Three-Step Method for EMS Management of Bus Collisions

Every day in every community, large vehicles travel the road filled with potential patients: some children, some elderly, some with special medical issues—all are potentially your responsibility.1,2 These mass casualties on wheels present a host of problems for EMS responders. If you're the head of your agency, you may wonder how you can prepare your system. If you're a frontline supervisor you may wonder what tools you should have on hand to manage such an incident. If you're a field provider you may wonder what you can do to prepare yourself for response. Bus collision incidents may be inherently complex, but the techniques to manage each part are simple so that they can be used quickly and with confidence.3 Challenges for EMS Even minor bus collisions can present a variety of scene management issues including accident investigation, traffic flow, secondary collisions, rescue and extrication, interagency communication, hazardous materials release, cargo security, media and bystander management and, of course, patient care.4 The key to successful management of a bus collision incident is to break the larger incident into smaller, more manageable chunks. The three primary issues responders face can be quickly categorized as: 1) lots of patients; 2) lots of problems; and 3) lots of partners. Details will vary depending on needs, resources and conditions specific to each incident, but broadly categorizing patients, problems and partners will make it easier...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Major Incidents Rescue & Vehicle Extrication Trauma Mass Casualty Incidents Operations Source Type: news