December Ambulance Crash Log

[crotchitymedic1986]

some of us like to prevent death.

[reaper]

How are statistics preventing it?

[crotchitymedic1986]

Well i doubt that we can stop all crashes nation-wide from this one forum, but generally when you want to solve a problem, you must first study it, gather statistics/data, analyze the data, then draw some conclusions.

I didnt know that many people had been killed in ambulance crashes in one month. And no, I doubt the numbers are any better when it comes to firetrucks or police cars, but that does not reduce the significance of the situation. That is alot of "needless" death and injury, some of which was probably preventable.

[reaper]

I understand that you must study and gather facts, then make changes to help prevent things from happening.

This is not a suddenly new subject. It has been hashed out for years. Most EMS services work hard on driver safety and ways to prevent them.

Probably all of them could have been prevented, but you will never be able to do that.

I don't think those statistics are that bad, considering how many calls are ran in a month, all over the country.

Your poll brings nothing to the table. Everyone in EMS knows that crashes happen. Maybe coming up with a new way to prevent them, would have been a more productive poll?

[Chief1C]

Does being hit by a deer, requiring minor extrication, count?

[crotchitymedic1986]

deer definitely count, they usually do more damage than hitting a car.

[CBEMT]

My driver took the mirror off a $70,000 car once. If the dumbass had moved to the right three inches like the lights and sirens suggested, we would've missed.

[Chief1C]

We've hit two deer, had one run into us, hit a duck, and slid sideways into a culvert... in 2008.

[crotchitymedic1986]

OK, there were 3 more accidents yesterday, so I have updated the December numbers, and have now added the November 2008 numbers. A few things that I have noted as I read the reports:

1. The death count is probably much higher, as often times the persons or patient in the vehicle are noted as being flown to the hospital in critical condition, but then there is no follow up story as to the patient's outcome. I think it is reasonable to assume that some of these "injuries" turned into "deaths".

2. Most of accidents seem to occur at intersections, where the ambulance is using L/S to go through a red-light (I would say about 70%). It was also noted that a slim majority of these accidents resulted in ambulance roll-over (probably 50-55%).

3. The ambulance personnel are rarely seriously injured.

December Numbers Updated:

Ambulance crashes: 26

Ambulance personnel injured: 27

Ambulance pers. deaths: 0

Patient Injuries: 7

Patient Deaths: 1

Other vehicle injured: 11

Other vehicle deaths: 5

NOVEMBER STATISTICS:

Ambulance crashes: 21

Ambulance personnel injured: 21

Ambulance pers. deaths: 0

Patient Injuries: 5

Patient Deaths: 0

Other vehicle injured: 25

Other vehicle deaths: 1

If you extrapolate those numbers out for just those who were injured, to an annual statistic, you would come up with 576 people injured on an annual basis, which on it's face seems low. But if I told you that a piece of equipment that was common to ambulances was going to have a malfunction this year that would result in close to 600 injuries, wouldnt you do something about that piece of equipment ?

These accidents are still the number one killer of our personnel, what does your service do to reduce accidents ?

[Arctickat]

I think the real poll should ask.

Can Crotch go a week without posting a poll.

Yes

No

Clearly your Christmas present to us was worthless.

My Christmas Present to you:

No more crotchity posts in 2008 --- Hooray --- Enjoy the break.

I meant no new TOPIC posts -- I am still here. And this is real life -- not scenario world.