Ambulance Crash, buckle up guys.

[gods_medic]

8) Howdy guys - Listen, i've been in the EMS business for ten years now,both-( private and 911 ),and i have learned that we are part of a family that provides a service of care for people who need it at one level or another. We are professionals none-the-less.I have worked with different techs - emt-b,emt-i and, paramedics--they all have their way of doing things.I try to learn how everyone prefers to do things so that i can help in keeping our relationship-tech between tech, a good one, and making a good experience as possible for the patient. The little things that we do for and with each other do help - ( i.e...how we lift the strethcher, being there when our partner is receiving a patient report from a nurse or family member just in case he/she may have missed something, preping iv set-up, documentation etc.,etc... ). Let's learn to work with each other in spite of our differences. Let's respect and appreciate each others opinions. Remember - the communities in which we work are expecting us to provide them with the best care that we can at what ever level that crew may be-BLS, ALS OR, ACLS, and whether we are the local 911 service or a private service - we are professionals-so let's behave as professonals -even with each other.

Let's educate , not bash each other.We get plenty of that from people outside of the EMS service.

Thank You. your brother in EMS ,

gods_ medic

[Just Plain Ruff]

I have also flown someone specifically on MOI. Motorcycle crash with helmet coming off. flew him to a level 1 trama center. He was released in 8 hours with a fracture calcaneous.

Did I know what in the end was wrong with him no, neither did the responding crews at that scene. Plus I truly believe that they were possibly flown due to the rollover and that they were ems'rs. We tend to take better care of or give more care to people we work with.

[Just Plain Ruff]

[flight-lp]

"In the defense of flight-lp, I think he was suggesting that if they were up walking around after the accident, then mostly likely they probably did not meet flight criteria."

Thanks for having my back Nate, but I wasn't suggesting anything, I was making a factual statement. If a patient is ambulatory after self-extrication and then receives treatment on scene, then either they are stable or the medics' are substandard in their assessment skills. Having knowledge of some specifics of this particular wreck, there was no need to send them by helicopter.......

@EMS49393 -As far as Maryland goes, their issues go beyond just the private services. MEIMSS is behind the 8 ball period, especially in the BLS realm. Between the aforementioned "broke ass momma with 12 kids can be an EMT" legislation and having the state agency provide minimal if not substandard air services, they have a lot of work to do. I applaud you for trying to make a difference. I on the other hand saw the hoplessness of the cause at the time and departed, looking back, I am glad that I did...

Again, my opinion and view of that particular system. Having been there, I can provide a hint of insight.............

[SSG G-man]

The medics in the Troopers provideing substandard care? WTF!!!

[rehkopf]

I'm the guy who wrote the article on the crash for our company website. I hope you'll allow me to answer a couple of questions posed here:

1. The decision to fly was made by the Sykesville paramedic on the scene. Contrary to what was discussed here, the patients did have sufficient MOI to meet the fly-out criteria. They were hurting much more than they first thought.

2. The Maryland State Police aviation teams are fantastic to work with. They are especially great about flying out fellow public servants (police, fire, EMS) as precautions. A flight medic explained it this way to me once: "If we can't help out our own, then what good are we?" I'm not going to argue with that.

As for the collision itself, it remains under investigation by the MSP.

I appreciate the interest in the incident. I'm convinced there will be lessons to be learned once all is said and done. Stay safe.

[Dustdevil]

Contrary to what was discussed here, the patients did have sufficient MOI to meet the fly-out criteria.

WTF? That "criteria" is fine if you are flying out the ambulance itself. But we're talking about people, not ambulances. MOI is irrelevant, and those who are still making these decisions based upon such neanderthal criteria define the term "protocol monkey."

[SSG G-man]

Damn, wish I had saved the box tops for those MRI, CT, Xray glasses so I can look at a patient who's vehicle rolled a few times and see if there are any internal problems. That would save being a better safe than sorry monkey.

Damn, seems I live in a state of protocol monkey's. I guess I should forget the protocols and just wing it!

[Dustdevil]

If you can't tell from looking at the patient that he has one of those critical problems, he can go by ground.

And if he had one of those problems and you didn't pick up the signs, you need more education and practise.

Flying somebody just because the car is crumpled is simply retarded. Anybody with real experience figured that out a long time ago without having to be told by Dr. Bledsoe et. al. that it's outdated and pointless.

[gdickens]

Damn, wish I had saved the box tops for those MRI, CT, Xray glasses so I can look at a patient who's vehicle rolled a few times and see if there are any internal problems. That would save being a better safe than sorry monkey.

Ditto!!!

The day I let my pride and arrogance start telling me that I am smarter than my Medical Director (the PHYSICIAN under whose license I touch my every patient, and who signed off on my protocols), I'll be out of a job... and rightly so.