# EMS Reviewed After Massachusetts Cheerleader Death



## Jon (May 1, 2008)

> *EMS Reviewed After Massachusetts Cheerleader Death*
> _*
> Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff*_
> The Boston Globe
> ...


Rest of article HERE at emsresponder.com:


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## paramedix (May 1, 2008)

I wasnt there and could therefore only give my opinion on what I have read...

The company should have known better about the event and must contract/employ more than one medic, depending on the amount of spectators and participants. 

It sounds like a big event and thus it is impossible for one medic to cope. 

Is it possible for the medic to ask for assistance during the event!?

Even though, would more medics have saved her life!?


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## JPINFV (May 1, 2008)

It sounds like the issue with the on-scene care is being over hyped. Sure, the medic wasn't there in 5 seconds, but things happened. The medic could have just as easily been outside eating dinner or going to the restroom instead of restocking. If anything, there seemed to be a failure of the event organizers to control the crowd than inadequate care.

The first thing that needs to be understand is that we are talking about an event where people are being thrown into the air and being caught. People WILL be injured, just like numerous other events. Yes, every once in a while someone will die. Similarly, every once in a while you hear about some little league base ball player catching a ball in the chest and die (commotio cordis). 

Now, do changes need to be made? I am not honestly familiar enough with cheer leading to say. On the other hand, I was involved with winter indoor percussion when I was in high school. During national championships (Dayton, OH, 2000) an ambulance had to be called for various injuries at least 4 times on finals day (there's a prelim, semi-finals, and finals for that competition). Mind you, I wasn't outside the entire event, so there is a vary high likely hood that I missed some responses. Also, it is very important to note that there isn't any tossing, gymnastics, or anything else like in cheer leading. Short of collisions during a performance (which, hopefully, isn't going to happen since this is at the end of the season), the injuries happen while trying to not go over time during set up and tear down. As a result of that year (and without legislation), the entire timing system was reworked to allow setting up half of the court before time starts and only clear half of the floor before time stopped. Needless to say, there seemed to be a lot less injuries requiring an ambulance the next year.


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## ffemt8978 (May 1, 2008)

paramedix said:


> I wasnt there and could therefore only give my opinion on what I have read...
> 
> The company should have known better about the event and must contract/employ more than one medic, depending on the amount of spectators and participants.
> 
> ...



Also not having been there, I would agree with this except for this possibility - It is not the company's responsibility to contract the number of medics assigned to an event.  It is the responsibility of the even host to do that, although the company should have insisted on sending at least a two  man crew.  However, if the event host refuses to pay for more than one person to be there, what can the company do?
_
Please note that this is for discussion purposes only, and I am in no way implying that this is what happened at this tragic event._


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## Jon (May 2, 2008)

OK... One thought is that it seems as if it might have been a BLS provider, and the newspaper was using the term "Medic" interchangeably with EMT.

Cheerleeding competitions are HARD events to work. Lots of injuries, and lots of people pushing themselves to preform when they really shouldn't. Lots of parents and coaches that are sometimes WAY too involved, and lots of young, emotional girls.


I actually had the unfortunate luck to work a cheerleading competition last year. I was THE ONLY medical staff, and I had about 30 patient contacts over the 10+ hour day. The event was one of several at the convention center that day. We are all on radio with the convention center staff... so if I'd stepped away to use the bathroom or restock (which I had to do during that event) they could pick up a house phone or grab someone from security to call for help. My company had another crew in the building, working a different event. That crew was a 2 person crew with a BLS rig (I was a single EMT in a wheelchair van). At one point I had to have an EMT from the other crew come over to assist me with a wheelchair... it was pulling teeth to convince the other EMT that it was OK to back me up. I made it through the event without any EMS transports, but several patients refused and were transported POV.


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## WuLabsWuTecH (May 2, 2008)

From what I understand with the article

'"Honestly, that competition that day, she was like the third person to go out in an ambulance," recalled Horgan, who was there watching her 16-year-old compete. "I know that the EMTs, in my opinion, they had left earlier with the two others girls that went out."

Moore said the EMT on duty came quickly to Chang's aid and that his company sent an ambulance within five minutes."

There _could_ have been a full rig there, but as they made a transport, a lone EMT or medic was left to staff the event until the rig returned from transport and that this unfortunate accident could have occurred while the rig was still on its run?

Also, maybe  I just didn't read the story carefully enough, but do we know what the cause of death was?


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## Jon (May 2, 2008)

WuLabsWuTecH said:


> Also, maybe  I just didn't read the story carefully enough, but do we know what the cause of death was?




From WBZ News: http://www.wbz.com/pages/2030673.php?


> Terrell Harris, a spokesman for the state Executive Office of Public Safety said an autopsy Wednesday showed Chang died of "complications" after air leaked into her lungs and collapsed them "following a kick to the chest." The death was ruled an accident.


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## firecoins (May 2, 2008)

again the public expects instant response when it is impossible.


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## BossyCow (May 2, 2008)

firecoins said:


> again the public expects instant response when it is impossible.



It's a tragic, senseless event. Young, healthy athletes shouldn't die. When they do, the public tries to make sense of the senseless and usually starts by looking for someone to blame. The coach, EMS, family, team mate.... doesn't matter.


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