Grim scene - bystander/first responder GSW scenario

[Rostov]

You are a bystander to a drive-by shooting at midnight in a city. At least 20 shots are fired, sounding like they're from handguns. After hiding behind a wall, and waiting for the gunmen to drive away, you dial 911 while trotting toward the scene. There is a crowd already gathering, and you see two female victims on the sidewalk. Both are approximately in their thirties.

Victim A: lying on the curb, unconscious, in a massive pool of blood. Respirations resembling agonal--gasping with periods of apnea in between. Radial pulse is thready for a few seconds, but literally stops under your fingers. No obvious head or extremity wounds.

Victim B: screaming her head off, sitting on the curb next to Victim A. She's holding pressure with one hand on a LLQ GSW. There is a wound on her head as well which is bleeding profusely. Extremely agitated.

The crowd is not interested in helping you out. You are the only person who's trying to do anything for these people. The police could be as many as five minutes away.

--


I'm interested in what the community has to say about triage protocols and how you would act in this particular situation. Who would you treat? And how? You don't have any gloves or CPR mask on your person. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Remeber343]

I would promptly trot in the other direction. Mainly. Because I dont want led poisoning and secondly I'm not on duty. Mainly because of the led poisoning though. And if it's a drive by, it's probably hang related. And if I don't have BSI I'm not touching those little gang bangers, who knows what nasties they have seeping out of them. My triage plan: call 911, leave, find some pie, and go to bed. Mainly because pie solves a lot of the worlds problems.

 

[Martyn]

BSI...scene NOT safe...

 

[NomadicMedic]

Agreed with the above. 911 and move promptly in the other direction.

 

[Akulahawk]

Given the circumstances, I would not have intervened. That scene is not safe. As far as the victims are concerned, #1 is dead, #2 will need care, possibly rapidly. However, I would not know that given that I would not be anywhere near the area… I would be someplace else that is far safer. Given my particular status as a CCW holder, I would call 911 and find a good place to hide, preferably somewhere else. I would not attempt to go in and make this scene safe. That is the job of law enforcement. My number 1 overriding priority is safety of myself and that of my family.

 

[rwik123]

I would promptly trot in the other direction. Mainly. Because I dont want led poisoning and secondly I'm not on duty. Mainly because of the led poisoning though. And if it's a drive by, it's probably hang related. And if I don't have BSI I'm not touching those little gang bangers, who knows what nasties they have seeping out of them. My triage plan: call 911, leave, find some pie, and go to bed. Mainly because pie solves a lot of the worlds problems.

1) it's lead not led

2) I don't know how you'd get lead poisoning...

(yes I know bullets have lead but that's insignificant)



Someone just got smoked by a gang banger. Why would you want to go trotting on scene? It'll be just peachy when he rounds the block for a second drive by and kills you while you try to play hero.

 

[gw812]

Rapid self-extrication is indicated. Not equipped to manage scene nor patients.

 

[PVC]

Given the circumstances, I would not have intervened. That scene is not safe. As far as the victims are concerned, #1 is dead, #2 will need care, possibly rapidly. However, I would not know that given that I would not be anywhere near the area… I would be someplace else that is far safer. Given my particular status as a CCW holder, I would call 911 and find a good place to hide, preferably somewhere else. I would not attempt to go in and make this scene safe. That is the job of law enforcement. My number 1 overriding priority is safety of myself and that of my family.

I would not get involved as a bystander in the scenario as you have presented it.

If your question is about triage and we have waved our scene safe and BSI "magic wand" I agree with Akulahawk. Patient one will not benefit from CPR, she is dead. Patient 2 would need ALS attention.

 

[FLdoc2011]

2) I don't know how you'd get lead poisoning...

I think he was referring to getting shot.... "lead poisoning"

 

[bahnrokt]

I don't have to decide what to do because I don't go for walks through gang neighborhoods at midnight..

20 shots and only 2 hit their mark. Stop holding guns sideways.

 

[Asclepius911]

I've heard stories that sometimes these gang bangers will follow the ambulance to finish up their job, to make sure their target dies. My biggest concern would be scene safety!! ( including BSI, HIV or AIDS is the first thing that comes to mind).

 

[Aidey]

Why HIV? Because of the blood? What are you planning on doing, slicing your own palm open and then holding pressure with your bare hand? Hepatitis is more likely anyway.


And it isn't HIV or AIDS. You can only catch HIV, AIDS has to develop after that.

 

[VFlutter]

I don't have to decide what to do because I don't go for walks through gang neighborhoods at midnight..

20 shots and only 2 hit their mark. Stop holding guns sideways.

+1

a large group of people standing around? Get the F out of here, I am not going anywhere near that scene.

 

[Asclepius911]

I was planning in diving into to the puddle of blood , great for the skin lol

 

[PVC]

"Anatoly Orlov: Is this how you want to be remembered?"
"Yuri Orlov: [chuckles] I don't want to be remembered at all. If I'm being remembered, it means I'm dead." Lord of War Quote

 

[Asclepius911]

"The first and most important rule of gun-running is, never get shot with your own merchandise."-Jury Orlov

 

[Rostov]

1)
Someone just got smoked by a gang banger. Why would you want to go trotting on scene? It'll be just peachy when he rounds the block for a second drive by and kills you while you try to play hero.

Where does this "second round" idea come from? I've never heard of this phenomenon. As I understand it, the strategy of the drive-by is to attack hard and fast, then GTFO before the cops arrive. The cars containing the shooters accelerated hard going due south, running through stop signs. Essentially giving no indication that they were planning on making a U-turn that night.

This doesn't make the scene safe. But I think the likelihood of a repeat attack is extremely low.

 

[STXmedic]

So this happened to you recently? What was your course of action?

 

[Medic Tim]

Where does this "second round" idea come from? I've never heard of this phenomenon. As I understand it, the strategy of the drive-by is to attack hard and fast, then GTFO before the cops arrive. The cars containing the shooters accelerated hard going due south, running through stop signs. Essentially giving no indication that they were planning on making a U-turn that night.

This doesn't make the scene safe. But I think the likelihood of a repeat attack is extremely low.

I would gtfo of there as soon as I could. Calling 911 would be done once I feel it is safe to do so. A slim to nil chance of them returning to check or finish the job is enough for me to get out of there.If you want to play ricky rescue though be my guest.

 

[VFlutter]

Where does this "second round" idea come from? I've never heard of this phenomenon. As I understand it, the strategy of the drive-by is to attack hard and fast, then GTFO before the cops arrive. The cars containing the shooters accelerated hard going due south, running through stop signs. Essentially giving no indication that they were planning on making a U-turn that night.

This doesn't make the scene safe. But I think the likelihood of a repeat attack is extremely low.

Ya but what about the crowd? You are going to trust that they are all unarmed and have no intention to harm you?

Are you sure it was due south? I heard most drive by gangsters like to head in a northeastern direction