Re: A mass casualty incident, looking for a place to happ en

[Guest guest]

Mike- FYI-In Arizona, there is a law against unrestrained individuals riding in

the back of a pick up. The officers that attempted to initiate the stop had

probable cause to stop, detain, investigate and issue a citation.

All - Along the Arizona Border (and I suspect along our border), there have been

numerous incursions of what the ICE refers to as OTMs (Other Than Mexicans)

being detained and turned over to the FBI. Newspapers in the Tucson Sector have

reported at least 50 Middle Eastern OTMs. IF this wasn't the case, why are ICE

agents who speak Farsi being assigned there? In the Organ Pipe Monument area

southwest of Phoenix, backpacks with prayer rugs and copies of the Quran have

been found, amidst the other debris left behind by illegal aliens.

All injured people should be treated the same as we would our mothers or

fathers. However, caution should be used anytime you suspect someone has entered

the country illegally. They may be just interested in working, but they may be

here for more nefarious reasons. Also, TB is endemic to many areas of the world

where these individuals come from, so protect yourselves accordingly with

symptomatic persons.

[Guest guest]

- lnmolino@... wrote:

It will be difficult with limited resources and yes people will die.

As they told me in September 1981 on a Tuesday night at the Auditorium of

Gloucester County College in New Jersey and I quote....

RULE # 1 in EMS is PEOPLE DIE ....

and .....

RULE # 2 was EMS can not always change RULE # 1

RULE # 3 was every now and then we can bend those rules but we can't ever break

them.

Lou -

Fortunately, only one person died that wasn't DOS. The biggest problem was a 2

or 3 ambulance department in a semi rural area had 20 patients in one fell

swoop. They initiated their disaster plan, the hospital initiated their disaster

plan, and mutual aid units came a'running. The closest was the Ft. Huachuca Fire

Department (the accident occurred just outside the gate) but in that area, 20-30

response times for mutual aid transport and back-in unts are common.

As a corollary to Rule #3 - EMS doesn't save lives; it occasionally alters the

time line.

[Guest guest]

The intent of posting this (and I know what sometimes happens with good

intentions) was to mention a trend and stimulate some thinking toward " How are

we prepared for this type of event? "

How good is our ability to speak spanish, at least to find out a name,

allergies, where does it hurt, etc.?

Have I reviewed the mutual aid agreements lately? (you mean XYZ ambulance is on

the mutual aid list? They went out of business last year!)

What do you know about your local hospital's disaster plan?

Have you drilled on an MCI, or have you at least done a table top exercise?

The saying used to be " A minivan is an MCI looking for a place to happen " . THis

is not any different.