Question about disaster med

[Iride]

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First of all, there is no doubt that everyone who responded to the bombings are incredibly brave and no doubt helped to save lives. However, I have a question about how everyone that "ran in to help instead of fleeing" are being praised. From my very limited understanding of disaster med, I thought that the last thing you want to do is run in until you know the scene is safe (no more bombs, no gas in the air, etc....).

The more I have thought about it though, does that mainly apply to the EMS response and since the individuals that ran in were already at the scene, possibly then this was the correct response?

Just wondering if anyone on here has some experience with disaster medicine could shed some light on this topic and what you would do as and EM doc if you were on the street in this situation?

 

[docB]

Granted it is not helpful to have a lot of random people gravitate toward a scene for the reasons you mentioned. But in an event like yesterday the people who are already there and try to help the injured are to be commended. They were already there so they didn't add to the potential load in the event of a second attack. They were driven by pure intentions to help those injured. For good people there is really no way to stop this instinct. It is something that evil people use against us effectively.

If I were on a scene like that I would have tried to help. If I were in the area I would not have gone to the scene. I'd have gone to my hospital to try to help.

 

[jbar]

One school of thought is by running in and getting everyone out quickly you are reducing the time that rescuers are exposed to secondary devices. Yes there may be more people in the danger zone but they are there for less time. So it may be safer to run in, grab a patient and haul them to the medical tent than the traditional, deliberate triage and transport paradigm.


That being said you are right. If you are running towards an event you are putting yourself at more risk. But that's something you accept when you respond. It would take hours to know if a scene like this is "safe." You'd need radiation dectors to check for a dirty bomb. You'd need the bomb squad to check out all the dropped bags. You probably wouldn't know if there was a biological component for days until people start showing up sick at the ER.