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Should I have done more??
Today i had a lacrosse game in Downey. While driving home on the 10frwy I witnessed a 3 car MVA. So i pulled over, grabbed my brush jacket, helmet, and gloves from my trunk and went to go make sure everyone was ok. Once i got over to them they were all walking around with very minor complants of shock and one women said the seat best gave her a little cut. So, the first thing i did was notify CHP (california highway patrol) and proceded to treat the women with the minor abration. I then checked on all the other "patients." All of them had regular pulses and where just a little shocked. When i asked if anyone want medical attention or go to the hospital, they said "no."
So after getting the car that was still in the middle of the freeway over to the shoulder, I asked again and they all said "no." (CHP had arrived) So i told them that if anything happened to call 9-1-1 immidetily. Then I left.
Should i have done more??
What else could i have done??
Explorer Captian Marc Hurwitz
Los Angeles CITY Fire Department
So after getting the car that was still in the middle of the freeway over to the shoulder, I asked again and they all said "no." (CHP had arrived) So i told them that if anything happened to call 9-1-1 immidetily. Then I left.
Should i have done more??
What else could i have done??
Explorer Captian Marc Hurwitz
Los Angeles CITY Fire Department
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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Marc....The only issue I see is if you have Medical training you shouldn't have left until Medical services arrived....But you are to be commended for stopping in the first place...many people wouldn't have....The problem arises as you have technically initiated care by assessing them and the situation...by leaving without insuring that care at or above your level of training is present could be construed as abandonment....so take care my friend....and again a job well done.....Paul
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Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on
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Marc, Being from LA myself and knowing the freeway system, you put yourself in jeapordy stopping. Especially in a POV and moving a stopped car to the shoulder. You should not have stopped just dialed 911, given a situation report and kept on going. You could have been another casualty the first responders had to deal with. Now a side street or rural country road that's a different story. Don't ID yourself as a FF or EMT unless you are, the good samaritan might not protect you or your parents then (since you are a minor). TCSS
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Permalink Reply by Ben "Batman" Barry on
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well since they said they were fine and in the right state of mind you cant treat. from what i read you did a great job. basicly all you can do is call the cops. also i think like the other people who responded did you or the chp officer have any state medical training? if not i think you have to stay until relieved by someone of equal or higher cert
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Permalink Reply by Marc on
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i did identify my self and we had all pulled over into one of the AIS pull overs. I had my brush coat and helmet with me.
also, i did not move the car, but the driver moved his car out of the middle of the freeway over to the AIS. I made sure that this was sont so there was no more possiblity of additional problems
But thanks for you caringness
Stay safe!
Marc
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I had asked tem if they wanted more medical attension and all of them said no. I did wait on scene tell CHP showed up and they asked them if they needed any medical and they said no. So, no fire Dept resources were needed. Just CHP for the investigation. I took pulses and gave the women with the cut a bandage.
I completely understand were u are coming from and will take your advice into thought next time something like this happence
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Permalink Reply by john wakie jr on
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what you did was textbook . you did not abandon the patients and left them in the custody of a better equipped person(pd) even though we are normally trained higher in first aid/ cpr the officer has the capiibility to request additional resourses if needed and most are trained in first aid cpr have have equippment in thier cars
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Permalink Reply by Alex Carter on
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Sounds textbook to me but whaddu I know!
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in LAco. all first respondered MUST be atleast an EMT. Thats why i felt confident leaving the patients with the CHP.
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As an Explorer the LAFD has trained me in there basic EMS care. The CHP officer, like all Los Angeles Co. First Responders HAS TO BE atleast an EMT and have CPR cert.
This is why i felt confident in what i had done, by leaving them in the car of CHP.
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Ok, i am getting the sence that people are wondering why the CHP arrived but not EMS/Fire. Simple. In California when u call 9-1-1 from your cell phone (no matter where u are) you automaticaly get the CHP dispatch. So when i called from my cell, i gave CHP a "size up" and they dispatched/notified the proper units.
I have since found out that a B.L.S. LAFD rescue had been dispatched non-emergency to the call, but was cancelled by CHP once the officers had arrived on scene.
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Permalink Reply by Dustin J. Millis on
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All sounds good to me.... Once local authorites are on the scene and have it secure, there isnt much more you can do as long as all pt's are ok.
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Permalink Reply by Derek R. on
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Hey Marc.
Sounds like you did the right thing. I was returning home from work a few counties over and witnessed a car drive right off the road and into the woods. Of course I stopped....as did everyone else on the highway. I went to the car where there was a bystander and said I was a mdeical first responder and asked if it was ok for me to take a look at her. Poor lady fell asleep. Not a mark on her. No pains whatsoever. Airbags didn't even go off. ( yes,.. I kept clear anyways). She said she was perfectly fine. So all I did was hold C-spine until the ambulance arrived and I assisted in getting her into the ambulance. I only held C-spine just for the fact that she was unconcious when she went in, and stopped rather quickly. Not much else a person can do, but wonder what else they could have done.
good work marc.
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