Five People Killed in Ambulance Crash

[VentMedic]

http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=6820769

Five People Killed in Ambulance Crash

July 20, 2007 08:55 PM PDT

(Paulding County, Ohio - WANE) Five people were killed when an ambulance and a semi-truck collided in Paulding County, Ohio.

It happened around 7 p.m. Friday night.

Police say EMS workers were carrying two victims from an earlier crash on U.S. 24.

They were traveling south on County Road 87 when a semi headed east on County Road 176 slammed into the squad.

Police say the ambulance burst into flames on impact.

http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=6820769

 

[Ridryder911]

T read additional information from another EMS forum that it is possible that the EMS unit ran through the stop sign causing the wreck. I hope that is not true, and hopefully will have better reports. Just hopefully remember for everyone to be safe out there, there is no sense in us to become one of the numbers.

Ambulance Crash Kills Three EMT's - Paulding County, Ohio

A total of five people were killed Friday night when an ambulance and a semi-truck collided.

Police say EMS workers were carrying two victims from an earlier crash on U.S. 24.

The ambulance, with four Antwerp Emergency Medical Services workers aboard, was transporting two victims from an earlier car accident to a hospital. They were traveling south on County Road 87 when it was slammed into by a semi headed east on County Road 176 in Crane Township, about 65 miles southwest of Toledo.

Police say the ambulance burst into flames on impact.

Three of the four EMS workers and the two victims from the earlier crash died. The fourth worker and semi driver were taken to the hospital.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Van Wert Post has released the names of the victims from the five-person fatality crash. They include Antwerp EMS personnel Sammy R. Smith, 64; Heidi L. McDougall, 31; and Kelly J. Rager, 25, all of Antwerp, and Robert L. Wells, 64, and Armelda Wells, 60, both of Hicksville.

 

[VentMedic]

A sad update:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...OL-?SITE=WBNSTV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Patrol: Ambulance driver in fatal crash failed to stop

PAULDING, Ohio (AP) -- An ambulance driver slowed down but failed to cautiously enter a rural intersection where the emergency vehicle struck a semitrailer and caused a fiery crash that killed the driver and four others, authorities said Saturday.

The ambulance was headed to a hospital Friday night with two patients injured from an earlier car wreck when the vehicles collided on a county road about 65 miles southwest of Toledo.

The patients, along with ambulance driver Sammy Smith, 64, and two other emergency medical technicians from the village of Antwerp, were killed.

The ambulance had its emergency siren and lights turned on as it approached a stop sign, authorities said.

Witnesses told investigators that Smith slowed to about 40 mph but continued through the intersection, smashing into the semitrailer, said patrol Sgt. Ray Haas.

Ohio law allows emergency vehicles responding to calls to cautiously go past stop signs or traffic signals as long as the driver shows regard for the safety of others using the road, said patrol Sgt. Cynthia Drake.

continued at
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...OL-?SITE=WBNSTV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

 

[Ridryder911]

[size=+2] When will we ever learn ?[/size]

How tragic this event is! Senseless deaths! Any more smart comments on "diesel medicine"? Please, for those that thinks that extra minute is worth this.... I dare you to think of this tragic event and those that died of this needless mishap!

The old days of running scared and running in hot... should be very closely scrutinized and only in rare and extreme cases and then and then only in a safe and operating manner!

C'mon folks, we are better than this!

R/r 911

 

[Jon]

RidRyder:

I'm going to go a step further... The articles talk of 4 EMS providers and 2 patients. How many seatbelts are there in YOUR rig?

What if the 2 patients were fully immobilized? how many seatbelts are there now for providers? 1? 2?

I've got a strong suspicion that NO ONE was wearing a seat belt.

C'mon... Seat Belts SAVE lives!

 

[Sandy]

Very Sad

This is a very sad accident. :sad: Drivers must realize that have to be aware of all the lives they are responible for. I know from experience most of our EMS personal on the squad I was a part of for nearly 15 years were very cautious at stop signs and red lights, but I have seen our fire dept. run many..... Please don't assume everyone sees you coming..... Stop it only takes a few seconds.... My condolenses to the Antwerp squad and community....

 

[Airwaygoddess]

There is more to driving than just lights and sirens.......-_-

 

[VentMedic]

Antwerp EMS Regroups after Tragic Crash

http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=5852

SUSAN NICOL KYLE
EMSRESPONDER.COM NEWS


ANTWERP, OHIO -- Nearly 3,000 people -- including EMS and fire personnel from around the country -- turned out in this small village on Friday to honor three EMTs killed in a fiery crash that also claimed the lives of two patients.

Sammy R. Smith, 64, Heidi McDougall, 31, and Kelly J. Rager, 25, volunteers with Antwerp EMS, were killed July 20 in the collision with a semi that also claimed the lives of their patients, Robert R. Wells, 64, and Armelda Wells, 60, of Hicksville.

Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the ambulance crashed into the rig, rupturing its fuel tank. The emergency vehicle then burst into flames.

http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=5852

 

[jmaccauley]

Refer to EMT's and Speeding in the EMS Lounge threads.

 

[Emtgirl21]

Refer to EMT's and Speeding in the EMS Lounge threads.

Thats an unfair assumption to make! Especailly since their dead.:sad:

 

[bstone]

Thats an unfair assumption to make! Especailly since their dead.:sad:

Agreed. Thanks so much for supporting dead EMTs. Sheesh.

 

[VentMedic]

Agreed. Thanks so much for supporting dead EMTs. Sheesh.

I posted a news update several days ago about the cause of the accident and it was not meant to be disrespectful.

If anything, one should carefully read about this tragic event and understand these are real people involved. This is why I posted the update with photos of the EMTs. This could easily be anyone that works in EMS. The decisions you make when you choose to run with lights and sirens while going to a hospital can gravely affect your life and the lives of others. Referring to the EMTs and Speed thread can be useful because it was started before this accident. I am wondering if anybody has reflected on their use of lights, sirens and speed since the Antwerp accident.

 

[Ridryder911]

Bad habits are hard to break in EMS, especially when one refuses to acknowledge them.

I hope I never read.. diesel medicine or haul arse etc.. again. We are medically trained professionals (or are supposed to be) the extra 3 minutes is not going to buy anyone any time. If you really think it does.. then you obviously do not know and understand traumatology, physiology, or even how medicine and the workings of patient care.

Only on t.v. shows, does people still say "stat", rush and crash people through the hallways, and usually have a happy ending. We do the best we can... with what we can.. most of the time there is nothing we can do..even in a Level I trauma center. Remember, it takes a lot to kill a healthy person.

Let's at least do our job well. Attend and take of the patient, quickly package the patient and safely transport the patient to the most appropriate facility.

For our part, let's be safe out there....

R/r 911

 

[BossyCow]

While the death of any of our EMS bretheren and sisteren is tragic and shall be mourned, we can't allow our respect for them from clouding our ability to learn from the incident. If we focus only on... "gee how sad"... and refuse to examine..... "how can we stop this same thing from taking more of our co-workers"....... we guarantee more opportunities to mourn in the future.

 

[jmaccauley]

Agreed. Thanks so much for supporting dead EMTs. Sheesh.

There is a reason that they're called crashes and not accidents. Somebody screwed up. My "assumption" as you call it based on 27 years of investigating such crashes. I'm not diminishing the fact that it is a tragedy, only calling for care when driving. Frankly, you have taken a stand that sorrow should somehow excuse the hard lesson that can be learned here. I have just finished reviewing over 30 training deaths in law enforcement, all of which could have been avoided. Not officers killed feloniously, but guys being careless and not clearing their weapons or following safety protocols. For those of you who feel that I am being unfair in my criticism, get over yourselves and consider that maybe I want to prevent pain and suffering as much as everyone else.

 

[jmaccauley]

Thats an unfair assumption to make! Especailly since their dead.:sad:

Really? What other assumption can be made? Put your anti police feelings aside and wake up to the fact that people are responsible for their actions. If you cannot get your patients, or yourself, to the scene or hospital safely, hauling butt is pointless. Now, others have said it and although EMS transports these MVA victims, LEO investigate these tragedies. We suffer along with everyone else. It will be a police officer who goes to the family and makes the death notification, so yes, I'll make that assumption.

 

[ffemt8978]

Really? What other assumption can be made? Put your anti police feelings aside and wake up to the fact that people are responsible for their actions. If you cannot get your patients, or yourself, to the scene or hospital safely, hauling butt is pointless. Now, others have said it and although EMS transports these MVA victims, LEO investigate these tragedies. We suffer along with everyone else. It will be a police officer who goes to the family and makes the death notification, so yes, I'll make that assumption.

It's not an assumption based upon what was printed in the second article listed in this thread

A sad update:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...MPLATE=DEFAULT

Patrol: Ambulance driver in fatal crash failed to stop

PAULDING, Ohio (AP) -- An ambulance driver slowed down but failed to cautiously enter a rural intersection where the emergency vehicle struck a semitrailer and caused a fiery crash that killed the driver and four others, authorities said Saturday.

The ambulance was headed to a hospital Friday night with two patients injured from an earlier car wreck when the vehicles collided on a county road about 65 miles southwest of Toledo.

The patients, along with ambulance driver Sammy Smith, 64, and two other emergency medical technicians from the village of Antwerp, were killed.

The ambulance had its emergency siren and lights turned on as it approached a stop sign, authorities said.

Witnesses told investigators that Smith slowed to about 40 mph but continued through the intersection, smashing into the semitrailer, said patrol Sgt. Ray Haas.

Ohio law allows emergency vehicles responding to calls to cautiously go past stop signs or traffic signals as long as the driver shows regard for the safety of others using the road, said patrol Sgt. Cynthia Drake.

continued at
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...MPLATE=DEFAULT

Emphasis added. 40 mph through an intersection, against the stop sign, warrants a serious review about how we are transporting patients.

 

[bstone]

40mph through an intersection is much, much too fast. While I doubt this was the actual speed, it is clear that the driver didn't come to a stop or even a "rolling stop". Sigh....tragedy could have been avoided.

 

[ffemt8978]

40mph through an intersection is much, much too fast. While I doubt this was the actual speed, it is clear that the driver didn't come to a stop or even a "rolling stop". Sigh....tragedy could have been avoided.

And that is the point that jmaccauley is trying to make.

 

[Emtgirl21]

I have personally been affected by an ambulance accident where two people i knew and had worked with were killed while running lights and sirens. Yes they were speedings. However I believe their is a right and a wrong way to run code.If you follow the rules and pay attention to what your doing you then you shouldnt have a problem. I just dont get why you guys are so against running lights and sirens.