Helmets?

[WuLabsWuTecH]

So we were running a very critically injured patient today to the hospital and by the nature of what we were doing, none of us could be strapped in.

So I was holding bleeding control, a medic student was starting a line, and the In Charge was trying to assess for further injuries, bleeds that we missed and also trying to get vitals.

Well, it was the shakiest ride ever for me but it was a critical patient so we had to load and go (in the past we usually do all we need to before we go so we can be strapped in). Well, someone turned out in front of us and the driver had to slam on the brakes. I went into the wall and lost hold of pressure, The IV medic student went tumbling into the airway chair (thank god it was padded), and my partner actually flew over my head and into the cabinet doors.

Luckily we were all still wearing our bulletproof vests so not much bruising. There were a few other tosses but none as bad.

It got me thinking though. We have helmets for the scene of a crash, does anyone here have helmets that they wear in the truck when they are not belted in? I was anchored pretty well with my ankle so I turned to let my body (with the vest on) catch the full brunt of it. The IV guy was lucky that his head went into a padded chair, and the Medic was lucky that she went into me to slow her down before she sent over me and into the cabinets.

So, once again, does anyone wear helmets inside the truck?

 

[Shishkabob]

Well.. first question is "Bullet proof vest"?


Second, how fast were you going that a fully grown adult flew OVER you when brakes were hit?

 

[VentMedic]

First, what is an IV medic?

You do realize that many of the deaths in the back of a truck are from unrestrained providers?

You are all very, very lucky and a helmut would not prevent you from become a quad by a SCI.

This is exactly what could have happened to the person hitting the seat head first as well as the person flying over you.

Imagine if that had been your body crashing into and flying over the female medic.

I take it this was a L/S run to the hospital. How fast were you going?

Maybe it is time you get your company to install user friendly restraints in the back. Don't wait for someone to be killed or a resident in a ventilator facility.

But then from the poll I posted recently, I guess it is just a matter of time before someone from this forum gets posted in the LODD section.

 

[rmellish]

This reminds me of Emergency!

 

[usafmedic45]

You are all very, very lucky and a helmut would not prevent you from become a quad by a SCI.

In fact, it could increase your risk of that if not applied in concert with proper restraints. There is a lot of evidence (from NASCAR, IRL, etc) that says even a seat belt alone does not constitute "proper restraint" of someone wearing a helmet.

Second, how fast were you going that a fully grown adult flew OVER you when brakes were hit?

My thought exactly.

First, what is an IV medic?

Likewise....what the heck? Unless he's referring to the medic student assigned to getting the IV.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

To answer all the questions:

Bulletproof vests - they stop bullets, but it turns out it prevents bruising from getting slammed into the side of the medic. Since it was an assault, we wear our bulletproof vests on scene. Its protocol. Also, in case we stage a little too close or the situation gets out of hand and comes toward us.

I don't know how fast we were going but it was too fast. From the driver's story, we were in the center lane and cars stopped to our right lanes, and some lady on her cell phone missed us in the center lane and thought they were waving her through. If i were driving, something like this wouldn't have happened b/c i'm much more careful, but I have to prove that first since I'm still under 21 and this department doesn't let under 21s drive w/o special permission. I drove a lot at the previous company I was with and did emergency runs and I'm much more careful and don't let adrenaline get to me. But he saw the 1-2 liters of blood on the ground and kinda freaked is what I guess happened. My female partner is very small maybe 110 lbs?

Yeah I know i was lucky, I was anchored in as best as I could, but there was no way to hold pressure and be belted in to anything. I usually am belted into the bench seat, but in this case I'd have to have had the belt pulled so far out from the seat it wouldn't have made sense. Probably do more damage and give me an abdominal injury if I wasn't wearing it right and we hit something.

Yes we were running hot to the hospital. He was very critical in so far as to us deciding to run to a non-trauma center b/c he wasn't going to make it for the extra 10-15 minutes to the trauma center.

How would a helmet do more damage? Would you not suggest us getting helmets then?

IV medic was referring to the medic student starting an IV. To differentiate from the "driving medic" and the "in charge medic" I could have called him the Basic doing the IV, but then ppl would be up in arms like the thread on "Basics have no business starting IV!" I guess in avoiding that confusion, I created more!

Lastly, I appreciate all of you guys' concerns. I have long been an advocate of personnel safety. Today was the first time I have ever not been restrained and not have all of my equipment restrained in the back. (The equipment was unintentional, we though everything was secure but missed a battery, luckily the battery missed us) There was just no better way for me to hold pressure than to keep as low as possible to the ground and anchor my foot onto the cabinet and wheelwell (although if you guys have suggesstions I'd be happy to hear them!)

Thanks!
-Wu

 

[JPINFV]

I'm confused by this.

Yes we were running hot to the hospital. He was very critical in so far as to us deciding to run to a non-trauma center b/c he wasn't going to make it for the extra 10-15 minutes to the trauma center.

So, if he wasn't going to survive going to a trauma center, how well is he going to fare at a hospital not set up to handle critical traumas?

 

[Sasha]

Yes we were running hot to the hospital. He was very critical in so far as to us deciding to run to a non-trauma center b/c he wasn't going to make it for the extra 10-15 minutes to the trauma center.

Not to be nitpicky, but why are you running l/s for a dead person?

 

[ClarkKent]

Not to be nitpicky, but why are you running l/s for a dead person?

I am taking it if he was not at a hospital very quickly, he would be dead. The trauma hospital was an extra 10-15 minutes add on to the call, and that would make him dead.

 

[Shishkabob]

Clark, you don't take patients to a hospital that cannot do anything for them, which is why trauma centers have certain designations labeling them as such.

They'll need to be taken to the trauma center to survive, and any delay spells certain death.

 

[Sasha]

I am taking it if he was not at a hospital very quickly, he would be dead. The trauma hospital was an extra 10-15 minutes add on to the call, and that would make him dead.

Still, likely if he wouldn't have made it 10-15 minutes to a specialty hospital and was taken to to a hospital not equipped to deal with trauma, do you really think he lived?

THe driver put the crew in back, himself, and the public in danger for a likely dead person.

 

[usafmedic45]

I am taking it if he was not at a hospital very quickly, he would be dead. The trauma hospital was an extra 10-15 minutes add on to the call, and that would make him dead.

Wu, wasn't it you that was in the chatroom saying you still had your rookie "white cloud"?

 

[WolfmanHarris]

The helmet is not going to be what you need in an incident such as this. What you need is some conservative driving and like all of us in North America, some better designed trucks. (ability to reach equipment and patient while belted, no squad bench, etc.)

My biggest piece of advice would be maintain a good "cushion of safety" while driving that includes a 4-5 second following distance. When I'm driving L/S and see that someone doesn't seem to be moving over I start decreasing speed way ahead of time. I know you weren't in the front, but I perhaps your partner may have been driving too aggressively.

 

[ClarkKent]

Wu, wasn't it you that was in the chatroom saying you still had your rookie "white cloud"?

"White Cloud, I have not clue what you are talking about.

What was covered in my EMT-B class is you take the patient to a trauma hospital if time allows. If not, and the patient is circling the drain, take the patient to the closest hospital that has an ED.

I have not been out in the field and that's what I was told to do. If I was told something that was wrong, please let me know. I am new and I am here to learn.

Please PM me your replys, I do not want to take this to go off topic, or as Sasha once said, "threadjacking".

 

[usafmedic45]

"White Cloud, I have not clue what you are talking about.

What was covered in my EMT-B class is you take the patient to a trauma hospital if time allows. If not, and the patient is circling the drain, take the patient to the closest hospital that has an ED.

I have not been out in the field and that's what I was told to do. If I was told something that was wrong, please let me know. I am new and I am here to learn.

Please PM me your replys, I do not want to take this to go off topic, or as Sasha once said, "threadjacking".

White cloud = opposite of being an "excrement magnet"

 

[Hockey]

Man, why do you guys rip apart every little thing somebody says?

 

[VentMedic]

Man, why do you guys rip apart every little thing somebody says?

You have a problem with people discussing safety or appropriate facilities?

 

[Sail195]

I know in the area I work its useless to drive crazy the transport times are 20 min max and you really don't save that much time. It really is not worth the risk.... I think the question here is less about having to wear helmets and more of a question of should we have more involved driver training.... I have had my Class B cdl for 6 years now and drove buses for the first 5 of those years and it really troubles me how they will just let anyone drive emergency vehicles with little to no training. Personally I feel you should be made to go through a class B program or a modified but similar program that will properly train you but thats just my 2 cents!

 

[medichopeful]

Man, why do you guys rip apart every little thing somebody says?

Heck, even I don't have a problem with what I have seen in this thread.

 

[JPINFV]

Man, why do you guys rip apart every little thing somebody says?

Hey, if someone wants to rip apart one of my treatment choices (and I do consider destination and the use of lights and sirens on a transport to be a treatment decision, then so be it. You can't fix what you don't know is broken and you might learn something from someone else.