Me and the wife were in the bedroom, reading, when we heard the unmistakeable "boom" of a TA. I immediately told her to call 911 and request LE and EMS. I grabbed a weapon and headed out the door (you never know..).
We had a truck overturned in our front yard. One patient (driver) was attempting to get out of the back window. I assisted him and attempted to lay him down and begin first aid etc. During this extrication I noticed the passenger, buckled and upside down, gurgling as he attempted to breathe with his head on the ceiling of the vehicle, his neck bent straight and level with the ceiling.
The driver seemed to gain new energy and in SPANISH, said that he had to go. His son was down the road alone, and he had no PAPERS, so he had to go! The one vehicle that had stopped at this point told him in SPANISH that they would take him down the road... I was caught in the middle.. what to do? I had already attempted to physically restrain the guy, but thought that doing too much would cause me to possibly hurt him further!
I turned loose of him and went to patient 2. I took the vitals and palpated as best as I could. He was struggling to breathe and we are out in the county, with an inept vol. fire dept. who may or may not respond. I went for life over limb and released the seatbelt and eased him down as best as I could. I moved him just enough, as I held c-spine to straighten him out and I palpated further. His pulse was good. His color and temp. were good. No battles signs. Beer was all around. Patient reeked of it. His eyes were rolled back, but I detected nothing life threatening. I had him on his side and stayed with him, c-spine and all for the next 45 MINUTES or more until EMS arrived. Sheriffs had already arrived, but were of no help with the patient. More on them later. Maybe.
After EMS was ab;le to assist me and backboard him, I saw when we turned him that his right wrist was compounded but with little blood loss. Otherwise, no other injuries I had not previously detected. EMS hooked him up and everything seemed OK, just another drunk in a wreck. The chopper was going to fly him out, but when they got him to the LZ, he became combative. Another good sign for an inebriated ta victim..? EMS did ground transport and etc. etc.
I learned a few days later, my patient had died. Skull fractures etc.... damn.
And I thought all this was behind me now! (retired ff...)
dog
No smear on the cops. But the thing is, I went into the role of IC and everybody from my wife, neighbors, cops and eventually fd, looked to me for just about everything. Except for the State Troopers. And they were most cordial and professional. Local county guys too, just needed a bit of direction. The local cops from the town 5 miles away? GOT in the WAY! So did their fd, of wich I was once chief.... years ago.
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