Ambulance involved in MVA

[Richard B the EMT]

Just recalled another one, and I was driving.

Traffic going slow on the Belt Parkway eastbound. We came over the bridge, and see a car accident a short way ahead, but it seemed everyone was out of the cars. This was in a section running through Gateway National Recreation Area, and a Federal Park Police car, driving on the grassy shoulder, passed us, slowly but at L&S. Cop happened to be a member of my VAS, but I was on a non-9-1-1 service provider.

The "OMG" squad, AKA the "Rubbernecks", were out in full force, as everyone passing the scene was gawking at it, while slowing down.

Perhaps I should cross reference this to the string on EMS Superstitions, but I remember commenting to my partner that some damn fool wasn't going to be looking at traffic, instead would be looking at the crash, and would not see another poor damn fool slowing down to look, and would hit the leading car.

With that, BOOM!

We got tail ended! In full view of my friend, the "Federalie". When he finished with the original incident, he wrote up the driver who had hit me, for "Inattention at the wheel".

Does this one count?

I was in my POV, with the battery jumper cables from my car to my VAS ambulance, in the right hand lane nearest to the parking lane. It possibly could be argued I was double parked, but my POV had all those rear facing emergency flasher lights that have some here calling me "Buff" or "wacker", which were activated, even though it was still bright daylight.

Suddenly, the screech of wheels, and my POV was slammed from the rear by a car leaving the public parking lot. The driver jumped out of his car, ran up to my window, and started screaming at me for cutting him off. He went on for a few moments, until he realized he was now surrounded by my brother and sister VAS members, who he started berating. Then he started complaining to the NYPD "foot post" LEOs, who had walked over, telling them to ticket ME.

He shut up, however, when he realized the entire VAS crew had witnessed the accident, as well as the 2 LEOs, and the 10 Fire Fighters from FDNY Engine 268 and Ladder 137, who had been talking with the LEOs. All surrounded him, and gave him the proper idea that he had hit MY vehicle IN THE REAR, which under NY State Law, made him responsible for hitting a clearly defined Parked vehicle. The fool was lucky in only one thing, that his insurance, while about to expire, had one more day to be in effect.

I was extricated, and then transported by the municipal ambulance, as the VAS ambulance still would not start, and I left the hospital a few hours later with pain killers for back spasms.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Just recalled another one, and I was driving.

Traffic going slow on the Belt Parkway eastbound. We came over the bridge, and see a car accident a short way ahead, but it seemed everyone was out of the cars. This was in a section running through Gateway National Recreation Area, and a Federal Park Police car, driving on the grassy shoulder, passed us, slowly but at L&S. Cop happened to be a member of my VAS, but I was on a non-9-1-1 service provider.

The "OMG" squad, AKA the "Rubbernecks", were out in full force, as everyone passing the scene was gawking at it, while slowing down.

Perhaps I should cross reference this to the string on EMS Superstitions, but I remember commenting to my partner that some damn fool wasn't going to be looking at traffic, instead would be looking at the crash, and would not see another poor damn fool slowing down to look, and would hit the leading car.

With that, BOOM!

We got tail ended! In full view of my friend, the "Federalie". When he finished with the original incident, he wrote up the driver who had hit me, for "Inattention at the wheel".

Does this one count?

I was in my POV, with the battery jumper cables from my car to my VAS ambulance, in the right hand lane nearest to the parking lane. It possibly could be argued I was double parked, but my POV had all those rear facing emergency flasher lights that have some here calling me "Buff" or "wacker", which were activated, even though it was still bright daylight.

Suddenly, the screech of wheels, and my POV was slammed from the rear by a car leaving the public parking lot. The driver jumped out of his car, ran up to my window, and started screaming at me for cutting him off. He went on for a few moments, until he realized he was now surrounded by my brother and sister VAS members, who he started berating. Then he started complaining to the NYPD "foot post" LEOs, who had walked over, telling them to ticket ME.

He shut up, however, when he realized the entire VAS crew had witnessed the accident, as well as the 2 LEOs, and the 10 Fire Fighters from FDNY Engine 268 and Ladder 137, who had been talking with the LEOs. All surrounded him, and gave him the proper idea that he had hit MY vehicle IN THE REAR, which under NY State Law, made him responsible for hitting a clearly defined Parked vehicle. The fool was lucky in only one thing, that his insurance, while about to expire, had one more day to be in effect.

I was extricated, and then transported by the municipal ambulance, as the VAS ambulance still would not start, and I left the hospital a few hours later with pain killers for back spasms.

See Richard, You really can't fix stupid.

[Richard B the EMT]

Does the incident I mentioned, with me in my POV, even though it was outside my VAS office, and next to my ambulance, as it was my crew, or are the incidents to be related here cover only while IN the ambulance?

[MedicCraig]

Although the situation I was involved in was a very trying time for all involved, some very important lessons were learned. Our response requirements with the parish (in Louisiana we have parishes, not counties) say we must respond RLS to all 911 calls. Thats understandable since it seems dispatch info is seldom accurate. However, after picking up the patient, it is the paramedic/attendant who makes the decision whether or not to return to the ED with RLS or not, based on patient condition. If your patient is not in a life threatening condition, don't do it! It our situation, it was determined after the investigation that the patients on board, (there were 2), were not in a life threatening condition, increasing our liability. Also, be very careful of the statements made to the law enforcement offials investigating. Our driver made the comment to the officer that when the light turned yellow, "I stomped the gas". This statement came back to haunt us. The lawyers grilled me on that statement. "Do you teach drivers to stomp the gas?" "Have you ever used the term stomp the gas?" "Have you ever heard the term stomp the gas?" etc., etc. Are all your training records up to date? What about daily check sheets? Maintanence records current? All of these will be requested, probabley dating back a year before the accident. Again, I highly recommend a standardized training course, such as CEVO 2. Although it may not be the most exciting course you ever take, it is recognized nation-wide as an acceptable emergency defensive driving course. It is available through the National Safety Council.

[letmesleep]

In my 15 years I have had 2 accidents, both responding to a call. The first was following a bout of rain, and a non-urgent response. A car headed towards us came around a curve way too fast. He lost control, over compensated, and slid in to the truck. The damage to the truck was minimal in all reality, but it took out the entire drivers side starting behind the front tire, including the rear tire. The other driver continued back in to his side of the road, and eventually in to a ditch. His pregnant girlfriend was transported to the ED, and he was transported to jail.......he kinda let his pride get in the way of his better judgement, and none of us were injured.

The second, was an urgent response, and also during the rain. While I was proceeding southbound I came upon a car stopped to make a left-hand turn out of my lane. On coming traffic had halted to allow me to proceed past this driver, which I attempted with caution. He apparently was "jamming out" to his favorite song, because he started to turn left in front of us. When he noticed that he was on a collision course with a large moving truck, he pulled back to the right, as I pulled to the left. We managed to miss each other except my ambulance ended up on the side walk between a telephone pole and a fence which I grazed. Damage done to my truck was very minimal about a 6x6 inch area on the front quarter panel scratched from hitting the fence, other than that there was no damage and/ or injuries other than the 3 skid marks left in all the seats. Turns out that the fence involved in this accident belonged to this guy's father, and once he found out that his son was getting 2 tickets, he wanted me charged with property damage. His son received a ticket for failure to yield, and 1 for making a left on a double yellow line (no turn lane). The cops told the man that they were not going to charge me, and that "he was lucky that his dumb ass son didn't get killed, now tell him to turn down that damn radio"........true story!

Anytime you turn on those lights your asking for trouble, remember to give due regard to all of those on the street, and be careful.

[EMT Foose]

I haven't been in an accident yet (knock on wood).

I'm a very cautious driver, but am not always the one behind the wheel. I've only heard of 1 minor collision in my division.

[taylordemt]

Our company does a lot of studies on ambulance accidents that are posted. In most cases the accident could have ben prevented, but in some as an earlier writer wrote, the girl on the cell, well that one speaks for itself!. We have a pretty aggressive driving training program and it helps.