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Do You Drive by a Wreck and Don't Stop? Is That Right to Do?
I get kinda mad when i see a wreck but then i see firemen or vechiles with bluelights drive right pass so i want to get some feedback on this topic. Please send me your belief on this topics.
Jeremy Cheesman
Jeremy Cheesman
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Robert Owens on
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I base wether or not I stop on if I have stuff to do anything with. On the way home from my FD job I typically have EMS glves in my pocket and a squirrel kit so I would stop.
But if I did not have a minimum of EMS gloves then I wouldtn stop.....what am I honestly gonna go???? I dont have a radio to tell anyone whats going on, I dont have any equipment to help anyone, I dont have proper PPE to treat a trauma pt, etc....all I would be doing is getting in the way. The last thing I want when I pull up on a wreck at work is to see some EMS captain from BFE Utah trying to tell me whats going on, and what I need to do....I dont like that guy so I dont wanna be that guy.
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Also here in VA duty to act only applies when you are on duty....so I have no duty to act when I am not on shift....same for the vollies they have no duty to act unless they are at the fire station....out in your POV you have no duty to act, you may have a moral obligation to act but thats between you and your morals. Wether you are certified or not has nothing to do with it becuase EMS certification is nothing with out a practicing agency and a doctor to be held responsible....again here in VA you can be a non affiliated certified EMT which means you can not practice....in order to practice you must be affiliated and have an OMD.
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Permalink Reply by Cassie on
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1. If no one is there: CALL 911! The paramedics/firefighters need to be sent right away.
2. IS IT SAFE? How many first responders who are called to the scene are injured or killed when assisting at MVAs? Too many, and those are people with lights, sirens, engines, and gear. Someone, maybe a police officer, in MT died last year, I think, when another truck driving too fast on icy roads crashed into him as he was assisting at an accident that had already happened.
On another call I went on, after treating and sending all patients in the ambulances, we turned over the scene to the police and left... about 30 minutes later we were called back because a drunk guy had driven straight into a police call that still had it's lights going and everything. Luckily the cop was not in the car at the time.
Another incident I heard about: A guy was trying to commit suicide via car and crashed his car. A police officer was called and drove to the scene, but didn't get out of his car as something didn't feel right to him. Minutes later the guy got out of his car ran into the woods and shot himself. The officer could very well have been shot if he had approached the car and tried to interfere.
You're no good to anyone and will just make the scene more tragic if you get hurt or killed.
3. If I deem it safe to approach, then I definitely will. And I will help in whatever way I can... first aid, triage, calming patients, whatever.
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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
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I just came across a wreck on my way home from work. 2 vehicles 3 injuries. I was first on scene. It was in my neighboring county.
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Permalink Reply by Ben "Batman" Barry on
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Well Ct laws say we dont have to stop. one day in 2006 before i was in ems and fd my mother and i stoped at an accident and her car was smashed by an idiot driver. she does not want to stop any more but i tell her that if i tell her to stop and she dosent that it is possibly obstruction of ems but i am not sure.
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Permalink Reply by Chad Furr on
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I am not sure the laws here in kansas, however we are a rural area and we still belive in helping ppl if you can. SO my answer would be I STOP. Offer my help if not needed then procede on my way. I would hope someone would do the same if it was myself or my family in need. Just remember what would you want ppl to do if it was your wife, kids, or loved ones. If you remember that you will ALWAYS do the right thing in my book. TCSS
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Obstruction of EMS???? Really??? There is no such thing to my knowledge. If you have a duty to act (which if your in your car you do not) and choose not to you are negligent. Also you can have patient abandonment if you start care and leave with out proper turn over procedures....other than that though I dont believe there are any other such laws governing EMS response.
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Permalink Reply by Trainer on
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This is actually a no-brainer; if it’s fresh and no one around you stop, do what you can, I would also try to tell arriving personnel who you are, stick around leave a card, we have had these before and it’s nice to be able to send a thank you. Now if EMS/fire is on scene and you stop, you’re freelancing or in the way…just drive by.
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Permalink Reply by james w. hunter on
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The thing to do is stop every time. Returning from any ambulance call in the ambulance, we always stop at cars parked on the side of the road, even if it's clear there isn't an accident. Most times it is someone talking on a cell phone or a mother changing a diaper, but you never know, it could be a heart attack or low blood sugar, or stroke. Stop and check.
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Permalink Reply by Chief Dino on
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I've stopped before, identified myself and let the IC or LEO make the call. Once told thanks for the help and could I help with scene safety, the other time was thanked for the offer and sent on my way. We have a good relationship with our neighboring departments and offer to help even when not asked. Kinda why we do the job isn't it, to help people?
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Permalink Reply by Erick Wendler on
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If I pull up on a wreck and there is no one around I will stop and check the patients for PI's and relay info to communications via radio or cell phone and initiate care if need since I am a firefighter/EMT until a apparatus arrives or diredt traffic if no PI's. If a department is already there I will not stop due to the fact it just adds more vehicles to a already congested scene and more bodies in the way.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Anderson on
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We have a problem with paid firefighters from surrounding departments stopping on scenes. They want to do what they do on their department and get mad if we don't let them. We try to explain our SOP to them, but they still don't listen. Several times they have made calls to someone they know who knows our cheif, and you know where that goes. He usually takes into consideration the source and lets it go away unless we are screwing up. We may be volunteers, but we are good at what we do. Amy help is appreciated, but not when it turns into a we do it this way, and not here you don't situation.
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