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MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
One of the most common calls we answer during the course of any year is the automobile accident. For the past two years they accounted for over 21% of our roughly 240 total calls. Even though we answer a lot of accident calls, we tend to get complacent with them just because we get into a routine for most of them where we respond, arrive, investigate, make the car safe, protect the scene and when we are done return to service. After a while it gets to the point where you hardly need to think about what you are doing.
That would be a mistake! Quite a few first responders are injured and killed at the scene of many accidents for just that reason. Once you are in response mode for any incident, including car accidents, you need to remain at the top of your game and think about everything related to the incident to which you are responding. There is no room for complacency in our business and you have no business responding unless you are ready to do everything necessary to help the victims and keep yourself and everyone else safe.
Incident Management
Incident Management
The first 15 minutes of a motor vehicle accident is one of the most important periods of the accident because things are happening quickly and in many cases the time element becomes very important especially considering the "Golden Hour" for injured victims.
In our world of OSHA requirements and the ease of being sued for anything, we have some Standard Operating Practices (SOP) that pertain to Automobile Accidents with Personal Injuries (AAPI) with which we should all be familiar - SOP 18 and any other SOP's referenced within. Remember, these are guidelines and safe practices for us to use but cannot replace the training that must be done and the knowledge that must be constantly updated.
Vehicle Extrication
Vehicle Extrication
Occasionally, we need to remove a vehicle from a patient. Accident Victim Extrication Training is an important tool that should be refreshed regularly in this day and age because of advances in passive and active safety features on our cars, advances in steel used in the manufacture of cars and with the advent of new "Green" cars including E85 cars, Electric Hybrid cars and Electric only cars. They each have their own set of hazards.
There may be instances, like the accident pictured below, where the urgency of extrication is reduced because it becomes a recovery rather than a rescue. This is a perfect time to use all of your training to remain safe. There is absolutely no reason to shortcut anything and risk injury to yourself or other rescue workers during a tough disentanglement incident. It should be well thought out (you have the time to plan) and all safety issues should be addressed (vehicle stabilization and locating all high pressure air bag cannisters before cutting) in order to have a successful operation.
Below is a photo of a triple fatal accident near Red Hook, NY January, 2012
Video's for Chevy Volt and others
Video's for Chevy Volt and others
Electric Vehicle Safety Training is a good place to start for training involving electric vehicles. A few good videos and programs to review.
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