West,TX Explosion/MCI

WTEngel

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Anyone heard how AE 51 fared in all of this? I'd worked at that base with some of the crews in another life, keeping everyone in West in our thoughts.

I heard Air Evac sent 9 aviation assets initially, and I am sure CF sent a few. Seems as though every ambulance and air asset within about 50-75 miles is present.
 

JPINFV

Gadfly
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I'm at med school about 70 miles north. Trying to figure out something my class can do to help.


Food, blankets, clothing, toys, money. There's nothing you can do to help -now,- but there's going to be a lot of people displaced by the explosion.
 

Fox800

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Food, blankets, clothing, toys, money. There's nothing you can do to help -now,- but there's going to be a lot of people displaced by the explosion.

I'm thinking blood drive and money.
 

WTEngel

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Aren't most of the serious cases going to be shipped up to DFW anyway?

Parkland, Methodist, Presby, et al, are about the same distance as Scott and White. Hillcrest is the closest, where most of the patients are being sent initially, but I am sure they are being stabilized and shipped ASAP. I can not imagine the scene in that ED right now. Wish I was there to lend a hand.
 
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EMDispatch

EMDispatch

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Food, blankets, clothing, toys, money. There's nothing you can do to help -now,- but there's going to be a lot of people displaced by the explosion.
All good ideas, their dispatchers sounded out the all hands alarms and got everyone they need for the short term and then some... I'm sure they'll also start rotating crews as the situation gets under control.

CNN advising 2 EMS personnel are confirmed dead: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/18/us/texas-explosion/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
 
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lightsandsirens5

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We are listening to it here at work on the radio. Sounds like they have enough fire support for now. Just still getting swamped with EMS stuff though.

We are already starting to pick up slack to the south as resources are moving south.
 

Aidey

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CNN is saying they evacuated 2,600 people. Isn't that basically the entire population of the town?
 

WTEngel

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Yeah, not quite the entire population, but a good majority. I was looking at google maps and it looks like the West EMS building and Air Evac base 51 was about 2-3 blocks away from the explosion. Those buildings were basically portables...I can't imagine that they are still standing.
 

Aidey

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Per what Dr. Bledsoe had posted on facebook, the EMS building was destroyed. Someone also said there was an EMT class going on at the time and there are casualties among the students.
 

Fox800

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Off Bledsoe's Facebook wall: 2 EMS providers reported dead on KTVT by the EMS medical director in West (George Smith, DO)
 

WTEngel

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I know that the numbers are not nearly comparable, and 343 is many more than will have made the ultimate sacrifice in this case, but anytime a small community like this loses even one public safety officer, it is a big blow.

In this case, where there were multiple fatalities from the same department, and their co workers are still on the job dealing with the emergency at hand, it has got to be overwhelming. I hope they get the necessary CISD and psych support they will almost certainly need.
 

Sublime

LP, RN
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I am sure ARC and Carter have already mobilized blood products to the appropriate areas. Any donation up here or down there is helpful, as Carter and ARC will mobilize it as they see fit.

This is a good idea. I'll go donate tomorrow and tell everyone I know to do the same.
 

enjoynz

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You are having a really bad week in the USA...Thoughts go out to everyone involved with both shocking incidents!
 

WTEngel

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Almost certainly it was an accident. It was burning earlier in the day, rekindled, and then blew. Similar incidents have happened in the past, albeit rarely.
 

abckidsmom

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Almost certainly it was an accident. It was burning earlier in the day, rekindled, and then blew. Similar incidents have happened in the past, albeit rarely.

Thanks. The 20th anniversary of the Branch Davidian thing is tomorrow. Very coincidental, even for this week in April.
 

Fox800

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Latest word is 2 paramedics deceased, 6 firefighters deceased, 15 citizens deceased although I'm sure that number will rise as crews search damaged structures. 100-200 patients, 40 were critical.
 
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