MVA With A Motorcycle - California

[G1G4]

Oh, an expert. Well, good. So, what are 25-30 people doing on scene?

They came on different pieces of apparatus? Initial dispatch was an engine, a squad, two BLS ambulances and a medic unit. There was an assistant chief from Leonardtown VFD on scene, an assistant chief and deputy chief from Bay District marked up to go POV, the chief of Hollywood VRS marked up to go POV, add in the engine who came with at least four, a squad who came with at least four (though they were returned, so none of those people are in the pictures), two ambulances with at least two (though it looks like Hollywood had three) and a medic unit with at least two additional people and I'd say you wind up with a fair amount of people on scene.

With that said, it looks like the EMT's from Hollywood and the medic(s) are working on the patient, the firefighters probably secured the bike and checked for other hazards (though it's hard to tell from those pictures..)

 

[Larry Gude]

They came on different pieces of apparatus? Initial dispatch was an engine, a squad, two BLS ambulances and a medic unit. There was an assistant chief from Leonardtown VFD on scene, an assistant chief and deputy chief from Bay District marked up to go POV, the chief of Hollywood VRS marked up to go POV, add in the engine who came with at least four, a squad who came with at least four (though they were returned, so none of those people are in the pictures), two ambulances with at least two (though it looks like Hollywood had three) and a medic unit with at least two additional people and I'd say you wind up with a fair amount of people on scene.

With that said, it looks like the EMT's from Hollywood and the medic(s) are working on the patient, the firefighters probably secured the bike and checked for other hazards (though it's hard to tell from those pictures..)

Is it fair to say that that is, clearly, over kill for an MVA, bike down? I mean, what, 30 some odd people, at least an hour each out and back?

 

[G1G4]

Is it fair to say that that is, clearly, over kill for an MVA, bike down? I mean, what, 30 some odd people, at least an hour each out and back?

Overkill or not, it's dispatched as an accident with injuries. The typical assignment (for that area) is the engine from 9, the squad from 7, and the ambulances from 38 & 79. If it involves a motorcycle or pedestrian (or rollover), add a medic unit. If there's reports of entrapment, add an additional squad (which would either come from 3 or 1). All of the units marked up fairly close together and from there, it's a crap shoot on who arrives first. The first arriving unit does have the authority to return what's not needed.

 

[MMDad]

Is it fair to say that that is, clearly, over kill for an MVA, bike down? I mean, what, 30 some odd people, at least an hour each out and back?

All but the medic and cop are volunteers. What does it hurt? It's not like we're paying them a ton of money.

What are you bytching about?

 

[Dukesdad]

If I hit a car with my bike I'd be real happy there were alot of people coming to take care of me....

 

[GWguy]

Is it fair to say that that is, clearly, over kill for an MVA, bike down? I mean, what, 30 some odd people, at least an hour each out and back?

If I hit a car with my bike I'd be real happy there were alot of people coming to take care of me....

Better too many than too few responders. Hope you never have to lie there in the road and hope they respond, Larry.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Is it fair to say that that is, clearly, over kill for an MVA, bike down? I mean, what, 30 some odd people, at least an hour each out and back?

The more calls they go on, the more funding they get.

 

[desertrat]

Looks like it says "Virago-Harley" on the tank.

Yep, Yamaha Virago.

The more calls they go on, the more funding they get.

Once they get there, get the bike and truck off the road, get the guy checked and in the ambulance and get off the road. I like the good response ,but it does seem like they hang around a bit longer than necessary.

 

[Larry Gude]

So, here we are in America today; a simple question as to perhaps, just maybe, an example of over doing it a touch and I get my ass jumped. "Why, you'd be glad if a shock trauma unit or three showed up at your crash!". "Be thankful its not YOU!"

Ok, ok. That is an appropriate response to a single bike down. Jesus H, people.

 

[bcp]

Overkill or not, it's dispatched as an accident with injuries. The typical assignment (for that area) is the engine from 9, the squad from 7, and the ambulances from 38 & 79. If it involves a motorcycle or pedestrian (or rollover), add a medic unit. If there's reports of entrapment, add an additional squad (which would either come from 3 or 1). All of the units marked up fairly close together and from there, it's a crap shoot on who arrives first. The first arriving unit does have the authority to return what's not needed.

I would think that when the call first comes in, those that would respond are not yet exactly sure of what they are going to find.
Now, if it were me, I would much rather have too many around at that moment than to find out the 2 or 3 that showed up didnt have the qualifications or experience to deal with whatever stupid thing I did to myself.

 

[TPD]

So, here we are in America today; a simple question as to perhaps, just maybe, an example of over doing it a touch and I get my ass jumped. "Why, you'd be glad if a shock trauma unit or three showed up at your crash!". "Be thankful its not YOU!"

Ok, ok. That is an appropriate response to a single bike down. Jesus H, people.

Larry, haven't you learned rule #1 on these forums? Do not question the modus operandi of this county's emergency service and it's personnel! They know what they are doing from the moment they are born, and since it is a volunteer organization, they ARE professionals and they DO take the place of Jesus. If you speak bad of them, you WILL be accused of profiling and you could possibly be banned from ever speaking freely on these forums again.

 

[desertrat]

Larry, haven't you learned rule #1 on these forums? Do not question the modus operandi of this county's emergency service and it's personnel! They know what they are doing from the moment they are born, and since it is a volunteer organization, they ARE professionals and they DO take the place of Jesus. If you speak bad of them, you WILL be accused of profiling and you could possibly be banned from ever speaking freely on these forums again.

Holy ####, quit #####ing...
Being all Volunteer, just be thankful they were able to get that many folks on scene. Like someone else said, if I was seriously hurt I would like as many people as possible helping as well. They didn't take hours finding someone available because no one wanted to go.

And here it is, as predicted.

 

[twinoaks207]

I would think that when the call first comes in, those that would respond are not yet exactly sure of what they are going to find.
Now, if it were me, I would much rather have too many around at that moment than to find out the 2 or 3 that showed up didnt have the qualifications or experience to deal with whatever stupid thing I did to myself.

 

[glhs837]

About that....now, it's possible, I suppose, that the call hit everybody the same time, and response times worked out so that nobody got there first, so everybody got there at about the same time. But it's also possible, isnt it, that the first folks there could have said....."we got one person down, no fire, no massive calamity, we need one ambulance, one ALS unit, and a fire truck just in case the bike goes high order on us. "

Now, maybe it makes a difference accounting wise if you do a full response, as opposed to cancelling halfway there, and if it does, I get that these organizations scramble to keep the funding coming in, for what is of course a very good cause. But if it doesn't, and it's a just a way to break up the day, by going on scene, that's not the right way to go. And it doesnt do the cause of fundraising any good when folks see a whole lot of folks standing around, I dont think.

 

[frequentflier]

I heard a call go out on Calvert this morning for seizures at a church. Response was "no medic available"; shortly after was "full arrest". No medic available.
Pretty freakin scarey if you ask me.

 

[twinoaks207]

I heard a call go out on Calvert this morning for seizures at a church. Response was "no medic available"; shortly after was "full arrest". No medic available.
Pretty freakin scarey if you ask me.

Exactly! Calvert may be getting to the point, population-wise, anyway, that we need to consider the possibility of having paid staff to supplement the volunteers.

 

[itsbob]

I heard a call go out on Calvert this morning for seizures at a church. Response was "no medic available"; shortly after was "full arrest". No medic available.
Pretty freakin scarey if you ask me.

Paid or volunteer wouldn't have made a difference... Only so many you can staff, and until they can say no to the "hitchhikers" we'll never be able to staff up.

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

In front of me there was a vehicle making a left hand turn. Uncharacteristic of So. MD drivers, all behind him had stopped instead of passing on the right (against the law). That is probably what caught the motorcyclist off guard.

Prob'ly.....

 

[MMDad]

So, here we are in America today; a simple question as to perhaps, just maybe, an example of over doing it a touch and I get my ass jumped. "Why, you'd be glad if a shock trauma unit or three showed up at your crash!". "Be thankful its not YOU!"

Ok, ok. That is an appropriate response to a single bike down. Jesus H, people.

Gawd, you're being quite the drama queen. You make an ignorant statement, then try to make it all about the state of the nation.

I see about 15 responders in that scene. Makes sense to me. I don't know where you get 30.

When the call is dispatched, they have no idea exactly what they're facing. There was a recent incident with a car on top of a bicyclist. If they had responded with just the 3 or 4 people that a bike crash would trigger, they would have been waiting another 10 minutes after arriving for the equipment and manpower to get the car off of the person. That can mean life and death.

Sometimes the response seems like overkill, but it's better to respond with too much equipment than not enough. It takes time for volunteers to get away from work, get to the station, then get through traffic to the scene. Better to start them early than to wait until it's too late.

Also realize that the FD vehicles are being used to block traffic in order to make the scene safe. They can't just leave the vehicle there while the responders walk back to the station.

 

[NTNG]

All but the medic and cop are volunteers. What does it hurt? It's not like we're paying them a ton of money.

What are you bytching about?

FYI, the medics that were staffing the ALS unit on this call are volunteers. We have some paid Medic staff, to help fill shifts. The St. Mary's ALS unit is primarily volunteer medics.