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Extrication on a priority 3 patient.
Last night we responded to a 2 vehicle t-bone accident with 1 patient trapped. I was first on scene with my pov and decided that we'd have to pop the driver side door off to get this patient out. I had the spreaders in my hand when I noticed the patien was not covered up with a blanket. I asked one of our FF to go and get one. My captain tells me we dont need one (the glass is already broken) I told him that we're not popping this door tell she's covered up. I know sometimes you dont have time to spare and you need to get the person out NOW. She had no life threating injuries and I wanted to make sure that she was covered. I've always been tought to cover the patient up. Was I in the wrong for telling my captain no in this case? He was not bad with me at all, he just thought I was wasting time. What would you have done?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kimberly A Bownas on
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Even with life threats the patient should be covered before extrication is started so that you don't make the lie threats any worse.
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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on
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Plain and simply laid out, first priority is our safety. We should have full PPE, including helmet (minus SCBA) and extrication gloves or fire gloves on. We are protected.
Second priority is patient safety. For something as simple as covering the patient with a blanket, there should be little hesitation in making it happen.
Glad you made the right choice. Is this officer one of the breed that attends little to no training because they are "above that?" Usually officers who don't train with the rest of the firefighters on the department will make decisions based on their thoughts instead of on how the rest of the department trains.
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Permalink Reply by T.J. on
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He makes a lot of our drills and is very much active in the department, it suprised me that he said. I think he just had a brain fart.
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Permalink Reply by Rob on
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Even though the glass was broken out of the door you were going to pop off, you are still torking the rest of the car out of shape and could pop another window in the process (if not already all broken out)
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Permalink Reply by ffemt19 on
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Always cover up, even if u have no time. How mutch time can u lose when u don't cover your patient up.
Safety before evetything.
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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
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I would do the same. If there are no live threating injuries take the extra second and cover them up. If any thing its comforting for the patient. Chances are they don't know how the extracation process works and if you cover them they can't see whats going on and they arent startled by whats going on around them.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Thompson on
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From what I gathered,you were correct in action not to proceed. We fight like we train,and Train like we fight. Even at MVA's. Be safe out there.
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Permalink Reply by Robert Owens on
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I think we as the fire service look at extrication all wrong....
In my opinion when we have a pt that has no life threating injuries it is our duty to make sure that we do not injure that person further. So for the Green pt I always cover them and I never pop judt the door I remove the entire side. This allows for easier removal of the patient and will allow us to get alot of hands on them to ensure that no additional injury takes place. Also the minute you bend metal with the spredders the vehicle is totaled in the eyes of the insurance companyso why not make things easier for you and better for your patient.
When we have a red pt then I am gonna do the minimum it takes to get them out chances are they have some injury that is going to kill them so if a door pop gives me enough room then I am gonna do that and get them outta there.
I think alot of people see it the other way around they do alot for that red pt and very little for the green pt. Just my opinion.
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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TJ, yes you did the right thing. As Chief of our Dept I have had my firefighters or my officers say something contrary to what I have said. As been stated, we are not always thinking of everything. It IS important to have more then one set of eyes and brains on an issue. Safety of the patient is high priority especially when time allows such as this. If a suggestion is given and its done in a appropriate way your going to be right on the mark with it. You may however have to explain it to your Captain on the next one if he dosnt agree. Good Job TJ. It takes fortitude to know when to speak up and say what needs to be said.
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Permalink Reply by Fire Chick on
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same thing...
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Permalink Reply by Alex on
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Can i ask a question about HALF BACK...?
sorry i'm living in italy and we never start to use a HALF BACK ESTRICATION device FERNO.
Do you have any informations or hand book course? about that?
i'm sorry for my english, and interferenc...
Thank You
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