Heavy Rescue responce to EMS Call

[nbfcfireman]

First, my company a heavy rescue rig and a suburban as a light rescue for ems calls and support on MVA's. The other day we were blown out for a MVA with minor injuries. Our protocol is to take the Heavy Rescue to all MVA's, but to move the truck you need 3 qualified people. The light rescue is 2 qualified. We could not get a third person after a few minutes of waiting so we took the light rescue. When I got back in quarters I was yelled at for taking to light rescue.
The accident was in a parking lot, so its not like I needed a big truck to block traffic. Both patients were mobile so we didnt need to extricate. And it was reported by local pd as minor injuries.
Although I violated SOP's(which are not strict here anyways) was I still in the wrong and should we continue to have a HR respond

[SFDchief]

Re: Heavy Rescue responce to EMS Call

Originally posted by nbfcfireman


Although I violated SOP's(which are not strict here anyways) was I still in the wrong and should we continue to have a HR respond

To answer if you should continue a heavy rescue response to mva's, my answer would be if that's what the SOP says to do, that's what should be done. Here, disobaying a SOP is almost as bad as disobaying a direct order. If one person breaks a SOP and gets away with it, then that would open the door for others to do the same thing.

It does sound from the incident you described that a heavy rescue was not warrented. With hindsight being 20/20, did you know that this would be the case? I've seen many MVA's in parking lots that require some sort of extrication and I've seen many inacurate reports of the severity of the incident. I personally would keep the rescue responding until directed otherwise by the IC. If you have a doubt what to do if the circumstances arise again, ask an officer or IC and let him make the determination on what to do.

[mstclair190]

Did you actually cancel the Heavy Resuce for the call before arriving on scene and determining it wasn't needed or did it not respond because no one else show up to take it?

I'd say that responding the light rescue (given the info that you say was provided) was more appropriate than taking the Heavy Rescue without minimum manpower or not responding at all. If the Heavy Rescue cancellation did take place before the FD arrived, then that would be wrong.

I see this as comparable to another situation. You have 3 or 4 people there,one of which is a driver for the light rescue, but no driver for the Heavy Rescue. Do you stand around waiting for one or do you respond 2 on the the light rescue first and keep waiting for the driver with the remaining people?

Maybe your SOPs need to be changed to address this kind of situation for the future?

[hwoods]

A slight difference.......

We run 2 Engines, Heavy Rescue, Tower Ladder, BLS Ambulance, and a Brush rig. Anything MAY go with just the driver IF, the call is First Due (not Mutual Aid) AND, if no one else shows up in a reasonable time frame. If something goes "Driver Only" a replacement unit is automatically dispatched. A "Driver Only" response is rare, but it does happen when our station is already committed on another call or two, and an additional call comes in. Again, although rare, we can run anywhere with two people on a piece of apparatus. Our normal (Average) crew on the Heavy Rescue is 5 or 6 and it can be 8 (8 seats). NBFC's station sounds like one where they depend on home response, which we do not. Our people are at the station, for the most part. We do get a few from home, but that is dependent on the type of call, A first due Fire or MVA will draw a crowd, where a call for an Automatic Alarm will be handled by a crew in the station, and they will be back in 10 minutes. I am a strong advocate of a Volunteer system, but one that thinks, trains, and acts Professionaly. That translates into urging everyone to do what is necessary to have people at the station all the time. Time lost anywhere else CANNOT be made up on the road. Stay Safe....