in, I'll let them know what I know, and retreat.


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## sirengirl

usalsfyre said:


> We learn much more from people critiquing us than patting us on the back.



This. Harsh but true. Some of the things I remember most from school are the things we totally effed up on in scenarios and got reamed for. 



Oh, and also that I apparently run like a girl.


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## bigbaldguy

I just got a flash of a completely honest paramedic running up to a car accident and telling the driver

" sir you appear to be uninjured and will probably be alright but by law I must inform you that you may have an internal injury that is causing you to bleed out while we speak and will kill you before we can get you out, even if this isn't the case it is possible that we may accidentally cut you in half while removing you from the car or even drop you on your head while loading you onto the cot causing you to be a vegetable the rest of your life. Even if none of these things occur and by some miracle we get you to the hospital uninjured there is a good possibility you will pick up a nasty infection in the hospital and end up dieing anyway. But don't worry the chances of any of that bad stuff happening are pretty low.


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## mycrofft

*Some of the finer points when there's not much to do medically.*

If 911's been called (and it is good to MAKE SURE they were called, ask the caller to report back to you), nothing's on fire, gasoline is still in its tanks, and no one is hurt badly enough to be treatable with what you have, her are some helpful things to do or delegate:
1. Tell folks to turn off their ignitions and put the keys in their pockets.
2. Tell folks, if it is safe and it doesn't hurt, to get and hold onto their purse, courier bag, cell phone, laptop, whatever.
3. Go upstream *a ways* to traffic and deploy any warning devices. You can get training through your loca, CERT for free if you are a member, but rule of thumb is  to BE SAFE, don't put improvised stuff in the road, don't leave flares unsecured and anywhere NEAR or downhill of fuel, or near flammable brush, gutter litter, etc. (I made coathanger legs you slip the flare into, light it, then lay it down without it rolling). Cheap but not microscopic fluorescent cones and triangles are much safer.
4. Make sure victims stay out of traffic. Ask them to sit or lie down in a safe place unobscured by the accident (so FD doesn't run 'em over. It's happened).
5. Keep an eye out for pets, but do not get hurt trying to contain them. Loose pets in traffic epecially at an accident warrant law enforcement and animal control, mention it to the dispatcher (loose critters cause more accidents and mental anguish).

Just saying.


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## Hunter

sirengirl said:


> Oh, and also that I apparently run like a girl.



I would hope so..?


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## dstevens58

Unfortunately in the time of relative anonymity of an online forum, others will take their time to say what they feel, rather then uplifting criticism.  Again, unfortunately, this is the written language and readers can see criticism as that, or "bashing" the poster.

Thank you for taking the time to stop at the scene of an accident.  I assess a scene when I come upon it.  If fire/police/EMS is already there, rarely would I stop.  However, if no one there, I would stop long enough to ask if there would be assistance (EMS-related) would be needed.

From my law enforcement experience, I wish people who witnessed an accident or crime for that matter, would stop to tell the police officer what they had witnessed.  Makes the crime solving much easier.


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## HotelCo

bigbaldguy said:


> I just got a flash of a completely honest paramedic running up to a car accident and telling the driver
> 
> " sir you appear to be uninjured and will probably be alright but by law I must inform you that you may have an internal injury that is causing you to bleed out while we speak and will kill you before we can get you out, even if this isn't the case it is possible that we may accidentally cut you in half while removing you from the car or even drop you on your head while loading you onto the cot causing you to be a vegetable the rest of your life. Even if none of these things occur and by some miracle we get you to the hospital uninjured there is a good possibility you will pick up a nasty infection in the hospital and end up dieing anyway. But don't worry the chances of any of that bad stuff happening are pretty low.



I've only stopped once off duty, and my spiel went something like this: "My name is [HotelCo], and I've called 911. They'll be here in about five minutes. Do you hurt anywhere? ..."

And continued on talking until the ambulance was on scene. Notice that I never identified myself as a Paramedic, or did I make any reference to the severity of their injuries. I left that to those who will be doing a thorough assessment. 

If someone told me I'd be alright, and I wound up paralyzed, missing a limb, or mangled in some other way, I'd be pissed. I'd feel lied to. So, no. I don't think telling people they'll be alright before you have the whole picture is a good idea. Quite the opposite, in fact. 


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## sirengirl

Hunter said:


> sirengirl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, and also that I apparently run like a girl.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would hope so..?
Click to expand...


I had to stop myself from telling the instructor, "Yeah, and you smell like a girl." :lol:


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## InsidiousStealth

Sasha said:


> Don't ever make promises you don't know if you can keep.



Beat me to it lol


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## Patrick Smith

Hi, this is my first post here. I've been reading on this forum pretty intensively for a while, and I just decided to join because I wanted to say something... :blush:

I wanted to comment on one of the member's comment that we learn better by criticism than by praise/compliments. I agree with that statement mostly; however, why are they mutually exclusive? Can you not say to someone who responded well but made mistakes, "Hey, dude. Good job with that call. It was a tough one but you handled it well. Listen, though, next time X happens or someone does X, don't do X. You'll get a better result if you do Y instead of X."

Isn't that better than, "That sucked, dude! You didn't do X, Y, and Z! Then you did X again, Y twice, etc.!" or a similar comment?

I agree that in certain situations a tough critique can be very beneficial, but you have to be able to gauge what kind of situation you are dealing with. The first poster didn't freeze, he told someone to call 911, he tried to calm potentially injured civilians, and he help clear up afterwards. 

Could he have done it better? Definitely!! Did he double check that the scene was safe before running straight into it? Was he wearing gloves? Did he wait long enough to grab anything that he could use like his first aid kit or medical kit? I don't know, and I think that anyone who brings these points up to him are doing great work for helping him to become better. 

However, criticism alone is not what makes people better. It's criticism that not only teaches someone the right way to do something but also inspires and encourages them to improve and do it right next time. That kind of criticism is called constructive criticism, and I don't think it was presented very well in some of first posts.

Respectfully,

Patrick


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## Sasha

Oi.

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## PotatoMedic

Sasha said:


> Oi.
> 
> Sent from LuLu using Tapatalk



I believe the correct spelling is Oy.


I stopped once.  Saw a car after it was wrecked.  No responders on scene.  Asked if everyone was ok.  They said nope.  PD showed up just then and I walked back to my car since everyone stated they were ok.  Other wise I would have called 911 or had the PD ask for fire.  Fire was never dispatched.  (It was in my district and I was on my way to work and we never got called for it.)


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## Patrick Smith

It depends on what language you're saying it in, I guess. I've seen "Oi!" used in Japanese, but never "Oy!". Spanish?


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## Handsome Robb

FireWA1 said:


> I believe the correct spelling is Oy.
> 
> 
> Asked if everyone was ok.  They said nope.  PD showed up just then and I walked back to my car since everyone stated they were ok.



:blink:


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## PotatoMedic

Jewish I think is the oy spelling.  But we all get the picture.

In regards to what I came across.

Window was spider-ed but going inwards so something from the outside hit.  If I remember it was a bird.  (thought I saw feathers).  Saw no blood, no other damage to the car and no one look to be injured and no one stated any injuries.

PD showed up about 10 seconds after I asked if anyone was hurt.  He did not look like he wanted my help.  I went on my merry way.  I was given no indications that I needed to press on in finding out if someone was truly hurt.

If the officer felt that a medical eval was needed he would have called for it.  Granted PD does not always make the best decision, but that is not my call and I can't help it if the people did not want any medical help.

Most of all it was not my scene.

EDIT: I guess after reading my previous post I did not paint a good picture of what had happened.


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## JJR512

FireWA1 said:


> I believe the correct spelling is Oy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Depends on if it's English or Yiddish...
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oi_(interjection)
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oy_vey
Click to expand...


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## PotatoMedic

I guess I have always heard the yiddish version.  You learn something new every day.


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## Patrick Smith

LOL! What a divergence from the topic!


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## PotatoMedic

Patrick Smith said:


> LOL! What a divergence from the topic!



Yiddish is a scary thing!


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## MissouriEMS

Sasha said:


> Don't ever make promises you don't know if you can keep.



I've never really understood this rule.....
If a person asks if they're going to live, why not just say "well, of course!"

If they live you were right and no harm done. If they die, your not going to receive any complaints from them.

I haven't done this, but I don't see where the harm lies. 
This obviously does not apply to other situations, where you may tell a person that their leg is going to be fine, and it ends up getting amputated. That would be a bad idea.

on topic:
I had this same thing happen to me while in Kansas City. We were almost to St. Lukes and a car got T boned when the brakes went out on a truck. Wouldn't call it scary though.
This morning I ran a 59yr male who had a head lac from falling. He was a coumadin patient and had been bleeding for 4 hours! it must of been 1-2L of blood. It was blood to completely saturate the back of his shirt, and create a standing pool that was about 3 foot in diameter, and more that flowed under his bed which i couldn't see.
We were BLS as well so no fluid resuscitation. immobilize, bandage, treat for shock and haul balls to the ER. I was a bloody mess by the time we got to the ER, literally.


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## abckidsmom

MissouriEMS said:


> I've never really understood this rule.....
> If a person asks if they're going to live, why not just say "well, of course!"
> 
> If they live you were right and no harm done. If they die, your not going to receive any complaints from them.
> 
> I haven't done this, but I don't see where the harm lies.
> This obviously does not apply to other situations, where you may tell a person that their leg is going to be fine, and it ends up getting amputated. That would be a bad idea.
> 
> on topic:
> I had this same thing happen to me while in Kansas City. We were almost to St. Lukes and a car got T boned when the brakes went out on a truck. Wouldn't call it scary though.
> This morning I ran a 59yr male who had a head lac from falling. He was a coumadin patient and had been bleeding for 4 hours! it must of been 1-2L of blood. It was blood to completely saturate the back of his shirt, and create a standing pool that was about 3 foot in diameter, and more that flowed under his bed which i couldn't see.
> We were BLS as well so no fluid resuscitation. immobilize, bandage, treat for shock and haul balls to the ER. I was a bloody mess by the time we got to the ER, literally.



How 'bout: 

"Will I still be able to have kids?"
"Am I going to have to have surgery?"
"Are my kids OK?"
"This is going to cost a lot, isn't it?"

These are the real questions that matter.  "Am I going to die?" is such a hyperbolic example.  There are a thousand smaller questions that you get asked all the time, that really matter to the asker, but are way more subtle, more difficult to answer, and if played well by you, can help relieve anxiety in the meantime.


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