Chapter 45 Rescue Operations

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 2 Overview  Phases of the Rescue  Motor Vehicle Collisions  Water Rescue  Search and Rescue

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 3 Phases of the Rescue  Establishing command –Singular or unified  Scene size-up –Environmental assessment –Risk assessment –Call for additional resources –Determine number of patients and severity of injury

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 4 Phases of the Rescue  Management –Simple versus technical rescues –Planned redundancy –Accessing the patient  Treatment  Transport Courtesy of David J. Reimer Sr.

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 5 Stop and Review  What are the phases of a rescue operation?  Explain the difference between a simple and technical rescue.  Name common hazards on the scene of a rescue.  Why are confined space rescues dangerous?  What is the approach to a locked entry call?

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 6 Motor Vehicle Collisions  There are many scenarios for rescue from a motor vehicle  The EMT should be knowledgeable about the most common and be prepared to problem solve for the out of the ordinary

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 7 Motor Vehicle Collisions  Scene size-up –360 degree sweep of the vehicle –Identify hazards Spilled liquids Fire Undeployed airbags Loaded bumpers Downed power lines Glass

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 8 Courtesy of David J. Reimer Sr.

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 9 Motor Vehicle Collisions  Stabilization –Movement of the vehicle can cause additional injury to the patient –Special tools may be necessary to stabilize the vehicle before gaining access to the patient

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 10

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 11 Motor Vehicle Collision  Access and prioritization –Through doors –Through windows –Heavy rescue –How many injured and how seriously

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 12

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 13 Motor Vehicle Collision  Assessment and transportation –Initial assessment –Rapid trauma assessment –Trauma center

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 14 Stop and Review  Name hazards present on the scene of a MVC.  List precautions the EMT must take.  How can an EMT gain quick entry?  How can the patient be protected during heavy rescue?  Are transportation priorities different after heavy rescue?

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 15 Water Rescue  Nearly every community contains a body of water  Water is used for recreational and industrial activities  EMTs must be properly trained in water rescue to avoid becoming a victim

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 16 Water Rescue  Command  Scene size-up –Flat water versus swift water –Undertows –Dams

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 17 Water Rescue  Management –Shore-based flat water rescue Reach, throw, row, go –Shore-based swift water rescue

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 18 In any attempt to rescue a patient from a body of water, the first technique used is to reach out while maintaining a secure hold on a stable object. If the EMT is unable to reach a victim in the water, the next step is to throw a rescue rope or flotation device for the patient to hold onto.

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 19 If the rescuer has been unable to reach the victim by reaching or throwing, he should use an appropriate watercraft to reach the patient if he is trained to do so. Only if all other methods have failed or are not available should a rescuer enter the water to go after a waterbound victim, and only if he is properly trained to do so.

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 20 Water Rescue  Treatment and transport –Hypothermia –Air medical evacuation

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 21 Stop and Review  What is the difference between flat and swift water?  Name the hazards on the scene of a water rescue.  What precautions should an EMT take?

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 22 Search and Rescue  Used whenever a person is lost  The person must be found, carried out, treated for injuries, and transported to the ER  The longer someone is lost, the greater the likelihood of injuries

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 23 Search and Rescue  Command  Scene size-up –Question witnesses –Obtain information about the missing person’s characteristics and medical history

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 24 Search and Rescue  Access –Hasty search  Rescue –Physical strength and stamina  Management  Transportation

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 25

© 2005 by Thomson Delmar Learning,a part of The Thomson Corporation. All Rights Reserved 26 Stop and Review  What are the first actions an EMT should take at a search and rescue?  What can be done while waiting for technical rescue personnel?  What medical problems can a lost hiker have?