tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7548059047094620179.post300453884650724746..comments2023-10-06T06:43:47.837-07:00Comments on FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC STORIES: Legality vs MoralityFirefighter/Paramedichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05720554913422127189noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7548059047094620179.post-63568963472529820402010-04-29T19:42:15.726-07:002010-04-29T19:42:15.726-07:00County copter! Sure...we'd go help Pittsburgh ...County copter! Sure...we'd go help Pittsburgh out :)brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01496451928209950915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7548059047094620179.post-9080335200189600352010-04-06T17:17:10.468-07:002010-04-06T17:17:10.468-07:00Right on FF and Katie, I totally hear you on this....Right on FF and Katie, I totally hear you on this. I was just dumbfounded that this guy died without any care whatsoever. I'm right there with FF/Paramedic on the whole abdominal pain...seriously, I couldn't imagine suffering for 30hrs just waiting for someone, anyone to come help me. I guess the way I see it is if you're in this profession...you're in it to help people, to make a difference in a person's life. They call in their moment of need and you come ready willing and able. These guys out in Pittsburgh dropped the ball, big time.<br /><br />Like Katie said, why couldn't two medics get to this guy and start assessing and treating him while it was figured out how to get him out of there? I'm sure someone know's someone who has a snowmobile and a sled can be made out of a number of things to get this guy the 2-4 blocks to the ambulance. That's what really frustrates me, 2 to 4 blocks!???? Are you kidding me?Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09271687423994095152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7548059047094620179.post-50932302140456133372010-04-06T13:17:57.763-07:002010-04-06T13:17:57.763-07:00"...there were numerous call backs from dispa..."...there were numerous call backs from dispatch and medical control during which Mr. Mitchell decided he wasn't that ill and could wait."<br /><br />What I don't get is why no one tried to simply make patient contact, to assess the guy. Even if there was absolutely no way to get him to a hospital, at least he could have a medical professional check him out and help him, instead of having to self-diagnose with the aid of a dispatcher.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08030177148461125842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7548059047094620179.post-35654559394575840102010-04-05T20:37:31.207-07:002010-04-05T20:37:31.207-07:00I understand that helicopters are not going to fly...I understand that helicopters are not going to fly in a blizzard. I still don't get giving up. <br /><br />In a similar situation, two of us hiked in over a mile with minimal gear....not 4 blocks. We then fashioned a sled out of a sheet of plywood and some rope, wrapped the patient up in their own blankets, and drug them out. We made it work. Was it easy. No. Improvise. <br /><br />There are obviously issues with the way management has things set up but, to me, that does not absolve the paramedic of the moral responsibility to get to the patient. For all the medics new the patient had a snowmobile in the garage! Hike in and assess the situation. <br /><br />I said I don't have all the facts but I know I would have made it to the patient.Firefighter/Paramedichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16036844976936171167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7548059047094620179.post-46090293464948070482010-04-05T20:00:47.246-07:002010-04-05T20:00:47.246-07:00I'd say not only do you not have all of the fa...I'd say not only do you not have all of the facts, but you don't have ANY of the facts. <br /><br />Snow plows? Ixnay, the same public safety director who wanted to fire the medics made a command decision that special requests for snow plows were not to be responded to. <br /><br />Helicopter? During a record setting blizzard? Right. <br /><br />40 or so people to help? From where, given the afore mentioned blizzard? <br /><br />Just walk to the house? Then what? How do you get the patient back 1/4 of a mile through 22 inches of snow, downed power lines, while carrying all your equipment? <br /><br />Call the FD? Maybe, if they'd come out for something like this. Then what? You'd have three or four men to help, but the snow still remains, the power lines still remain, the problem is essentially unchanged. <br /><br />Not to mention that there were numerous call backs from dispatch and medical control during which Mr. Mitchell decided he wasn't that ill and could wait. <br /><br />Apparently in addition to being overwhelmed, the people responsible for planning for events like this <i>before</i> they happen didn't have a plan for severe weather events during winter. In Pittsburgh, which isn't exactly the tropics. <br /><br />What's unbelievable is the rush to judgment so many so called EMS professionals have made since this happened. <br /><br />That's what I find really SAD.TOTWTYTRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17221321904364051792noreply@blogger.com