Police telling EMS to "Stand down" RE:MVA

[lizzieborden]

In military (at least USAF) law enforcement, EMS/FIRE are primary on scene...police don't take over until injuries have been assessed...HOWEVER...depending on type of call...ie, hostages with injuries, suicide attempt, accident, etc... Let me give example...I was a first responder in Honolulu, HI...on Hickam AFB...I happened to be the lead patrolman that night and we got a call of a woman falling (or being pushed) out a second story window. Code 3 all the way, rolled on-scene and I found the female lying on the ground bleeding like a stuck pig (no, she wasn't fat...it was a figure of speech!! heehee)...anyway, I don't know if I have a crime scene or an accident scene. I call for fire/medics to roll (no, for whatever reason they hadn't rolled yet) and I called for two extra patrols to secure the scene. At that point, we didn't know if we had a domestic on our hands, if the husband was armed, etc...I initiated first aid and got pressure applied to the worst of the bleeding wounds. My beat partner took the other arm. We (BTW, this is not necessarily in how-we-did-it order) restricted her movement with board and collar while the other patrols took over scene security. When fire/ems arrived about 10 mike later, we took over crime scene identification. We were told later if we had not gotten the bleeding stopped she would have died. In that particular situation, being cops first would have killed the vic/patient. As it turned out, she WANTED everyone to think she wanted to die, as it ended up being a suicidal gesture with umpf. Needless to say, AF cops are taught that medical response takes top priority. If extra patrols are needed, then call for 'em to roll out...life before death...

[Michael]

...life before death...

Reminds me of the old Jewish law, symbolizing the same principle, that if a wedding procession and a funeral cortège meet at a crossroads, it's the funeral cortège that must yield right-of-way to the wedding party.

[Richard B the EMT]

Reminds me of the old Jewish law, symbolizing the same principle, that if a wedding procession and a funeral cortège meet at a crossroads, it's the funeral cortège that must yield right-of-way to the wedding party.

Know-it-all that I sometimes profess to be, and being Jewish, I cannot recall ever hearing that one, although it makes sense.

...And Lizzieborden? You and your partner, per your retelling here, done did good! (bad grammar intended!)

[lizzieborden]

Thank you, thank you, *taking humble bow*...I have a tendancy to second-guess myself sometimes...and for the record, I haven't heard that either...I just sort of typed it...seemed the right thing! Guess I'm cool

[kavfd413]

Where I am from the Police are on Scene for Traffic control and that is there primary role. If we are dispatched, taking the word of undertrained cops is not good enough for us. We usually continue to the scene and get a signature if the pt doesn't want to be transported.