I am now a statistic.

[Flasurfbum]

I was involved in an on duty MVC, while treating a pt.

I will not be delving far into this topic.

I am alive, banged, bruised, sore but lucky to be alive.

If you are new, been here a while, or a crusty ol medic, heres a few things to reinforce.

Secure your equipment. If it can get loose and fly, it will.

No RL&S unless they are dying.

Secure yourself!

I would LOVE to see a mandate for all new ambulances to have attendent seat harnesses. I am not fond of playing pinball, when I am the pinball.

Be safe guys. This has been a very sobering experience.

[Eydawn]

Glad to hear you made it out OK. How are your partner and the patient?

I understand reticence to go into details as this may possibly go into litigation depending on circumstances, but I'm curious to know exactly how it happened and how it could have been prevented... that's where we learn the most.

Good luck to you, and I bet you wear a seatbelt more often in the back...

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Lone Star]

Since you made reference to you being the 'pinball', I'm going to presume that you were in the back with the patient.....?

I'm glad that you escaped with only minor bumps and bruises!

Newton's Laws of Motion can be almost as big of a pain as the Law of Gravity.

Sometimes it makes you wonder how things would have been if people like Newton had just kept their mouth shut!

[mobey]

Thank you for the post.

I also find it hard to throw a lapbelt across my pelvis while sitting on the benchseat (Spine injury much??)

That is why you will find me 90% of the time, in the airway seat with a belt on.

Use your tools so you don't have to stare at your patient while sitting sideways.

A mirror over the back doors gives you a visual.

Turn the sound on on the pulse oximetry so you can hear a pulse rate.

set "Low alarms" on the monitor for SpO2 if equipped.

Transport your patient semi-fowlers if tolerated so you can still see thier face from above.

Quote for emphasis

Secure your equipment. If it can get loose and fly, it will

I realize this stuff may be hard to do during a 5min run to the hospital in the city, but if you do your interventions in the home or in the unit at curbside it is alot safer for all.

Don't for get your patient can be injured by a flying EMT as well.

Oh ya.... Don't forget to secure the spineboard to the stretcher with shoulderstraps, we learned this lesson the hard way here in Ab. At highway speeds, during a frontal collision, the patient & board does come out from under the horizontal belts and if your sitting in the airway seat.... well you get the idea!

Just an FYI, anbulances can be ordered with a rececar style seat instead on benchseat with a 4point harness. We have one here.

[WolfmanHarris]

Glad you're doing okay!

Thank you for the post.

I also find it hard to throw a lapbelt across my pelvis while sitting on the benchseat (Spine injury much??)

That is why you will find me 90% of the time, in the airway seat with a belt on.

I'm not to fond of my back being the crumple zone in a side impact either, but if I can I still try to stay buckled. I just can't quite reach anything from the bench, which means that on the calls where I'm actually returning L&S, I'm more likely to be unbelted. Not a fan of that concept at all.

I realize this stuff may be hard to do during a 5min run to the hospital in the city, but if you do your interventions in the home or in the unit at curbside it is alot safer for all.

Don't for get your patient can be injured by a flying EMT as well.

Oh ya.... Don't forget to secure the spineboard to the stretcher with shoulderstraps, we learned this lesson the hard way here in Ab. At highway speeds, during a frontal collision, the patient & board does come out from under the horizontal belts and if your sitting in the airway seat.... well you get the idea!

Quoted for agreement. I secure everything, even when I'm not attending. I've had partners give me looks like I'm a nattering mother hen as I climb around the truck clipping bags in for them while they're doing pt. care. But then again I've also had RN's on stat IFT's protest when I told them to buckle up.

Favorite moment:

Me: "And you'll find your seatbelt just behind you there on the bench."

RN: "Oh thanks I don't need it."

Me: "I'm sorry but if you could buckle up in the truck please."

RN: "I'm been in Ambulances for years, I don't need a seatbelt."

Me: "Perhaps, but in the event of a collision you will be a projectile and I don't trust my dodging ability as much as you do. So buckle up."

(Helps our P&P requires it)

[chbare]

You survived mate, enjoy this thanksgiving with friends and family.

Take care,

chbare.

[Kiwiology]

Glad you are OK mate

I am now a stastic

You mean statistic.

[Medic One]

Sorry to hear about the crash...atleast you are ok.

I agree with securing all eqiupment. Problem is most services don't want to spend the money to add safety for us in the back. I feel there should be more seatbelts mounted everywhere such as the floor just to secure equipment. I always strap the LP12 to the bench with a seatbelt and try and secure all other items best I can. In the van ambulances like we have the shelf units come with crappy plastic clips with a crappy nylon strap screwed to the shelf...we know how long those last because they mostly use pressboard with cheap laminent over it.

I think a rugged solid shelf (preferrably metal) should be used with strong seat belt type clips to secure all items.

As far as harnesses are concerned I would not have any problem climbing in one to be safe.

The KKK specs are so out dated and a standard needs to happen!!

[Richard B the EMT]

The KKK specs are so out dated and a standard needs to happen!!

KKK-A-1822? What letter update are we at? Last I think I remember, we were at KKK-A-1822-G.

[CBEMT]

Oh ya.... Don't forget to secure the spineboard to the stretcher with shoulderstraps, we learned this lesson the hard way here in Ab. At highway speeds, during a frontal collision, the patient & board does come out from under the horizontal belts and if your sitting in the airway seat.... well you get the idea!

EVERY patient should be secured with the shoulder straps. Its why they're there. But you're right, it goes double for backboard patients.