Re: HAZMAT MCI DRILL CRITIQUE

[Guest guest]

The intent of this message was not to slam or

insult any group, that was the primary reason for not giving location of

the drill or agencies involved. The intent was to get input from

other professionals on how the situation could be handled better in the

future. This was a training exercise, a learning experience, to identify

things that could be improved upon.

If any person or group took offense to this

post, I would like to extend my sincere apology. I understand the

purpose of the evaluation is to be constructive, not critical. I

was looking at the situation with tunnel vision, my only concern was medical,

and I understand there were other factors that I was not and did not look

at. Again being critical was not the intent of my post.

Again, I was using this resource to enhance

future responses, not as a tool to put down, insult or criticize any person

or group. Again if this was how any person or group interpreted my

post, I sincerely apology.

Les

Les wrote:

Last night I participated as an Evaluator in

a HAZMAT MCI Drill involving several Industrial

ERT's(Emergency Response Teams), Municipal and Volunteer Fire Departments,

EMS Services, TX DPS, and several other law enforcement agencies.

I would like to get input from you on recommendations / comments

for my critique. Evaluation of medical care was my primary role with my

focus situation on the east side of the railroad tracks

Scene: Two vehicles

(SUV & car - 3 patients each) vs. Train Tank car containing Sulfuryl

Chloride with a valve leaking. (Second related incident on the west

side of the tracks was Tractor tanker containing a hazardous substance

?? vs. chemical pipeline containing Ethylene which is now leaking.)

Response: The

first unit to arrive at the situation I am evaluating is an Engine Company

from a municipal fire department, they approach from the east (wind is

from the South-Souteast). They all but ignore the vehicles and start

putting water on the tank car. It was six minutes before patient

contact was ever made, after walking by the cars and looking in them several

times. (It gets better!)

After a short discussion with other crew members,

two minor injuries (walking wounded) were walked to a warm zone to await

decon, and assistance was requested from another department to assist with

evacuation of the injured.

The other four patients were moved to a warm

zone to await decon, this included three critical patients. While

the fire fighters were walking around the patients and talking, they took

off their bunker coats at which time I noticed one with a red

patch and two with

blue patch on their uniforms, to me they looked

like TDH EMT-P

& EMT-B patches,

maybe I was wrong. Keep in mind there still has not been any evaluation

/ triage or treatment of the patients, they are just laying on the side

of the road.

One hour and thirty-four minutes into

the incident one minor and one critical patient was taken to a decon area,

two critical patients were left on the side of the road, along with two

minor injuries. The minor injury was sprayed off with a redline from

on engine on the scene and was walked over to a LSB and immobilized and

turned over to EMS one hour and thirty-eight minutes into the incident.

The first critical (who is now unconscious /

unresponsive - driver of the car with obvious head and abdominal injuries)

was place in the decon area, sprayed down, then rolled over (NO C-Spine

Control) face down in the water, then carried to a LSB and moved to EMS

unsecured. This patient was turned over to EMS one hour and fortifier

minutes into the incident. At this point they did put oxygen

on the other two critical patients.

Well by this time you get my point!

Once the patients were turned over to EMS,

they did an excellent job of triage, evaluation, treatment and transport

of the patients. The first EMS unit was enroute to the hospital in less

than ten minutes after receiving the first patient, this included full

spinal immobilization.

Three things I would like from you:

1.) How would you recommend speeding up the

process of getting the patients to EMS.

2.) Would you not wait for a decon area to

be set up for the critical patients, rinse the off real good with the redline,

strip off all clothing which may be contaminated and get them transported

ASAP.

3.) Of course any other comments / input which

would enhance future responses (which may be the real thing!)

Thanks for you reply and input.

Les

Attachment: vcard [not shown]

[Guest guest]

Les wrote:

>

> The intent of this message was not to slam or insult any group, that

> was the primary reason for not giving location of the drill or

> agencies involved. The intent was to get input from other

> professionals on how the situation could be handled better in the

> future. This was a training exercise, a learning experience, to

> identify things that could be improved upon. If any person or group

> took offense to this post, I would like to extend my sincere apology.

> I understand the purpose of the evaluation is to be constructive, not

> critical. I was looking at the situation with tunnel vision, my only

> concern was medical, and I understand there were other factors that I

> was not and did not look at. Again being critical was not the intent

> of my post.

>

> Again, I was using this resource to enhance future responses, not as a

> tool to put down, insult or criticize any person or group. Again if

> this was how any person or group interpreted my post, I sincerely

> apology.

>

> Les

Yes, Les, you certainly should apologize. You have, by your

insensitivity to the inner children of these vulnerable firefighters,

trampled upon their psyches and may very well have to answer to charges

of extreme emotional assault. The firefighters involved in the exercise

are so vulnerable, so fragile, that a person of your status can crush

them with a raised eyebrow. Better you should remind them of the

validity of their feelings, and try to feel their pain. Then you can

begin to help them build the bridges to self confidence that they so

urgently need to restore their self esteem.

OR, you can just blow it off!

Gene

--

E. Gandy, JD, EMT-P

EMS Professions Program Director

Tyler Junior College

Tyler, TX

ggan@...

Check out our website at: http://www.tyler.cc.tx.us/emmt/

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