Bee Swarm Complicates an Already Difficult Emergency Response

[BlissEMT]

This one was a little too close to home... Personally having an allergy to insect stings, I'm not sure what would have happened if I had been responding to this incident...

Two semis and two passenger cars were involved in the crash about 11:30 a.m. Monday....

Sounds like a worse-than-normal, but still managable trauma call... Until you hear this part:

... including the semi full of bees.

An estimated 700 hives per truck, with around 30,000 bees per hive, there were approximately 17 Million bees on one of the trucks that was involved in the crash. Darren Straus, part owner of the company, Bauer Honey, said they lost about 150 colonies in the accident, which will cost about $45,000... But, Straus is more concerned with the victims of the crash.

Well, what about being concerned with the EMS crews and Fire crews that were called for the scene? One of the first on scene was stung by bees

"It was a black haze. Never seen anything like that," said Lakeville Fire Chief Scott Nelson. "I opened my door and got stung in the face."

A second semi carrying bees for the same company, not involved in the accident, pulled over at the scene to assist... Lt. Eric Roeske (MN State Patrol) said the drivers transporting the bees had some extra suits that the paramedics were able to put on. Otherwise, with thousands of bees swarming, pouring out of the back of a semi, which is carrying millions of bees, EMS tries to reach the crash victims...

The bees stung several first responders. An ambulance was standing by in case anyone had an allergic reaction.

Firefighters tried to keep the bees calm and at bay, by spraying the trucks with water... Knowing personally something about bees, the heat can make them harder to handle -- and Minnesota set records for high temperature yesterday. Plus, if something happens to the queen, they are known to swarm... so if a queen died, or flew out of the colony, every bee will follow, stinging anything and everyone that gets between them and their queen.

So, they see us as a threat, and our duty is to get to the victims... One victim was dead on the scene, and another required helicopter transport, but later died.

As the Responder, what do you do??

News Articles: http://wcco.com/local/fatal.bees.loose.2.1711940.html http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=851626

[Richard B the EMT]

It's a toss-up, between requesting assistance from animal control, or HazMat.

I understand some bees, when they sting, leave their stingers in the victim, but in doing so, tear the stingers off, and they bleed to death. Anybody with bee knowledge know if the bees in this incident were of that type? I'm buzzing with anticipation for an answer.

[mobey]

Simple:

OK.... seriously: I think I would call fire to start a fog nozzle so I could rapidly extricate and get them outta there. Perhaps if they added some foam or surfactant to the water it would disable the bees from flying allowing us to access the patients.

Our rescourses are small here. I would prefer to wear some screen hats, but I have no access to equipment like that.

With quite a few honey farms out here,our community would really feel the sting of this accident for quite some time.

Edited May 25, 2010 by mobey

[BlissEMT]

I understand some bees, when they sting, leave their stingers in the victim, but in doing so, tear the stingers off, and they bleed to death. Anybody with bee knowledge know if the bees in this incident were of that type? I'm buzzing with anticipation for an answer.

I guess I should repost the subtitle to "Insert bee pun here..." LOL

My understanding, from the bee expert that is my boyfriend, is that honeybees are the type of bees that, well, make honey... And also, they only have a one-sting stinger, the stinger stays in their victim, and the bees die shortly after...

So, like a love story out of the history book, the honeybee's final act is that of protection to their Queen... How sweet. Except, you know, when that act throws a person into anaphylactic shock. Or disturbs EMS from saving lives... Then it's kind of a pain in the rear.

[Eydawn]

I would be calling dispatch to have them get in touch with every available beekeeper in the area. I might try the fog, but I would also consider using smokers... those calm the bees down. Not sure how much impact it would have with a swarm that large. I think scoop and run is the best option- anyone allergic to bees stays off the scene, and people not allergic get into suits, extricate victims and remove them from the bee contaminated area. Then the beekeepers can deal with the bees themselves.

What a mess! That would be a really tough call. Too bad there were so many hives lost.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Richard B the EMT]

While I don't know either the name of the company or individual, when beehives get TV attention, NYPD ESU (Emergency Services Unit) has somebody on speed dial.

As for smoke, isn't it some specific type smoke, that doesn't harm the bees?

OK, rescuers stage from a distance away, don their PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), as in turnout coat, pants, boots, gloves, and Air Purification Respirators (gas masks) without the filtering cartridge, or SCBA, and then while so clothed, effect the rescue like the "hot" zone of a chemical spill. As stated, if the bees feel the queen bee is not threatened, once past the distance, the "warm" zone can be set up, and also the "cold" and treatment areas.

Just remember, this is my theory, my only real experience with bees is yellow jacks. They got me 50 stings at one time, so what a way to start the vacation of a 5 year old at camp!

Also, considering the problems with bees dying off (I forget the name of the syndrome), this is a loss, even for this city dweller.

[BlissEMT]

As for smoke, isn't it some specific type smoke, that doesn't harm the bees?

Any smoke will usually do the trick, as long as it's smoldering something. There are even chemical smokers, which I would think could harm the bees, or even the handler. Smoke just blocks the bees' alarm pheromones produced by guard bees or injured bees, like the "fight or flight" response for humans.

Also, considering the problems with bees dying off (I forget the name of the syndrome), this is a loss, even for this city dweller.

Colony collapse disorder, or honey bee depopulation syndrome is what I think you're referring to... definite bummer. "If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years of life left." is the quote attributed to Albert Einstein, but hasn't been confirmed, that people often bring up when referring to the current phenomenon.

[Chief1C]

Call the nearest airport, when it comes to human life, bye-bye bee's. Large carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, or foam, will do the job. I got stung last week, by a mud wasp, actually became infected after I scratched it in my sleep. It gave me hives, made my throat itchy, dizzy, tachy.. I went to my PCP, to get a new rx for Epi-Pens, I always carried four of them. He wouldn't get me a script for ONE. He said if you have an emergency call 911, or go to the ER, people shouldn't treat stuff at home. Well, that's all fine and dandy, but suppose I die waiting to get to help. He said, well, drive fast. Literally, I shit you nawt. So, I'm waiting to switch doctors, I actually had to pay $90 for that ass bag to tell me that. What I should do is get stung, then sue him for something. That's what everyone else would do.

Actually, if you don't want to harm the bees, despite human life being in danger.. You should have a bee keeper outfit on an engine, or a roll of duct tape and a couple old sets of turn out gear.

[Richard B the EMT]

You should have a bee keeper outfit on an engine

I don't recall the source of my information, therefore the possibility of inaccuracy exists, but here goes: Due to the aggressive nature of "Africanized" or "Killer" bees, a standard Beekeeper outfit may not offer enough protection. They will also claim territory, sometimes as much as 3 or more times what normal bees would protect when they feel threatened. They will attack on the vibration of a car door slamming closed, if in their "territory".

[BlissEMT]

. I got stung last week, by a mud wasp, actually became infected after I scratched it in my sleep. It gave me hives, made my throat itchy, dizzy, tachy.. I went to my PCP, to get a new rx for Epi-Pens, I always carried four of them. He wouldn't get me a script for ONE. He said if you have an emergency call 911, or go to the ER, people shouldn't treat stuff at home. Well, that's all fine and dandy, but suppose I die waiting to get to help. He said, well, drive fast. Literally, I shit you nawt. So, I'm waiting to switch doctors, I actually had to pay $90 for that ass bag to tell me that. What I should do is get stung, then sue him for something.

Did the infection cause your s&s or the original sting?

Some doctors are just ridiculous... good call on switching. Even if you did get stung and could sue him, without the Epi-Pen, you might not get the chance. Not sure where you are, but here, response times are not short enough to where i'd risk it. See about the Twin-Ject. Has 2 doses in it. Really slick, if insurance will cover them. Then, you'd only have to carry 2

Check it out: http://www.twinject.com/