The First 10 Minutes: A Best Practices Approach to Motor Vehicle Crash Response

In the previous column, I wrote about best practices in the first five minutes on arrival at a motor vehicle collision (MVC) and the tasks we must strive to complete in that time. Now let’s follow the path further and examine the next five minutes on scene, or to coin a phrase, the first 10 minutes.

fire engineering

My online educational program on alternative tool techniques sponsored by Holmatro at Fire Engineering University

fire engineering university

Even though firefighters respond to more motor vehicle collisions (MVCs, photo 1) than any other emergency (except medical emergencies), consider all the things we need to evaluate, assess, and begin to mitigate on scene. Although the scene hazards really have not changed much over time, our response and the hazards we encounter have changed. The vehicle is the dynamic hazard in the equation these days. Supplemental restraint systems (SRS) systems, batteries and their subsequent locations, motive power, and vehicle glazing are all items that we need to factor in. On top of these considerations, we need to do this size-up quickly and completely to ensure an effective plan of action.

Full Article @ fireengineering.com

Author copies of the paramedic textbook I wrote the vehicle rescue chapter for from Delmar publishing … Wish I had more control over the editing on this one for sure!

Professional Paramedic