Rodeo EMS

[LucidResq]

So I was at PBR (pro bull-riding) tonight and got to thinking about the nasty injuries that could result. Has anyone ever responded to a rodeo call? What was the nature? Also I'm sure they some kind of EMS on stand-by as well - anyone know about that?

 

[lightsandsirens5]

We do stand-by at the local rodeo. Never had a bull riding pt. to trasport. Just spectators.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Wait a minute, where are they doing bull riding in the middle of January?

 

[Shishkabob]

Wait a minute, where are they doing bull riding in the middle of January?

/me guessing Colorado indoors.

 

[reaper]

The PBR and PRCA both have the Justin Sports Medicine Team at all events. This is a special team made up of Dr's, Sports Medicine specialist and Paramedics. They will handle all the initial care for any injuries. They will have an ambulance on stand by for transports.

Dealing with Rodeo injuries is very different then other sports, due to the Athletes. If you want more info you can PM me with questions.

 

[mycrofft]

Reaper, share with the class!

About those athletes...how about the riders and clowns too?
If it's like racetrack standby, it's mostly "standby" and the rest is shodlers/clavs, taping up old injuries, and requests for B-12 shots.

PS: we're getting that tour in a month or so, indoors.

 

[BossyCow]

I've done rodeo standby and those guys are the toughest human beings I've ever met... I've heard.. "It's only broken, I'll get it taken care of later", "I was only out for a little while, just got my bell rung.. I'll be fine" "Oh, I've had worse than this" The only ones I ever transported was a badly angulated broken tib/fib and a guy who never regained consciousness on the trip in.

 

[Veneficus]

I cheer for the bull

whether its bull fightng, bull riding, or running with them, I always like to see the bull win. (well rather the athelete lose)

I saw one patient broguht to the hospital he, was trampled by the bull he was "riding" at an indoor rodeo. He basically came in to appease the EMS responders standing by. It took longer to get is safety gear off. (as he wasn't really injured we didn't want to cut it, it looked expensive, especially the chaps and boots) He walked out under his own power not long after. (those guys are tough)

But some of the best angulated injuries I ever saw were from my fellow yankees riding the mechanical bull at the local country-western bar.

alcohol + mechanical bull = new sports car for ortho.

 

[reaper]

Bossy is right. A pro cowboy is a different breed of athlete. They learn from the beginning that if they don't ride, they don't have a chance to win. They are not under contracts like most pro athletes. If they take time off for injuries, they and their families will starve. This makes you "Cowboy up" and learn to deal with pain. A lot of EMS providers have never dealt with this kind of mindset. They see injury or think something should hurt and want to treat and transport. This is the reason that the PRCA created the Justin Sports Medicine Team. They wanted Medical Professionals that understood the Mind of a cowboy. The Dr's associated with the team are all Orthopedic specialists and know how to deal with the injuries sustained in Rodeo. They are also well trusted by the cowboys. If one of them tells a rider that they need to be transported to the ED. You can bet the rider will go. If an EMT or medic tells them, they will blow it off. They deal with pain on a daily basis and what you think is major to most people, would be minor pain for them. This is at the Pro level.

Now, at your local rodeo that is not pro and just a bunch of local guys riding, you may well be the only medical there. If you work standby at rodeos remember one thing. If you try and force them to go to the ED, you will get no where. If they have fx's or minor concussions, they will not go. If it is truly something that is life threatening, then explain it to them. Get some of their friends to help talk to them. Just remember that all may not go.

These guys travel the country and may hit 3-4 rodeos a week. They learn how to treat their own wounds and pain. They learn how to live with it. It is just a way of life to them and one that you must understand to deal with them.

I rode bulls professionally for 17 years, have been retired for 5 years now. I have had injuries that most could only imagine. I still live with pain everyday, that most would be calling 911 for. I would not trade a day of it for anything. It was the best time of my life and I will always have that.

So, just keep this in the back of your mind, when ever you work a rodeo. It will make dealing with a rider a lot easier.

 

[LucidResq]

Thanks for the insight, Reaper.

I was looking around online and found PBR's injury report. It's kind of interesting. TONS of concussions. I believe many other sports have a "3 strikes" rule for concussions. This obviously doesn't pertain in bull riding. Lots of upper extremity injuries also... shoulder dislocations... clavicle injuries... etc.

These guys are crazy, but I think Reaper brings up a very good point.

They are not under contracts like most pro athletes. If they take time off for injuries, they and their families will starve. This makes you "Cowboy up" and learn to deal with pain.

 

[Ridryder911]

We have an International Youth Rodeo and cover about three every week-end in the summer and fall. We have had several fatalities to severe injuries to typical sporting events.


True Cowboys are a different breed and with such will avoid being embarrassed until they are bad. Typically to see a pneumo after the forethought. Alike what Reaper described, I usually get another Cowboy to recommend.

My former partner was a retired PRCA Champion Bull Rider and I learned "the business" and how to handle them (as well as the stock).

R/r 911

 

[LucidResq]

My former partner was a retired PRCA Champion Bull Rider and I learned "the business" and how to handle them (as well as the stock).

Handling the stock? Sounds kind of scary. There's a scene safety issue for you. I was watching youtube clips of bullriding, though, and watched a guy get thrown off and bonk his head. He was unconscious, but the bull was still doing his thing so a bunch of guys went out there and picked him and passed him through the bars. Definitely not a thought given to c-spine, but what could you do in that situation?

 

[Vonny]

No rodeo here in Ireland but....
We do a lot of standby at horse racing/ show jumping events. These are the real pay dirt events for us with injurys ranging from fractured femors to flail chests. And its not just on the field, last time I had a horse kick a child in the face while being unloaded from its box. Excited horses are very dangerous to be around.
Some riders who are thrown from their horses and are a little shook up but have another horse to ride later in the day are very inhospitable and tell us to F*Off if we come near them, even if they are hurt. In cases like that we just take their number from the horse and the race number and hand it over to the Doc in charge on the day if we think they need further evaluation and its his job to track them down. It could be just bruised pride but we can not take that chance. We can not ground them if they refuse treatment but the doc can. I have never been at a horse event that did not end up with us going to the ER. These are very rewarding duties for me. The sad part of these duties are the amount of horses who break a leg or its neck and have to be shot right in front of us. I wish there was something we could do for the animal. There is no EMS for these poor animals.

 

[mycrofft]

Reaper and Vonny, thanks! This deserves a thread:

Sports (enabling) Medicine versus Normal Medicine versus MilitaryTactical (return em to the line) Medicine.
I once emailed to and received a reply from Dr Adrian Cohen, the fellow who porvides medical support for the "Survivor" TV show (as well as eco-marathons etc., more lately in trouble for cocaine prescription abuse). I asked if his company 's take for Survivor was sports or regular medical based, and he said not sports medicine. After the bad things on the first episode, Medical stood by the director more or less and said "whoa!" if things were going awry, such as dumping rich food into starving people, etc.

 

[Shishkabob]

^^^ One episode that sticks out at me about survivor--

Few years ago, I believe it was the one in Australia or near by, a guy from Sterling Heights Michigan (I remember because I lived near it) fell in to a fire and got full thickness burns. They ended up med-evacing him.


He was expected to win, but because of that incident, he didn't get to finish.

 

[hitechredneckemt]

ive done rodeo standby. I dont leave my rig untill some one in the ring calls for ems other wise its just a waste of time. Ive even done high school rodeos and the parents are worse than the riders.Had one kid that had an obvious forearm f/x and the father would not let him be treated. Ived on a farm most of my life,raised cattle and ride horses(even broken a few), but the people who participate in rodeo events are a breed of their own.