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CASE STUDIES - HOW MANY MORE DO WE HAVE TO ENDURE?

 

Studies estimate that there is about one fatality for every 100 crashes involving emergency vehicles.

 An individual will be involved in a motor vehicle accident at least once in 10 years, and has a 30% chance of sustaining a permanent disability resulting from that accident. EMS providers are at a 50% greater risk of being involved in a crash whilst on duty. Unfortunately, these crashes often involve members of the public. In many cases, the emergency vehicle strikes another vehicle, injuring or killing an occupant of either vehicle.

Original link http://www.emsmagazine.com/articles/emsarts/drive.html

 

Sydney Police officer trapped in police car. Click here

Family, friends farewell Policeman killed on duty

A 22 YO Constable was killed in an unmarked police car crash while on duty on Friday night 18 February 2000.

          FIREMAN CHARGED

THE LAW AND EMERGENCY DRIVING

A Brisbane District Court case in which a fireman faced trial on a charge of dangerous driving causing death arising out of an accident which occurred on the way to a fire has highlighted the precarious nature of emergency driving for both emergency personnel and the general public.

The fire officer had the misfortune to be the driver of a fire engine on an emergency turnout; the fire engine was involved in a collision with another vehicle at a city intersection. As a result of the collision the two people in the other vehicle died.

The case was dismissed, but highlights the dangers involved in emergency vehicle driving and the stresses involved for the drivers trying to save live, protect property and save the environment

Full story Brisbane Fireman charged for doing his job right

 

HORRIFIC ACCIDENT IN SYDNEY

After horrific ambulance crash, paramedic still works on victims

A paramedic was involved in a horrific crash in Sydney. The senior paramedic was on his way to another crash at Pheasant Nest with sirens and lights on his vehicle, when he hit a Ford Laser on Hoxton Park Rd at Liverpool.

The car carrying three women smashed into a telephone pole after the impact. The women aged 53, 17 and one in her early 20s, are all from the same family.

It is understood the Laser did a U-turn on the crest of a hill on the normally busy main road, turning into the path of the ambulance. One resident said he heard sirens then a "massive bang" and came outside to find the paramedic speaking to the women in the Laser.

"He couldn't get them out," said the man. Back-up ambulances, police and the NSW Fire Brigade arrived shortly after and it took around 30 minutes for all three women to be freed from the wreckage of the car.

It is understood the paramedic, who is receiving counseling, was one of the last officers to leave the scene. He remained there until all three women were taken to hospital.

"Paramedics face these types of things every day." At Liverpool Hospital two of the women underwent emergency surgery. All three remain in a critical condition.

1 FIREFIGHTER DEAD AND LOSS OF BRAND NEW FIRE APPLIANCE

On October 5, 1999, a Captain (the victim), the driver, and a fire fighter from Engine 33 responded to a medical call that had been dispatched as a patient with shortness of breath. Traveling north, Engine 33 approached a four-way intersection that was crossed on the north side by an overpass supported by concrete columns and controlled by electronic traffic lights. The traffic signal was red for the engine’s direction of travel, so the driver initially reduced the engine’s speed, and then checking that traffic had cleared, increased the engine’s speed and began traveling through the intersection. At the same time, a civilian operating an automobile traveled through the intersection into the engine’s path. The driver of the engine was unable to avoid the automobile, and the two vehicles collided. The driver lost control of the engine which then struck one of the concrete columns supporting the overpass. The engine struck the column on the driver’s side, and the victim was ejected through the windshield, landing in a lane for oncoming traffic. The engine continued past the column and came to a stop in the same lane next to the victim. The driver was knocked unconscious, and the fire fighter riding in the rear crew compartment received minor injuries. The victim was flown by life flight helicopter to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The two injured fire fighters were transported by ambulance to the hospital, where the driver was admitted in critical condition, and the fire fighter was treated for his injuries and released. The civilian driver of the automobile was not injured.

 

POLICE VAN AND TAXI COLLIDE KILLING 2 IN DANDENONG

On 24 February 1991 a Divisional police van engaged in a pursuit collided with a taxi in Dandenong killing the 22 year old driver and one of the passengers aged 24. The taxi was not directly involved in the chase (Sunday Age April 15 1990).  

 

INNOCENT ROAD USERS

It is not only the police and suspects who are endangered, but any road user may be put at unjustifiable risk. This was illustrated by the deaths of two innocent victims who happened to find themselves in the middle of a police "hot pursuit" earlier this year.

When the chase of a stolen vehicle involving nine police cars, at speeds reaching 180 km/h, resulted in a collision which put three people in hospital, the then Assistant Commissioner (Operations), Mr Gavin Brown, was reported as saying that police would follow exactly the same procedures if they found themselves in the same situation in the future (The Sun April 11 1990).

 

                      

Emergency vehicle drivers and general road users are being charged, fined and possibly jailed after emergency vehicle accidents.

 

Grandmother killed and granddaughter injured when turning out of carpark slamming into ambulance

In June 2003 King County United states a Tri-Med ambulance rushing a patient to hospital slammed into a car killing a woman  (Myong Mun) and injuring her granddaughter. Myong Mun may have never heard the ambulance that came doen Benson Highway slamming into her car as she tried to make a left hand turn out of a parking lot.  Some drivers said they heard the siren some say they didn't. "I was driving down the street and l didn't hear any sirens or anything" said Lehi Fanene.Tri-meds owner siad the siren were on the switchers proved it

Paramedic in hospital and driver who hit ambulance jailed

A collision between a Life-Care ambulance and  another vehicle in October 2003 left a paramadic in hospital and the driver of the other vehicle in jail. The accident occurred around 4.45pm and turned a Life-Care ambulance on its side in Lorain, United states.  After colliding with the ambulance the other vehicle travelled150 ft before slamming into a large tree. The driver of the other vehicle was arrested for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle was be held in jail. .(Komo 1000 news June 19 2003)

Pregnant mother killed and 6 year old child seriously injured in fatal collision with ambulance

The ambulance driver was responding to a crash and drove through a red light with the lights and siren on.   21 year old Angela M Robinson did not see the ambulance in time and was hit after crossing the intersection.  The collision proved fatal for Robinson, who was also pregnant at the time.  A six year old passenger was also seriously injured. The ambulance driver would probably never forgive himself and have to live with taking a life instead of saving them when it wasn’t his fault. Siren ineffectiveness would definitely be a contributing factor in this tragic accident.

 

FURTHER CASE STUDIES

Please click the links below.

Man dies in Melbourne Police crash

Brisbane Fireman charged for doing his job right

Australian OH&S studies and statistics

Crash claims life of 8 year old boy

The Emergency Medical Services Network indicates a significant number of reports related to crashes involving emergency vehicles resulting in injuries and deaths. The data are reported as “Ambulance Crashes Log” and cover the last five years of 1999 till 2002
and the present year 2003, which includes data regularly updated.

EMSNetwork

News Ambulance Crashes Log

Police Chief dies whilst responding

Ambulance crash tracking logs

Dump truck collides with ambulance

The importance of hearing

3 car crash

No Liability in firetruck law suit  1.2 million dollar payout

The real cost of emergency vehicle accidents running into millions of dollars

Yielding to emergency vehicles

Highway safety

Car sound systems

Failing to give way to emergency vehicles

Collisions are the second most cause of firefighter fatalities

Code 3 Lights and sirens

License to speed

AN ANALYSIS OF EMERGENCY VEHICLE CRASH CHARACTERISTICS

Quiet please

Thrills and Spills

Firefighter hearing loss litigation

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