Horrible New Years Day (kinda graphic)

Left the house to run some errands with the family New Years morning and we were heading up the 2 lane highway into town. It's a 50 mph road and traffic wasnt bad. Two trucks in front of us when the one directly in front slams on it's brakes. I hit mine and dodge him and see the Jeep Cherokee in front of him go off the side of the road. I pull up and there is a Nissan Sentra off the side facing the Jeep. The Nissan crossed into our lane and went directly head on with the Jeep at 50+ mph.

I jump out and the girl driving the Cherokee and her husband are alert and making noise so I run to the car. Girl is about 18 and not responsive. I check her pulse and it's weak. Car is smoking and the doors are crushed. I can see she's pinned under the column and the engine is pushed into the front seats.

I rip one of the back doors open and crawl in. Wife is on the phone with 911 and I tell her to get a chopper coming cause this aint good. I check her pulse again and it's faint and then gone. I kept trying to find it but it wasnt there. No breathing so I go to start chest compressions. Trying to find her sternum but her chest is crushed. I do one compression and blood is coming out of her mouth so I know it's over. SHIT this is not good! Another guy comes up to the drivers side and tells me to start doing compressions, I told him it's over man she's gone. He is dead set on doing CPR and starts mouth to mouth. I yell at him that theres blood coming out of her mouth and chest and to stop. He starts doing compressioins and blood is just going everywhere but he just keeps going doing CPR. Cop finally showed up and pulled him off and climbs in the car with me and does one compression, looks at me and shakes his head. EMT's show up and call it.

I second guessed myself all day on not doing CPR but can you really put yourself at risk like that with visible blood and that much trauma? I've never thought twice about doing CPR on a down victim without trauma but this is the first time I've been in this position.

Not how I wanted to start the day or the year. I feel horrible for her family and the people in the other vehicle. Cops think she way playing with her IPod and wandered into our lane.

RIP

 

What kind of an airway are you going to be able to get if its full of blood? I don't think you made the wrong choice. It just sucks any way you slice it. Especially since she was just a kid.

 

damn dude thats horrible....

 

Rescue breathing is no longer part of CPR.
Steve

 

Sad story. But you did the right thing in checking everyone out and starting to work on her but you noticed things were way bad. You tried. Other people might have been in shock and just watched the whole thing while dialing 911. Then they would have wondered "what if" they had done something. You took action and took "what if" as far as it'll go.

 

Ya, last class I did it was 4 minutes of compressions then check. Is that still current?

I was just freaked out that the guy was breathing for her and getting blood all over in his mouth.

 

What he said.

RIP to the gal, to you for doing what you could.

 

So sorry to hear that - some people might of kept going - you did the right thing and made the right choices - don't beat yourself up - RIP

 

I just recertified and while it's still taught, the focus of the class was more on compressions and how to check vitals.

Trackstar... You are one of the good one's. Don't second guess yourself because you have no idea what pathogens were in her system. You did what you could...

 

Thumbs up for even stopping. Unless it's your direct family I wouldn't do CPR without a pocket mask. They are only a few bucks and can easily be carried in your cars glovebox. The mask has a valve thats one way.....ur breath goes in but the blood and fluids cant go up because of the valve. Even without blood present you could get hepatitis or Some other nasty thing.

Sounds as if nothing could have saved this young lady, RIP.

 

I heard that they're not teaching checking for a pulse before starting chest compressions now. Firearms instructor and fiance are both EMT's and said the new SOP is to begin chest compressions, 100 at a time before any attempts at moving air or checking for pulse. Seems odd considering that chest compressions can stop a beating heart...was any of that part of your recert?

 

Thanks. I have huge respect for the cops and EMT's who face that shit on a daily basis. I dont think I could do that but I guess you get used to it. I felt confident that I did the right thing but the what if's had me pissed off all day.

Darren - I did the class because my son was born premature and had breathing problems. We were taught (2 years ago) to check vitals before beginning compressions and to check every 4 minutes. I've done the classes about every 4 years since I got my HazMat and First Responder Certifications about 15 years ago. It's amazing how much changes every time I do one.

 

Agreed, totally. You made a heroic effort, and I don't use that term loosely.

 

Correct. You did the right thing. The other guy is an idito for comming in contact with blood like he did.

 

trackstar, you did the right thing by trying to render aid. around here, if she was a traumatic code like that, they most likely would not have sent the chopper anyway.

 

That's exactly what we were taught when we brought our premature daughter home on oxygen. Vitals, airway, compressions.

Good for you for doing your best. :up:

 

You did your best. Sorry you had to go through that.

 

Thank you for stopping and rendering aid. I hope that if I am ever in the same situation that someone would stop for me.

 

I recertified through our local FD and direct from him was to check if the victim was alert, look for vital signs (skin color, pulse, etc..), check for blockage in airway, then start chest compressions.

He indicated that while M2M isn't necessary, you still need to check the airway because it does no good to get a heart going if the air way is blocked or they swallowed their tounge.

 

Godspeed to the girl.

You're a good man Trackstar.