Failed air bags, no seat belt

[Eydawn]

Depends on how far forward you go... take it a ways up, and you won't put yourself in the optimal staging area. Better than parking right behind el smush...

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[ladybear]

The ambulance ended up parking in front of my car but I couldn't park behind his and be safe. I thought I had parked far enough in front for them to park between. I was gone before they removed their equipment from the ambulance.

[Dustdevil]

The ambulance ended up parking in front of my car but I couldn't park behind his and be safe. I thought I had parked far enough in front for them to park between. I was gone before they removed their equipment from the ambulance.

This is the mistake too many people in EMS make. Behind the wreck is the SAFE place to be, not the more dangerous one. Your vehicle acts as a barrier. What do you prefer: your car getting smushed, or you personally getting smushed?

The reason we park ambulances ahead of the accident is two-fold: First, it is so you don't get blocked in, and are able to egress after you're loaded. And second, it's because you will be loading through your back doors, which would be exposed if you parked behind the accident.

In a POV, you are not going to be loading through your back doors. Therefore, it is the best place to be. It's a shame that we teach people where to park the ambulance, but never bother to explain to them 'why'. Much like everything else we teach in EMT school though.

[ladybear]

I would have had to back up in traffic in order to park behind him. I wasn't planning on stopping if it was a simple fender bender like so many are. I only stopped because I noticed what appeared to be an unconcious male in the rear vehicle with major front end damage. The accident happened a few car lengths in front of me... 60 to nothing in a few seconds. We were lucky there weren't more cars involved.

[AnthonyM83]

One guy who came to my company from a different one seemed to have taken a pretty good ambulance operations class. He explained the idea that unless first on-scene it should be parked ahead of the accident not only for easy exit and safety, but if one of us got hurt on-scene that ambulance was the way we'd be transporting them. If fire truck gets hit, oh well. If ambulance gets hit, we have to call for a second and delay transport.

He also told me about those little hooks that stop the back doors from opening all the way out (into traffic or against another vehicle) in the van ambulances.

Wish I could take that class...cause we got none of that at our company.

[Dustdevil]

I would have had to back up in traffic in order to park behind him. I wasn't planning on stopping if it was a simple fender bender like so many are. I only stopped because I noticed what appeared to be an unconcious male in the rear vehicle with major front end damage. The accident happened a few car lengths in front of me... 60 to nothing in a few seconds. We were lucky there weren't more cars involved.

Ah, smart move then.

[gaelicfirefighter]

As a person who goes to many MVA's my first thought on your scenario is the airbag that did not deploy. Scene Safe? No its not.

If the PT was not in the way of the airbag if it suddenly deployed I would leave him right there until rescue showed up. If there was any way to help without endangering yourself, I would render as much care as possible.

If the airbag deployment would injure you, I would stay away unless removing the PT was an option.

[Tech217]

I agree with what most of the folks are saying here, there are a few factors to consider. If I go back to my training, I remember the VERY FIRST thing we always have to consider is our safety. Is the vehicle in a place where you won't be hit by on-coming cars? But assuming we already know to consider that, the airbag is the next thing to probably consider. But let's say that's been taken care of by the FD . . . . what I immediately thought of was C-Spine. Having no equipment, and knowing my tendency to want to do something, I would have stabilized C-Spine myself, and then obviously continued to do so until the patient was strapped and secured to a long board.[/font:8cc5296870]

[Mateo_1387]

This is the mistake too many people in EMS make. Behind the wreck is the SAFE place to be, not the more dangerous one. Your vehicle acts as a barrier. What do you prefer: your car getting smushed, or you personally getting smushed?

I think you were being sarcastic about parking behind the wreck, considering you went on to say to park in front of the wreck for egress and such.

You ask which one I prefer to get sumshed, my car or myself? I say neither, we place the fire truck as a barrier They usually block the wreck and the next lane over to get drivers away from the scene.

[jwraider]

I don't think I saw this mentioned but one option is to take a SAMPLE Hx...

That way if the patients LOC drops by the time EMS crews arrive you can give them information they wouldn't be able top get.