Scene Safety....

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mcdonl

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I wanted to know opinions about how you reconcile your personal scene safety methods with the tradgedy that happened 10 years ago...

My belief is largely based on the hero's of 9/11... I have only been doing this for a couple of years as a volunteer and perdiem but seeing how much these men and women risked for strangers inspired me, and made me realize how even small communities like mine need people who are willing to risk life and limb to save a life.

I lean more towards the calculated risk end of things meaning that I know what we do is dangerous, and I am willing to risk a lot to save a lot. But, many people will not go NEAR a scene until it is 100% safe.

For those of you who will not go near a scene until it is made safe, what would YOU have done on 9/11/01? Would you have waited until the building was secure and staged a few blocks away?
 
It's totally variable on every call, and both my partner and I have veto power where if one feels uncomfortable, you don't go.


I've gone in to scenes with an active machete attacker at night, and I've held back due to a dog raising its heckles at us. I've refused to go near the front seats of cars when the airbags haven't gone off, but work car wrecks on the side of an icy road.
 
Linuss said:
It's totally variable on every call, and both my partner and I have veto power where if one feels uncomfortable, you don't go.


I've gone in to scenes with an active machete attacker at night, and I've held back due to a dog raising its heckles at us. I've refused to go near the front seats of cars when the airbags haven't gone off, but work car wrecks on the side of an icy road.
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Thats a great thought... Much of our decision making is a "grey" area... And, I suspect that on that terrible day the emotions would have made any safety centered rescue worker more likley to jump in.
 
Plenty of times you just go ahead and do the risky thing, minimizing the risks as much as you can along the way.

I'm firmly of the risk a lot to save a lot category, but except for walking around on highways, I don't really see where I've actually risked my life for anything.

The big risks are injury and disability, which if you live an active life, those risks are there regardless.
 
Devastation of that magnitude, I think you have to make a personal decision I don't think sitting here I could determine how I would react.

In my book not just the firefighters but anyone who set aside personal safety to help their fellow man should be considered a hero.
 
PFD2171 said:
Do you do this job to be a "hero" or to do the job?
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No actual heroes set out to be heroes. They set out to accomplish a job or task that they see as important enough to take on risk for. Anyone who sits around looking for an opportunity to be a "hero" is just laughable. The more valuable thing to do is to just go about the business of a being productive human.
 
Me personally, I would have ran in. But I'm just an avid risk taker and never in my wildest dreams would I have suspected the towers would have fallen, especially that long after the initial contact. But I'm also siding with the other guys, there are those scenes where I say no.. Airbags are not my friends.. and I've been attacked by too many dogs to ignore them anymore. :glare:

Im sure scene saftey was a major issue at ground zero, there were MANY ems personell that stayed outside treating those who were running from the buildings.
 
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PFD2171 said:
Do you do this job to be a "hero" or to do the job?
Click to expand...

Neither, I do it because my kids became teenagers and I realized I did not have the skills required to herd larges groups of teenage girls and I wanted to continue giving to my community. Because I am somewhat fit, intelligent and resourceful I picked the Fire/EMS service. I did so with the knowledge of 9/11 so I am not going to deny that the men and women who died there were not a part of the decision, but I in no way shape or form think I am them or that I am a hero.

I was simply asking how the folks who use the hard and fast rule of not going in until the scene is safe would handle the 9/11 incident.

What makes a hi-rise safe after a commercial jet slams into it? When does the air become safe enough to breath without gear?

That sort of thing.
 
Terrific Question!

I want to hear from all those people who have been braying, "Nope, not me, my safety comes FIRST -- always!"

To be frank, I betcha half of those people, on Forums, would have said the same thing, but as soon as those first hot dogs started running into harm's way, you stop thinking, WHATEVER takes over and there you are, in the middle of a situation able to take your life!

Would that mean all of the people here who've been FIRM on not jeopardizing their lives (SURE there was scene safety at WTC!) could then be called 9/11 Cowards?

NO because it is the moment that dictates what you do, not your prediction!
 
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