What do you do...

[Stevo]

well i've got to ask here, would it be prudent to document on one's run report that in order to transgress an intersection of vehicles with no way to get out of the way the driver ran over the median into the oncoming lane , as well as some rather large curb like restraining obstacles?

~S~

 

[DT4EMS]

The best I can offer is "Arive Alive". You are no good to anyone else if you don't make it to the call.

After over 15 years of driving some sort of emergency vehicle, I have to agree with the posts about shutting down if you are "boxed in". That is the ABSOLUTE best decision in my opinion. You can not force traffic to move forward into an intersection.

Nearly every state will have the words "due regard" or something similar in the code/law that allows you to operate as an emergency vehicle. That means you better be very,very careful if you jump the medain and travel in oncoming traffic. I happen to think it is a bad practice and refuse to do it.

Just my opinion though.........

 

[emtff99]

Everytime I have drove & come upon the "congested Intersection" or any type of major traffic jam, the siren was shut down, but the lights stayed on. As stated before, "if you shut the lights down, you give the public the impression the emergency is over." (or close to that statement). The only time I ever shut the lights down, is when I would thru the Squirrel Hill Tunnels (In the Pgh Pa area) on the Parkway East (Major Pain in the arse highway), then the lights were flipped back on for the remaining portion of the run.

 

[Stevo]

yanno there's always going to be that grey area, that chance that we'll need to take because it boils down to us. I've always thought that those quick decisions, and even those that aren't so quick, go better with a few heads involved...

and when the dust clears there's always going to be those armchair sorts whom wave a protocall at us, or stand on the fear factor of litigation

i guess that's the way it's just going to be, yet i have to snicker a bit at the documentation freaks whom claim that it will save one's hide in court

because we cover each others mistakes fairly well in the field, and much of it isn't really recorded is it?

~S~

 

[emtff99]

Originally posted by Stevo@Oct 23 2005, 07:38 PM


i guess that's the way it's just going to be, yet i have to snicker a bit at the documentation freaks whom claim that it will save one's hide in court

because we cover each others mistakes fairly well in the field, and much of it isn't really recorded is it?

~S~

Depends on how you look at it & whom the crew is that you are working with. With exception of the Dept I currently run with (only been there for about 6 months), The crews I have worked with, have always made sure "all bases" were covered & everything was set. Emts doing ALS (Intubating, etc) but the paperwork always stated the Medic did ALS. Yes the documentation can "only" go so far in helping Emt or Medic & can also as stated before "hinder you in court too."

But as for documentation of a "traffic jam" in the 20+ years of running Ems, never once put it on the paperwork, never had a reason to @ all.

 

[Jon]

Originally posted by emtff99+Oct 23 2005, 08:54 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (emtff99 @ Oct 23 2005, 08:54 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Stevo@Oct 23 2005, 07:38 PM


i guess that's the way it's just going to be, yet i have to snicker a bit at the documentation freaks whom claim that it will save one's hide in court

because we cover each others mistakes fairly well in the field, and much of it isn't really recorded is it?

~S~

Depends on how you look at it & whom the crew is that you are working with. With exception of the Dept I currently run with (only been there for about 6 months), The crews I have worked with, have always made sure "all bases" were covered & everything was set. Emts doing ALS (Intubating, etc) but the paperwork always stated the Medic did ALS. Yes the documentation can "only" go so far in helping Emt or Medic & can also as stated before "hinder you in court too."

But as for documentation of a "traffic jam" in the 20+ years of running Ems, never once put it on the paperwork, never had a reason to @ all. [/b][/quote]
I've had to document "transport delays" becuase we got lost, missed the medic intercept, and generally F'd up a call.


As for documenting, ummm, skills you really didn't do.... well, I've NEVER exceeded my scope of practice. Well, at least not caught doing it yet.....

There are also lots of things that a well-trained EMT can do to assist the medic..... like 12-leads.....

Jon

 

[SafetyPro2]

On our main route to the hospital, there's an undercrossing for the freeway. The road has a concrete divider (about a lane wide, with plants and such) a good block in either direction (and on the approach from town, this divider extends to a T-intersection). If you make the turn onto the undercrossing street and see traffic blocking the intersection, you have no way to move into the oncoming lane, so in that case, yes, I have and do shut down the lights and sirens and wait. Under no circumstances would I attempt to "force" cars into crossing a red to move out of my way.