Emergency Services Mortality?

[VentMedic]

We in EMS (street) do not really have the luxury of refusing to go on a call.

Not totally true. I have refused to take a truck out of the lot if it was giving us problems. I have refused to ride with impaired drivers by either alcohol, illegal drugs or perscription meds. I have refused to ride with reckless and unsafe drivers. If another driver was not around, the supervisor would have to fill in. I have put a truck out of service due to mechanical problems at whatever location and would not risk trying to make it back to the station as some have tried and failed. If your truck fails on a busy highway, you are jeopardizing many others as well as yourself.

A crew and patient are better off with a couple of minutes delay while another truck is diverted to the call than risking it all by taking chances. If you really feel you must reach the patient, you can still get another truck enroute for the transport.

Hurricanes were a mandatory work day until the county pulled us off the streets when the wind gusts became unsafe. If there was a long, high bridge to be crossed it could be closed at winds of 40 mph.

[Richard B the EMT]

If the bridges under the control of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority- Bridges and Tunnels, and/or the bridges under the control of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey were to close when wind gusts went over 40 MPH, it would effect the entire upper East Coast/Atlantic Seaboard. They only post signs reducing the speed limit. If the bridges are double deckers, they'd close the lower levels, due to either a wind tunnel or venturi effect between the lower and upper roadways.

As a matter for discussion, the only 2 times, other than for roadway repair, that I recall any MTA-B&T bridges being closed, was not weather, but the September 11, 2001 Attack on America, at the World Trade Center, and then again because of the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 in my home community of Belle Harbor, NY, on November 12, 2001.

[VentMedic]

If the bridges under the control of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority- Bridges and Tunnels, and/or the bridges under the control of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey were to close when wind gusts went over 40 MPH, it would effect the entire upper East Coast/Atlantic Seaboard. They only post signs reducing the speed limit.

Is this during hurricanes?

When the storm is coming in and the winds start approaching 40 mph, it's time to start getting to shelter and secure your safety. I have worked on land still picking up patients up to 85 mph and swore that was the last time I do that. So far, I have held to that. The Air National Guard also likes to get their planes, each loaded with about 70 patients, out of the area by the time the winds start kicking at 40 mph. Our medical helicopters are also well out of the area by that time. That was a costly little oversight during Andrew.

Florida has the same cautionary signs for slower speeds during wind gusts provided a hurricane is not approaching.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Vent, those references you mentioned are always grounds for refusing a call.

IF the truck is broken or unsafe then no way am I going to respond.

The other references are valid also.

[Richard B the EMT]

When Hurricane Donna hit, I was at home. I also was 6 years old.

When Gloria hit, I was at higher elevation, at the EMS headquarters.

[VentMedic]

Vent, those references you mentioned are always grounds for refusing a call.

IF the truck is broken or unsafe then no way am I going to respond.

The other references are valid also.

Unfortunately if you read the causes of many collisions, impaired drivers (including sleep deprivation) and mechanical failure have been mentioned frequently. Some people may be trying to take care of their own and not wanting to get someone or themselves in trouble by not reporting a saftey issue. They may also fail to report reckless and/or distracted driving. Wanting to fit in can play a big part in letting some behavior slide.

Here's a good news story.

http://www.emsresponder.com/article/articl...n=1&id=7821

Partner Describes Kentucky EMT as 'Loopy' Prior to Crash

The partner of a Louisville Metro EMS worker involved in a deadly wreck this past April described her as "loopy" and said she should not have been driving the ambulance.

Target 32 has learned a Jefferson County grand jury is investigating whether Tammy Brewer should face criminal charges.

"It's been like a nightmare," said Maggie Whobrey, the victim's daughter. "My mom's all I had. It's been rough."

Whobrey's mother, Vickie, was killed in April after the ambulance driven by Brewer crashed while taking her to the hospital.

"I want someone to be held accountable for their actions on my mom passing away," Whobrey said. "She shouldn't have died like that."

Records show that Brewer's partner, Greg Gavin, sent several text messages to another ambulance crew telling them to alert supervisors about Brewer's behavior prior to the crash.

In a statement, Gavin told investigators, "When we're on scene, I realized Tammy should have called in sick..."

Other documents showed that 19 hours before the crash, Gavin noticed Brewer "was not able to drive straight" and that he "made her stop to switch places."

Documents show Brewer told investigators a family friend had given her two headache pills prior to work and that she noted she didn't think they were narcotics because they "didn't give her a buzz like narcotics normally do to her."

Brewer told police she swerved to avoid hitting a child. Last April, witness Tammy Pablo told Target 32 there was never a child and that Brewer was all over the road seconds before the crash.

"It swerved from our lane to the other lane, back to our lane and it wasn't just a little bit of a swerve to the line, they were swerving all the way over to the other lane," Pablo said.

"That hurts right there, knowing it could have been prevented that night," said Whobrey. "I think someone else should have been driving then instead of letting her get back behind the wheel I'm out for justice for my mother. She was someone very special."

Shively police haven't released results of toxicology tests taken on Brewer after the crash.

A Metro government representative told us Brewer is on desk duty and not allowed to drive an ambulance during the investigation.

Brewer declined to comment when we called her at home.

[Timmy]

:shock:

I have refused to take a truck out of the lot if it was giving us problems. I have refused to ride with impaired drivers by either alcohol, illegal drugs or perscription meds.

:shock: WTF!!!! Are you serious? How is that possible?

[Just Plain Ruff]

Unfortunately if you read the causes of many collisions, impaired drivers (including sleep deprivation) and mechanical failure have been mentioned frequently. Some people may be trying to take care of their own and not wanting to get someone or themselves in trouble by not reporting a saftey issue. They may also fail to report reckless and/or distracted driving. Wanting to fit in can play a big part in letting some behavior slide.

Here's a good news story.

http://www.emsresponder.com/article/articl...n=1&id=7821

Partner Describes Kentucky EMT as 'Loopy' Prior to Crash

The partner of a Louisville Metro EMS worker involved in a deadly wreck this past April described her as "loopy" and said she should not have been driving the ambulance.

Target 32 has learned a Jefferson County grand jury is investigating whether Tammy Brewer should face criminal charges.

"It's been like a nightmare," said Maggie Whobrey, the victim's daughter. "My mom's all I had. It's been rough."

Whobrey's mother, Vickie, was killed in April after the ambulance driven by Brewer crashed while taking her to the hospital.

"I want someone to be held accountable for their actions on my mom passing away," Whobrey said. "She shouldn't have died like that."

Records show that Brewer's partner, Greg Gavin, sent several text messages to another ambulance crew telling them to alert supervisors about Brewer's behavior prior to the crash.

In a statement, Gavin told investigators, "When we're on scene, I realized Tammy should have called in sick..."

Other documents showed that 19 hours before the crash, Gavin noticed Brewer "was not able to drive straight" and that he "made her stop to switch places."

Documents show Brewer told investigators a family friend had given her two headache pills prior to work and that she noted she didn't think they were narcotics because they "didn't give her a buzz like narcotics normally do to her."

Brewer told police she swerved to avoid hitting a child. Last April, witness Tammy Pablo told Target 32 there was never a child and that Brewer was all over the road seconds before the crash.

"It swerved from our lane to the other lane, back to our lane and it wasn't just a little bit of a swerve to the line, they were swerving all the way over to the other lane," Pablo said.

"That hurts right there, knowing it could have been prevented that night," said Whobrey. "I think someone else should have been driving then instead of letting her get back behind the wheel… I'm out for justice for my mother. She was someone very special."

Shively police haven't released results of toxicology tests taken on Brewer after the crash.

A Metro government representative told us Brewer is on desk duty and not allowed to drive an ambulance during the investigation.

Brewer declined to comment when we called her at home.

Mr. Gavin is almost as culpable as Brewer was. He made her stop driving yet he had no problem letting her drive them to the hospital. What is his excuse for letting her drive? I saw nothing of the sort.

He should have notified dispatch the moment he made the switch from her driving to him driving.

This cannot be helped now but He is partially responsible for the terrible situation they were involved in.

Sorry, there is no grey in this situation.