Another Ambulance Crash

[akflightmedic]

Over the past 7 days, I have been following the ambulance crash log nation wide. There has been a significant spike in crashes and these are only ones that are reported.

Unfortunately for this one, it involved an ambulance responding in emergent mode that Tboned a passenger vehicle that had the green light.

Please remember everyone, drive with due regard. Lights and sirens are ASKING for the right away, they are not automatically given, nor should it ever be assummed. Slow down, complete stops, use good judgement.

Not only is the woman dead, her family suffers of course...but also, the medics now live with the fact that they killed someone. They will carry that for many years and for what? Was the call they were responding to worth it? We will never know, but what we do know is now that this ambulance crashed, more resources were dispatched and that many more people were put at risk.

One ambulance to handle the original call
Three ambulances for the crash scene
Three fire trucks for the scene (2 for extrication, one for LZ setup)
1 helicopter
1 supervisor vehicle
unknown police vehicles

Their mistake (the responding unit) just drained the system, pulled units from all over which surely affected calls in other areas, and took a life as well as injuring themselves.

It makes me sad...AK

http://www.emsnetwork.org/artman2/publish/article_32681.shtml

 

[mikeylikesit]

It is terrible that people believe that just because they have flashing lights and sirens that the rules of the road do not apply to them.

 

[MMiz]

That's rough. While I was working in EMS we had an ALS unit t-bone a school bus and send it into a ditch, all while running RLS of course.

Even though the unit had a true green light (no opticom), the incident reflected poorly on our service.

 

[Jon]

Umm... MMiz - the ambulance DIDN'T have a green... the struck vehicle did.

Anyway:

In PA, Ambulances and Blood-Delivery Vehicles (don't ask me... that's what the law says) are authorized emergency warning devices. We are authorized to proceed through red lights and stop signs ONLY AFTER coming to a complete stop and ensuring that other drivers have yielded the right-of-way to us. We are NOT allowed to exceed posted speed limits.
These restrictions are only for ambulances/blood delivery vehicles... the police, fire dept, and even medic fly cars aren't limited as much by the law.

You really need to come to a complete stop before violating a traffic signal. We need to MAKE IT to the scene to help people... and our most important job is making sure that we go home at the end of the day in the same condition that we left for work.

Jon

 

[MMiz]

Jon,

I was talking about when our service t-boned a school bus while we had a green light. No matter what, it reflects poorly on EMS.

 

[Jon]

:blush:
I guess I should read posts again before criticizing.

oops!

 

[T1medic]

Personally I hate running hot calls. Especially since I work for a private service and our vehicles are smaller and not as easily noticable as the county vehicles.

 

[VentMedic]

In this day of distracting gadgets such as iPods, cell phones, GPS devices, laptop computers and almost sound proof cars, it would not be wise to "assume" one would notice a big truck right in front of them under any conditions. Compound that with the number of emergency vehicles responding to various calls or the same call and you have a recipe for confusion and disaster. You can also take into consideration for a few impaired drivers by either perscription meds or otherwise. Then, one can factor in the different age groups like the older person whose reflexes may be slower or the young inexperienced drivers who haven't mastered their driving reflexes yet.

The above mentioned factors could apply to those in POVs and behind the wheel of an ambulance.

 

[mdkemt]

Akflightmedic,

This is very unfortunate. All too often we forget how quickly things can change out there. It is always important to remember that lights and sirens is asking for permission to proceed.

This is how we operate here. Be safe out there guys! Remember that your actions could have a domino affect!

MDKEMT