Roll Over MVI

[zappa26]

Trauma shears.

 

[LAS46]

Was thrown this scenario during training a little while ago.. I guess one of those "think outside the box" scenarios. So it got me thinking.. would anyone else have done what I did? Is it worth it? etc. So here is what happened:

You are either dispatched to, or are doing stand by for a speedway where a car has been hit at high speeds and flipped several times. Major vehicle damage to the only car involved. As you approach you smell gas, however there is currently no fire. You yell out at your patient not to move and ask him where he is hurt. As he's screaming he tells you it's his arm. It's stuck and he can't get it out. (Between the drivers door and the dash). As you approach to assess your patient the cars engine ignites in flames. Quickly other rescue responders get out the extinguishers and try putting out the fire. You and your partner start working as quickly as possible to get your patient out as the fire quickly spreads. After several minutes your attempts to get his arm free fail, and the attempts the extinguish the fire are also failing.. now the fire is starting to come up into the car and burn your patients feet. Also, the heat and smoke are getting unbearable for you and your partner and patient.

Decision time!

I asked what resources/equipment I had available to me to do a rapid extrication of the patient. My answer: "That axe on the ground.. oh and hurry.. his feet are on fire."

I knew what they wanted to see.. pick up the axe.. tell my patient to take a deep breath and chop his arm off. So it's either let him slowly burn to death.. or hack his arm off. I decided to hack his arm off... told my patient to look away.. take a deep breath and then I hacked as close to the crushed part as possible. The person giving me the scenario then says "great, his arm is now free.. get your patient outta there.. he's burning to death!" Got my partner to do some half a$$ C-Spine and we hauled him outta there. Laid him down, partner took C-Spine and I got someone to extinguished his feet. I then continued on my scenario as per usual. Dealt with the amputation, ABC, etc etc.

So my question for all of you is: based on this, or a similar type of situation.. would you take that axe and hack off the arm.. would you have done something else.. would you have let your patient burn to death? What would you have done differently? Is it worth the lawsuit? I am interested to see what other people would do.
Cheers!

I am sorry but if this race occured in Colorado the cars would not be on the track until there was a EMS Crew, Fire Crew, Hazmat Crew, ect. on the site. If they were not on site then the race would be postponed until they were on site. This also stands true for all race tracks, horse races, rodeos, and all others of the like.

Dustin
NREMT-B Student
Trinidad State Junior College
Colorado

 

[redcrossemt]

I am sorry but if this race occured in Colorado the cars would not be on the track until there was a EMS Crew, Fire Crew, Hazmat Crew, ect. on the site. If they were not on site then the race would be postponed until they were on site. This also stands true for all race tracks, horse races, rodeos, and all others of the like.

Wow! I wish we had professional haz-mat crews to clean up after our horse races here... And, shoot, a dedicated engine crew to wash 'em down too. That's really great stuff!

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Wow! I wish we had professional haz-mat crews to clean up after our horse races here... And, shoot, a dedicated engine crew to wash 'em down too. That's really great stuff!

My county holds one of the biggest rodeo/parade/roundup events in NorCal every year (next week in fact) and I have never thought that a HazMat Crew was neccessary. Maybe those Cowboys should consider a change in their diet to avoid those nasty chemical spills! Maybe we should put the swiftwater team on standby in case the horses have too much to drink. And I thought it was overkill to have 2 Ambulances and and Engine Crew dedicated to the Rodeo!

 

[scrapcat]

interested in direction?

I was actually given a similar scenario in my EMT-B class. The correct answer was that you do nothing, your scene isn't safe. I am wondering if your instructor wasn't just curious as to how many curves he could throw you before you realized that.

 

[mikie]

Next week's headlines...

"EMT 'saves' driver by amputating his arm with a rusty axe!" ...that'll be the day.

Your role is EMS not rescue, not fire, nothing but EMS...it is all about SCENE SAFETY. Let others worry about the fire and extrication. Tell your instructor that.

 

[fortsmithman]

My service has 2 rigs we use the older rig for standby events. The older rig has the jaws of life in it and we have some members trained in its use. so while the other responders would be putting out the fire we would be using our trained member to cut the person free with the jaws. But don't most major tracks have there own fire suppression crew and truck.

 

[CAOX3]

Can we please stop changing the acronym for car crash.

When did it change to motor vehicle incident or MVI? Was there something wrong MVA or MVC?

 

[VentMedic]

Can we please stop changing the acronym for car crash.

When did it change to motor vehicle incident or MVI? Was there something wrong MVA or MVC?

MVA stands for Motor Vehicle Accident and that implies it may be faultless. There are very few true accidents. We started using MVC about 15 - 20 years ago.

 

[CAOX3]

Understood, is MVI now the popular/trendy term.

 

[VentMedic]

Understood, is MVI now the popular/trendy term.

I haven't heard MVI used except for something that goes into a Banana Bag. MVC is what I use and what I see some others use.