Distracted driving determines death
- Details
- Published on Thursday, June 2, 2016
By Sheila Runions
Banner Staff
Emergency departments in Rivers had the opportunity to brush up on their skills when they participated in a mock accident outside Rivers Collegiate on Friday, May 28. Bystander Emma Gray placed the 911 call which brought all three services to the scene with sirens sounding.
The action was commentated by paramedic Josh Tait who explained Rivers Police Service arrested driver Beau Bridgeman for distracted and drunk driving resulting in death; Julie Grant was declared dead on arrival. It is presumed she was crossing the street, for that is where her body lay, several feet in front of the car, which had a significant “spider” smash on the windshield.
As Tait explained, emergency workers “don’t like to see a spider” because it could mean a head injury to people inside or outside the vehicle. While he was conversing with 911 he announced to the entire student body, who were seated on bleachers in front of the school, “one person is pinned and extrication is required. This is a Priority 1 traffic accident with one critical patient so ambulance, fire and police will attend.”
He helped students, staff and a few community citizens understand the process of departmental co-operation during an accident. In this scenario paramedics consulted with firemen to ensure safety of the passenger (McKenna Paddock) during the extrication process, which included cutting out the windshield with a saw and removing the back passenger door with the Jaws of Life. It seemed odd to see a fireman pull something from the car until Tait explained he was “removing the plastic inside and around the door to ensure there is no accidental deployment of an airbag during the extrication process.” It was less than 20 minutes from the time workers arrived on scene until the ambulance sped away with Paddock.
Shortly thereafter firemen were helping Campbell’s Funeral Home bag the body of Miss Grant and load her onto a stretcher which was placed in the company vehicle. Tait informed the crowd that fire departments “often remain on scene to clean it up and to assist the funeral home in loading the body.”
Following that visual, the school reassembled in the gymnasium to witness Dr. Mandeep Dhaliwal treat Paddock in a mock emergency room setting. The doctor was assisted by several local nurses; that team successfully stabilized her and the entire exercise ended.
