Sad Biker Day in Oregon

[Jazzy]

By BailyD:

I don't understand this? When you call for an ambulance you are saying that the police respond FIRST to evaluate, THEN decide whether or not EMS should be sent?

 

Unfortunatly, that happens a lot here. How many available ambulances in your city and locale verse police are available? Some people on Medi-Cal in the U.S. cannot even get an ambulance to respond for transport (not enough money to make it worth while and that was with my own mother too!). Ambulance cost for me once was over $1000 for maybe 5 blocks and insurance made me pay for it.

 

We had one surgeon who had a stroke and was totally out of it and crashed his car into the curb which got everyone's attention. The cop who arrived (called) assumed he was under the influence of an illegal substance and refused to call an ambulance since he wanted the arrest. Luckily, a nurse from the local hospital passed by, and knew the doctor and took matters into her own hands and told him he was in the midst of a stroke. Cop was ready to arrest her as well for interfering with his duty, but she also called the ambulance which the officer didn't. However, it arrived too late.

 

His family sued the city and won since he was no longer able to practice due to the cops's diligence to go for a DUI or whatever instead of knowing his condition that impeded his driving skills and ignored a call for an EMT over jail and his overtime pay to book.

 

If anyone has an motorcycle accident, "Always" request an ambulance, EMT, Medi-Vac or first responder "first" if at all possible. A cop or forest ranger or any law enforcement responding to the scene will often delay any treatment you or whomever you are calling for may need should they make the lifesaving call later on. They are not medically trained and often resort to their training (e.g. drugs, DUI, whatever) and minutes count. Some dispatchers at the Control level know this. Others don't and it's pretty much a judgment call by them. Depends on the city and jurisdiction. Been there too much.

 

As for upflying, I'm wondering (if you are a cop) why you thinking I am bashing motorcycle cops in general for their selection of safety gear over most all European countries who wear better safety gear which is superior to anything most U.S. enforcement agencies issue? So they are wrong in their gear selection and you are right? If you had the fortitude, you'd be fighting your superiors for better safety gear - or buying and wearing it on your own and quote OSHA. Afraid of them?

 

Absolutely amazing, but I'm not really surprised either.

 

Jazzy.

 

[Paul In Australia]

So your an ambulance guy. Interesting experience you have had, but do you think it is the norm? Hard pressed to believe a cop would delay medical attention just to get an arrest ?

Anyway, you obviously have the experience, but I would doubt this is a general experience or the norm anywhere.

Maybe a little over the top to make your point, which if i get it, is never to delay medical attention. Good point.

Cops are also like other public servants . They obey the rules, not set them, which includes what they are allowed to use as ATGATT.

Maybe direct input from a para medico to the powers to be is the correct approach.

regards

PCH

[RandyBailey]

By BailyD:

If anyone has an motorcycle accident, "Always" request an ambulance, EMT, Medi-Vac or first responder "first" if at all possible.

 

I can't speak for other agencies, but ours has a standing policy of rolling fire to every motorcycle-related crash "due to mechanism of injury" (translated to mean internal injuries, not readily apparent at the scene are likely and the patient is sent to the closest trauma center. In fact this is the first that I have ever heard of an agency not responding appropriately. Considering that POST training is fairly uniform nationwide I find the experience you describe surprising.

 

There is no way we can force medical on a lucid rider who refuses. However, I was first on the scene of a rear-ender with a Harley rider (no helmet) being bounced down the road. This guy refused medical, but from the amount of fluid he was losing from his head I had him transported against his will. The effects of shock and a closed or open head injury ccan make the injured rider think he's fine. Typically, we air evac the more serious biker injuries.

 

[jaytee]

... If you had the fortitude, you'd be fighting your superiors for better safety gear - or buying and wearing it on your own and quote OSHA. Afraid of them?

 

Absolutely amazing, but I'm not really surprised either.

 

Jazzy.

 

I call Troll.

 

Whether intentional or not, Jazzy, you come off a bit arrogant and judgemental. Either you know that there are a lot of Motors on bmwst.com and just don't care if you insult them or not, or you are clueless in which case your boorish netiquette is in need of some refining.

 

Just sayin'...

 

JT

[BailyD]

BUY your own? I buy plenty of my own equipment for myself and the department bike. I treat it like it's my own, BUT if you start butting heads with the bosses you'll soon find yourself driving a car for good!

 

As far as "buying your own" you cannot go outside of the uniform policy. If every officer wore what they wanted I guess there would be no need for a police uniform.

 

The short anwer is: take it or leave it. Ride with what we give you or get off the bike. You can try and make some changes, but it takes a long time and usually aren't too successful.

[tallman]

... If you had the fortitude, you'd be fighting your superiors for better safety gear - or buying and wearing it on your own and quote OSHA. Afraid of them?

 

Absolutely amazing, but I'm not really surprised either.

 

Jazzy.

 

I call Troll.

 

Whether intentional or not, Jazzy, you come off a bit arrogant and judgemental. Either you know that there are a lot of Motors on bmwst.com and just don't care if you insult them or not, or you are clueless in which case your boorish netiquette is in need of some refining.

 

Just sayin'...

 

JT

 

+1

And not a very original one either.

Citing extreme examples of possible exceptions rather than what is the norm in most, if not all places that exist in the real world of the USA.

Maybe Daniel has gotten an early release?

 

[motorman587]

First why do the call police officers "first responders"?? You are full when you say officers would delay first aid for an arrest. That is stupid, and no EMT, firefighter, Paramedic would make that statement on this side of the land.

 

Second, we motor cops train to ride side by side. In fact my partner and I won first place in our local rodeo for the tether ride. It is something that we do.

 

Third the gear we wear, ya it is not the best, and there are some like me, that you bash, that attempt to get better gear, however I have to deal with stereo types, and budgets. I did get us the Olmpia GT jackets. Where was your atta-boy for motor cop gear posts. I always were a bullet proof vest which is better than an armor made for motorcycles.

[gottabmw]

This thread should be locked down. It's way off the OP post and is getting personal.

[Woodie]

OFF TOPIC HIJACK

 

First why do the call police officers "first responders"??

 

In EMS, there are country-wide definitions for the level of training and role of various pre-hospital MEDICAL personnel.

 

1st responders correspond to the Federal DOT description for Medical Response Technician. Essentially a first-aider, and assistant for higher-trained personnel. Most police officers in CT are trained only to this level. Some have more medical training, many have less. From another site: MRTs are trained in emergency medical care including those critical skills necessary for rapid response, initial patient assessment, initial patient treatment, assist with patient immobilization (collar application, backboarding, splinting, etc.), patient extrication and movement, and transportation.

 

In many areas, police officers are likely to be closer to the incident, therefore arrive first, hence "first responders".

 

[Mike]

This thread should be locked down. It's way off the OP post and is getting personal.

 

Done