2010 Olympics starts out with death!!

[Micro_87]

21 year old Nodar Kumaritashvili (Olympic Luge Slider) died today during his practice run.

Graphic Video/Photos:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/12/nodar-kumaritashvili-cras_n_460474.html

 

[Shishkabob]

Tends to happen when you run in to a steel pole at over 80mph with just a helmet.


Does that part of Canada (or any part) not have determination protocols when it comes to blunt trauma?

 

[LucidResq]

Very sad. Kind of hard to see exactly what happens but it looks like he hit high c-spine pretty hard.

Good to see people were at his side immediately and it looks like resuscitation was immediately initiated.

 

[LucidResq]

Apparently several other Olympians have made comments about this track being too dangerous, and others have had accidents, including one that knocked an athlete unconscious and had her transported by air to the hospital.

I hope that they cancel all events for this track. It's unfortunate but it seems inappropriate to continue.

 

[berkeman]

Definitely a safety hole in the track design. Air fences would fix that one hole, but I wonder how many other safety holes there are. The racers are the best judges of that.

 

[Micro_87]

i just noticed that Vancouver ems doesn't believe in BSI

 

[MusicMedic]

Apparently its one of the Fastest Luge tracks in the world.
fastest any one has gone on that track is 95mph
he was going 88mph

note: the previous record for speed before this track was 86.8 Mph

i agree with berkeman, they should build fences around the corners so they dont fly off like that.

its a sad way to start off the Olympics, may he rest in peace

 

[fortsmithman]

i just noticed that Vancouver ems doesn't believe in BSI

EMS in Vancouver as well as the rest of the province of British Columbia is run by the province not any municipalities. I believe the EMS personnel in the end of the video are volunteers and paid staff chosen by the Olympics and not BC Ambulance Service.

 

[Epi-do]

What a sad way to start off what is supposed to be a celebration of winter athletics. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who knew him.

I do know about elsewhere, but the news here felt compelled to show the video multiple times yesterday. Was that really necessary? I just don't see the point in showing something like that. It doesn't really serve any purpose other than to exploit what happened.

 

[colafdp]

EMS in Vancouver as well as the rest of the province of British Columbia is run by the province not any municipalities. I believe the EMS personnel in the end of the video are volunteers and paid staff chosen by the Olympics and not BC Ambulance Service.

Yep, you're right on that one. BCAS is not covering the olympics.

 

[zmedic]

As to the calling on scene, there is no way they are going to pronounce an olympic athlete dead on scene, especially when it was as witnessed arrest with immediate CPR. I know they have no chance of coming back from a blunt arrest, but they aren't going to call it in front of the cameras.

 

[Micro_87]

As to the calling on scene, there is no way they are going to pronounce an olympic athlete dead on scene, especially when it was as witnessed arrest with immediate CPR. I know they have no chance of coming back from a blunt arrest, but they aren't going to call it in front of the cameras.

They pronounced him at the hospital not on seen.

 

[Melclin]

Couple of questions.


-Why on earth is that bloke using a pocket mask?

-How the hell were the press allowed to take/publish such photos?

-I heard they air lifted him out - surely you guys aren't choppering people CPR in progress, are we missing something maybe?

 

[PotatoMedic]

BCAS is covering the Olympics.

...The BCAS, which is completely funded by the Canadian government, will be the sole EMS provider for both venues with no need for mutual aid or outside agencies...

http://www.firehouse.com/topics/top-headlines/olympic-ems-leader-says-let-games-begin

 

[fortsmithman]

BCAS is covering the Olympics.

...The BCAS, which is completely funded by the Canadian government, will be the sole EMS provider for both venues with no need for mutual aid or outside agencies...

http://www.firehouse.com/topics/top-headlines/olympic-ems-leader-says-let-games-begin

BCAS is not an agency of the Government of Canada. BCAS is an agency of the Government of British Columbia and is funded by the same. Firehouse.com got its facts wrong about where BCAS gets its funding. The EMS volunteers and other paid ems workers are chosen the the local olmpic organizing committee. As well the pictures of the ems workers involved are not in BCAS uniforms.

 

[zmedic]

Also I know if didn't kill him, but that OPA isn't in far enough in the Huffington Post pics. Those pics are another reason to look professional, so you don't have pics of you doing mouth to mask with weird designs shaved in your head.

 

[karaya]

Couple of questions.


-How the hell were the press allowed to take/publish such photos?

Because there is no law that says they can't. Canadian privacy tort laws are very similar to the U.S. laws.

 

[Scout]

The Pocket mask would likely be down to the "first responder" having one on him or in his bag. They looked like vols(ski Partrol perhaps) that were placed along the track who were then replaced by EMS.

What I found more interesting is pulse chk with gloves.

Who makes red BVMs?

 

[LucidResq]

-I heard they air lifted him out - surely you guys aren't choppering people CPR in progress, are we missing something maybe?

We definitely don't do that out here. Again, probably happened because he was an Olympic athlete.

 

[Melclin]

Also I know if didn't kill him, but that OPA isn't in far enough in the Huffington Post pics. Those pics are another reason to look professional, so you don't have pics of you doing mouth to mask with weird designs shaved in your head.

Yeah but that happens though doesn't it. You take the BVM away for a moment and you knock the OPA a little and replace it again..camera probably just caught it at one of those moments...hopefully.

There are a few pictures where you could call technique into question (BVM use?) but I'm sure its just that they've been caught at funny times or angles. Be interesting to see any footage of the resus effort.

Because there is no law that says they can't. Canadian privacy tort laws are very similar to the U.S. laws.

Thats so strange to me. You would never get anything like that in our media. And the authorities, ambos included, would never let the pictures get taken in the first place. I notice though, that one of the pictures showing his eyes has come down since yesterday.

We definitely don't do that out here. Again, probably happened because he was an Olympic athlete.

Ah, so PR excercise. I suppose thats sort of fair enough in a way, at least I can understand from the organiser's perspective why you would just be screaming at the EMS brass to do absolutely everything.

The Pocket mask would likely be down to the "first responder" having one on him or in his bag. They looked like vols(ski Partrol perhaps) that were placed along the track who were then replaced by EMS.

What I found more interesting is pulse chk with gloves.

Who makes red BVMs?

Fair enough I spose.