Hey Everyone,
I've been lurking for a while but registered tonight to tell this story. I'm an EMT-B out of MA. Still working on getting onto an EMS Service. I'm 19, been licensed for about 2 months. I was driving with friends (non EMS ones sadly) and came around a corner of a dark tricky road. I saw a State Trooper with his lights on, and a car smashed up against a tree. I stopped and yelled and asked if he needed help. Trooper screams "YES" I get out, said "Sir I'm an EMT whats up?" Choice of words could have been better but whatever. He says "He's got no pulse I can't find a pulse" One male driver in the seat, Head leaning on left shoulder, multiple face and scalp lacs, eyes and mouth open, blood and teeth in mouth. I tried for carotid pulse, tried for radial. Nothing. I yelled to the trooper who was at his car 10 feet away on the radio. I said "Sir do you have a breathing barrier we need to start CPR on him" He ignores me. I said "SIR I need your first aid kit" (Which he had out on his hood) He says "Ok ok" and walks to his trunk.
I have nothing against the State Police, this trooper was panicked. I was surprised at how calm I was. Trooper continued to ignore me. I walk to the road and look, no pocket mask in the bag. I yell "TROOPER I NEED A BREATHING BARRIER" to get his attention. He finally gets one out of his car for me. I walk back over and tried to get the pt out. His legs were slightly trapped, I am not a big guy at all, so I needed help. I opened the back door and got in. I tried to lift him and slide, nothing. I said to my friend "We need to get him out just help" He says "His neck is broken don't bother"
At this point, I'm second guessing myself. The guy wasn't too warm, had serious serious trauma, pupils fixed and dilated and from all I could sense, Dead. I felt as though I needed to try something. I needed to start CPR and try. I figured this is what I'd want someone to do with my relative, TRY. I said "Trooper we need to start CPR are you going to help?" He says "Just wait for fire" I replied and said "Well where are they?" As I said that they came around the corner. FF's get out, I said "No Pulse, no breathing" They walk over and two finally get him out of the car. The old FF starts chest compressions which I could see were not quality at all. Not even close. He tells the other FF to forget the OPA and o2 and just bag him. FF at head does not perform ANY maneuver to get the airway open, no lift, no jaw thrust, nothing. I could see there was no chest rise. As the FF was giving compressions he says to the trooper "Just call the medical examiner" Other Police show up, Troopers take my info and I leave. I see a BLS and and ALS Truck rush up the hill as I was going down. I waited and when they came back down, no lights or sirens. I assume the worst.
Was I wrong? This was my first "Code" but I felt like we should have tried. Provided, the 5 minutes wouldn't have brought him back but I feel we should have tried. I'm mad at myself for not trying harder to get him out and start CPR. I was alone in the situation and had a cop telling me "No don't do it" I wish the outcome was different. I wish the cops could tell his family that we tried. Instead of "He couldn't get him out of the car alone so I stood there and watched" Was I wrong? Should I just give up next time and say forget it?
I'm not so much freaked out, I'm just a little glum. I'd like to think that quality compressions and breaths could have given him more of a chance than I did.
I've been lurking for a while but registered tonight to tell this story. I'm an EMT-B out of MA. Still working on getting onto an EMS Service. I'm 19, been licensed for about 2 months. I was driving with friends (non EMS ones sadly) and came around a corner of a dark tricky road. I saw a State Trooper with his lights on, and a car smashed up against a tree. I stopped and yelled and asked if he needed help. Trooper screams "YES" I get out, said "Sir I'm an EMT whats up?" Choice of words could have been better but whatever. He says "He's got no pulse I can't find a pulse" One male driver in the seat, Head leaning on left shoulder, multiple face and scalp lacs, eyes and mouth open, blood and teeth in mouth. I tried for carotid pulse, tried for radial. Nothing. I yelled to the trooper who was at his car 10 feet away on the radio. I said "Sir do you have a breathing barrier we need to start CPR on him" He ignores me. I said "SIR I need your first aid kit" (Which he had out on his hood) He says "Ok ok" and walks to his trunk.
I have nothing against the State Police, this trooper was panicked. I was surprised at how calm I was. Trooper continued to ignore me. I walk to the road and look, no pocket mask in the bag. I yell "TROOPER I NEED A BREATHING BARRIER" to get his attention. He finally gets one out of his car for me. I walk back over and tried to get the pt out. His legs were slightly trapped, I am not a big guy at all, so I needed help. I opened the back door and got in. I tried to lift him and slide, nothing. I said to my friend "We need to get him out just help" He says "His neck is broken don't bother"
At this point, I'm second guessing myself. The guy wasn't too warm, had serious serious trauma, pupils fixed and dilated and from all I could sense, Dead. I felt as though I needed to try something. I needed to start CPR and try. I figured this is what I'd want someone to do with my relative, TRY. I said "Trooper we need to start CPR are you going to help?" He says "Just wait for fire" I replied and said "Well where are they?" As I said that they came around the corner. FF's get out, I said "No Pulse, no breathing" They walk over and two finally get him out of the car. The old FF starts chest compressions which I could see were not quality at all. Not even close. He tells the other FF to forget the OPA and o2 and just bag him. FF at head does not perform ANY maneuver to get the airway open, no lift, no jaw thrust, nothing. I could see there was no chest rise. As the FF was giving compressions he says to the trooper "Just call the medical examiner" Other Police show up, Troopers take my info and I leave. I see a BLS and and ALS Truck rush up the hill as I was going down. I waited and when they came back down, no lights or sirens. I assume the worst.
Was I wrong? This was my first "Code" but I felt like we should have tried. Provided, the 5 minutes wouldn't have brought him back but I feel we should have tried. I'm mad at myself for not trying harder to get him out and start CPR. I was alone in the situation and had a cop telling me "No don't do it" I wish the outcome was different. I wish the cops could tell his family that we tried. Instead of "He couldn't get him out of the car alone so I stood there and watched" Was I wrong? Should I just give up next time and say forget it?
I'm not so much freaked out, I'm just a little glum. I'd like to think that quality compressions and breaths could have given him more of a chance than I did.
