DO you, or dont you.....

During our vehicle extrication classes, we were always told not to move a vehicle. EX: A car runs under a flatbed and is stuck there. 2 patients trapped in front and are alive. 1 is very critical, and 1 serious. Do you lift flatbed off, and pull car out for easier access ??? Or extricate where it sits ??? Now....at my EMR refresher, the teacher says as long as you can justify moving vehicle, it is all right to move to gain access. What is all your thoughts on this ???

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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on September 27, 2008 at 2:15pm

I would say extricate in place by tunneling through the rear just like they did in the photo. I wouldn't move the vehicle unless I had to get the PT's out like right now.

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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on October 6, 2008 at 2:21pm

in the scenerio you have, I would be more inclined to use air bags and cribbing to safely gain access to the patients with the minimum amount of additional risk of injury to the patient. Airbags could deploy and complicate the injury at hand, fuel could get a spark and start a fire, and a variety of other injuries could occur. Once the truck has been lifted off/cribbed you should have enough access to remove the patients. Once the vehicles are clear of patients, the cribbing and air bags can be removed. Once all of this has been achieved, it is up to the tow company to determine the "how" in removing the vehicles from the scene and taking them apart. Minimizing risk to us and our patients is our primary concern.