For $500, what a 19 y/o, an ambulance, and an iPod causes.

[Scaramedic]

The distracted part is conjecture but it is obvious to me to sustain the injuries listed he was not wearing a seat belt. A lesson to all, ALWAYS wear a seat belt. Front and Back.

Spenac your Kewpie Doll is in the mail.

[VentMedic]

Just like some of the parking lot C-Spine and lumbar fxs you see at very low speed, it does not take much force to do damage when the body is even the slightest out of alignment. The force was on the passenger side created a torquing force. Sometimes the frame of the ambulance or the warping of the panels can tell what the spines of the two EMTs went through. If you plot your vectors you can probably find what the angle that generated the most force and where inside the ambulance.

The seat belt is great if you are in good posture, eyes forward and a direct frontal hit to absorb the shock.

[Dustdevil]

Yeah, they didn't just suffer a sudden deceleration. They suffered a rapid, twisting torque, which can easily result in spinal injuries such as subluxations. I would actually be surprised if they didn't have neck and/or back injuries.

[Scaramedic]

That might explain some of the spinal injuries, but having been in a side impact MVC that torqued my spine, it does not explain away the head injury. I would bet money if we saw the windshield, which was gone, we would see a star that would answer all our questions.

[VentMedic]

The side window or side front post can do just as much damage. The seat belt may not have locked in hold when twisted toward the side.

If the passenger becomes unrestrained, as in the side of the ambulance ripped off possibly taking the seat belt, that person is now a heavy object that can result in a severe impact to the other person. That doesn't include other things that can fly around and impact with the person's head. Again, depending on the angle and velocity of impact, it doesn't take much.

[spenac]

Wow speculation has led to some great educational comments that might in fact prove my speculation wrong. I guess it is good that we discuss theses matters here even if we do not have all the facts.

[firedoc5]

I agree, driving age to be at least 21-25 and to have had defensive driving class (which is a blast). NO iPod allowed unless used for communication and only the passenger use it. It's like being distracted fiddling around with the radio to get a better station. A lot of agencies pull there's when they received them. I know of one Fire Chief reached in and tore it out of the console. Took them about two months to get the dash fixed. A good driver must be able to multi-task, even when not on an emergency. They must notice everything but not distracted by anything either. The passenger needs to be observant too.

But, yea, how do you hit a parked vehicle, even if it was in a lane of traffic? I blame the youth, iPod, and lack of responsibility. Experience should come in there somewhere.

OK, I'm jumping off my soap box for now. [-(

[VentMedic]

This would be an interesting mechanism of injury case for EMT(P) students. There were several photos posted on the newspaper website. The front windshield appears to be intact. The ambulance spokesperson did make a statement that the speed was not over 45 mph.

There could also be some mechanical failure involved just as speculation. I personally have had a couple of mechanical mishaps like a rear tire from the outside dual trying to pass the ambulance.

I would hate to judge this young person too hastily until the iPod rumor is verified.

I have heard about some of the injuries and they could be easily missed if some of the same assumptions were made as previously posted. I am also thinking about the recent spinal immobilization thread. I believe a family member posted a list of injuries someplace that hit a news wire or it might have been in the many comments made on that newspaper website. I'm sure there will be public statement in the near future.

This is a sad event and hopefully once the EMTs recover they can share their experiences so that other young people can appreciate the responsibility and dangers of operating an ambulance or any vehicle.

For those that would like a little review on mechanism of injury:

http://www.ehs.net/nsc/4-1moi.htm

United States Department of Transportation

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Trauma Systems and Mechanism of Injury

[JPINFV]

WEST NYACK, N.Y. — A Regional EMS ambulance driver caused caused the accident in which he suffered broken bones and his partner lost her right arm, Clarkstown police said today.

The driver, Scott Millar, 19, of Haverstraw, took his eyes off the road and thought another vehicle was entering his lane, causing him to veer to his right into a flatbed truck parked on the shoulder of Route 59, police said.

The crash sheared off the passenger side of the emergency vehicle where EMT Bonnie Ames sat, police said.

The Clarkstown Accident Investigation Unit found that "driver inattention" led to the accident on April 14, Clarkstown Sgt. Harry Baumann said.

The investigators interviewed Millar, other witnesses and calculated the speed of ambulance and other physical evidence.

"The driver was looking at his GPS (global positioning system) and through his peripheral vision thought another car was coming into his lane," Baumann said. "He swerved sharply to the right and hit the truck."

Baumann said no summonses have been issued or charges filed.

Police determined Millar was not speeding. And authorities said the ambulance's electronic speed monitor showed Millar was driving within the 45 mile per hour speed limit for that stretch of Route 59.

Raymond Florida, executive director of Regional EMS and Rockland Paramedic Services, said called the crash an "unfortunate accident."

"He was doing the speed limit," Florida said. "This goes to show that we have to remain attentive every time we're behind the wheel. We have to remain vigilant and concentrate on what we are doing."

http://www.ems1.com/ems-products/ambulance...-Y-EMT-lost-arm

Pro-tip:

If you need to set up a GPS unit, either have your passenger do it or pull over onto the shoulder.

[Dustdevil]

Management tip: If you put non-essential electronic distractions like GPS and MDTs in a position that makes them visible to your drivers, you FAIL to properly provide for your employees' safety and welfare. You will not see either in an ambulance managed by me, or any other intelligent EMS administrator.

I hope Regional EMS (using the term very loosely) goes bankrupt secondary to the civil whipping they need to take in court.