Scene safety...

[paramedicmike]

This commentary appeared in the Washington Post today.  The author is arguing that we should forgo the scene safety premise to our job and, in certain situations, enter a hot zone to provide care.

Thoughts?

[ERDoc]

Wow, someone seems to have a serious hero complex.  He lost any credibility at the mention of the golden hour.  The average EMT/paramedic/nurse/doctor should not be entering an active scene.  The only thing you will get is more patients/victims.  There is a place for specially trained medics who go into these scenes but since they are so infrequent, training everyone to do so makes no sense.  Yes, it sucks that people may die, but that happens.  Life isn't fair.  Would I be happy if it was me or my family in there that needed help?  No, but I wouldn't ask someone else to put their life in danger.  It's the straw that we draw.

[Off Label]

...where to begin? Don't know what the ratio of deaths to active shooter events is, but there is no way it is high enough to justify what the author is proposing. If there were demonstrable data that showed somehow that a significant number would be saved relative to the number of events, I'd say don't even do it then. Not so some medics could go on suicide missions. The cops weren't even going in at Orlando.

 Also, if he thinks a ballistic helmet and vest is any kind of protection, I question what if any expertise he actually possesses in terms of this topic.

Hero complex indeed...

I will say that it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect the ratio of LODD to active shooter to rise if that is something that is tracked.

Edited August 29, 2016 by Off Label