Read entire PGFD statement from Chief Spokesman Mark Brady
A 26-year-old man trapped inside his burning Cadillac that had run into the back of another vehicle on I-95 in Laurel is being treated for critical injuries despite initially being declared dead on the scene. STATter911.com has learned firefighters from Prince George’s County, Maryland discovered the man was breathing while untangling his body from the wreckage of the burned out car. The vehicle had slammed against trees in the median strip near Route 198.
When Prince George’s County firefighters extinguished the fire around 2:30 Sunday morning the man was declared a “Priority 4″. Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department Chief Spokesman Mark Brady confirms this in a statement provided to STATter911.com, saying, “A preliminary patient assessment was made soon after the fire was extinguished, while the victim was still trapped within the wreckage, that he was priority 4 (deceased).”
On the emergency radio traffic from the incident, the incident commander tells a dispatcher about the “Priority 4″ at 2:39 AM, 25 minutes after the incident was dispatced and 16 minutes after the first firefighters arrived on the scene.
Brady also confirms at 2:47 AM firefighters were asked by Maryland State Police to help in the removal of the body. About a minute later firefighters determined the man was still breathing.
In the radio traffic from the incident, a firefighter and the “South Side Command” have the following conversation:
Unidentified Firefighter: “We believe the patient is breathing we are yanking him out and bringing him up.”
South Side Command: “You say the patient is breathing?”
Unidentified Firefighter: “We believe so.”
South Side Command: “Okay.”
The injured man, whose identity has not been released, was removed from the car and taken to a burn unit under the care of paramedics. At last word from police, he was being treated for life-threatening burns and other injuries.
Spokesman Brady confirms that a review is underway by the department’s EMS Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Program to determine what procedures were used to initially determine the man had expired. Brady said in his statement, “The Q&A program provides both a forum for continuous system improvement and a means to review significant events and is implemented under the auspices of the EMS Jurisdictional Program Medical Director.”
Brady also points out, “The preliminary patient assessment was made under extremely challenging and less then ideal conditions.”
A second vehicle involved in the crash was handled by a separate “North Side Command”. Firefighters removed a woman who was trapped in an overturned SUV that had been struck by the Cadillac. That vehicle was not on fire. Police report the 46-year-old woman was treated and released at a local hospital.
Here is a timeline of the incident based on information provided by PGFD and times listed in the radio traffic:
2:14 – Call dispatched.
2:23 – First PGFD units report on the scene.
2:39 – South Side Command reports they have a “Priority 4″.
2:47 – South Side Command reports they have been requested by Maryland State Police to extricate “the deceased”.
2:48 - Firefighters report they believe the patient is breathing.
2:49 – Medic 715 from Montgomery County is dispatched to assist with the now breathing patient.
2:56 – Landing site being set up for helicopter.
3:04 – Patient transported by ground to burn unit.
Also on STATter911 …
- Must see video: Fiery, deadly truck crash on Capital Beltway. Vehicle drives past cops, burning truck & burning bridge. But they get the pictures. – February 16, 2011
- UPDATED: One Girl Dies, One Gravely Injured After Prince George’s County house fire. Two other children, parents & firefighter hurt in early morning Brentwood blaze. – January 19, 2011
- UPDATED (new video added): High winds slam MD, DC & VA. Prince George’s County hit hard with numerous large fires damaging structures. Mutual aid from as far away as Baltimore City & Maryland’s Eastern Shore. – February 19, 2011
- UPDATED: Bladensburg Firefighter Ethan Sorrell now breathing on his own. Tube removed. Check out work of DC Firefighters Burn Foundation. – February 27, 2012
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
That’s ok- I am sure Jones will be at the next VFRA meeting to give awards for the crew’s being “lifesavers”.
What happened on this call is not correctly depecited in the radio transmissions over the radio. Let the investigation take it’s course before you making hazing comments towards anyone fire department related because i’m sure within a week or so the investigation will reveal the real details of who “presumed him” (PD) and what was really found (FD)…
Really.???? I believe we could hear the radio transmissions clearly. But like we all know, you get what you pay for…..and if you pay nothing you get nothing. This is what you get when you have some nurse, who’s suppose to be changing foleys or starting IV at PGHC assume the position of Command staff in Public safety sector….what a shame, I think it is time to sell my house and move out of PG county….just ephing disgusting
Sure, and if the “investigation” finds that any volunteers are at fault for pronouncing the victim, Eugene Jones will make sure you never know it. That would make the Volunteers in the County look bad…and Eugene just won’t allow that. Just like the lady who was involved in that traffic accident not too long ago that the volunteers from 17 killed…oops, no one was supposed to find out about her either.
Having been on two other I95 car fires I can say if you weren’t there you realy can’t say what happened. I know the units assigned to call, how long the car burned before they arrived. I beleive box area units were not the first arriving units.
Without a medic unit and life pack to aid in the evaluation, given the circumstances, life signs could and would be very hard to evaluate. Once the patient was moved from the car away from the smoke and steam I beleive they saw evidence of breathing based on vapor evidence which as I said in the vehicle would have been seen as steam from the fire.
Once they saw life signs they did all the right things and the patient will hopefully survive, not inspite of them, but because of them and the treatment they provided enroute to the burn center.
Did anybody think of checking his pulse or maybe getting him out of a burning car before pronouncing him dead? Was the Miemss protocol followed? Poor guy, hope I never have an emergency in PG County, and I am thinking my own county is bad guess this county is worse. Hope he has a good lawyer to sue the county and personally go after who ever tried to kill him before his time.
Always have some else double check the PT.
While is was working to a department in South Eastern Mass for about 18 months . Went out for MVA were PD on scene first told EMS and Fire that the driver was DOA when they arrives so they put sheet over him in car. EMS went to double check and he had a pulse and walked out of Hospital later that day
I am wondering why there seems to be a trend nationwide of not confirming death. It has happened at least two times recently in San Antonio, TX, and there have been three of four occurrences so far this year in other areas of the country. Now it may be an assumption that a person in a fully involved vehicle fire would be deceased, but it only takes a couple of minutes to put a heart monitor on to confirm death.
Having worked many wrecks on I-95, it is not the first or last time this has happened. Until you’ve been there don’t judge others, especially considering the time of the call and how far in the trees it was located. I’ve seen some truly horrific wrecks with bodies everywhere. Personally if anybody ever finds my breathing body in a situation like that; put me in the body bag, please! Just saying…
Most of you disgust me. It is possible for PT to spontaneously regain breathing after a trauma arrest and you know it. Very small chance statistically, but it’s possible.
Additionally, there are other methods of communicating besides the radio. Just because you have the radio transmissions does not mean you have the entire communication history. Let the investigation run it’s course.
And last, career guys have screwed up as well. Just because they are paid does not necessarily mean they act as professionals and put all of their effort into providing service. Likewise, just because someone does it as a volunteer does not mean they act professionally. Quit dragging paid/volunteer into everything. You only look like a fool.
i love how everyone put’s blame on the volunteer’s in prince george’s county as soon as something go’s wrong,do me a favor do you homework and do it well before you get on here bashing anybody,paid or volunteer just get it done and stop all the back stabbing.
World Champs? Well atleast the patient had the best chance
yea, it was the world champs, and they pulled him out, even after the medic half ass walkedd into the scene and wouldn’t don gear to get near the patient to check anything. So yea the world champs pulled him out (15 years after winning the title 6 times, so STFU) and Medic 3…errrr the medic currently assigned there, walked around laxidasical…
Atlanta Fire Paramedics being investagated right now for not checking a gunshot vic after police said he was dead & don’t mess up the crime scene. He was dead.. but store servaliance was showen on local news & family bitched.
I bet your PD did the same…….oh he’s dead,don’t worry about pt.care.
-”R says
Most of you disgust me. It is possible for PT to spontaneously regain breathing after a trauma arrest and you know it. Very small chance statistically, but it’s possible.”
I would think if they were in cardiac arrest their heart would have to start beating before they began breathing
I read a story yesterday where the guy in the funeral home was getting ready to close the casket for the last time before the funeral, when the elderly male inside moved a litte. The worker then detected a faint pulse and called for help. Apparently the man was tending to his bees and had some medical emergency. Within a few days he was back home tending to his bee hive collection. As a token of his appreciation, he gave the people who helped save him a pot of honey. Now that’s bad
So easy to pick out whose in medic class but dont really know what they are doing yet……or the Medic class drop outs. R go read your text books again.
ffJoe the PD is not responsible for EMS…high time we EMTs start learning, just like the case in atlanta; its going to be the medic whose going to have something to loose. not the gun slingers
Hey Observer, blaming the medic for not checking???? How about all the people on the scene who are EMT’s?? I know it has been 18 years since I took EMT but unless the curriculum changed they teach EMT’s how to assess a pulse and breathing. Didnt know you needed an Advanced Life Support provider to provide a Basic Life Support skill.
Your right about career vs. volunteer doing the same thing. Just ask the Career major why he got demoted when he was at 41….
Last time I checked I believe protocal calls for a EKG strip to be run by a medic when calling a P4. But the medics were not on scene, no longer dispatched on 9I’s, that is why Montgomery County Medic 15 was called when they found the person brathing. I think the County should go back to dispatching Medics on all High speed road accidents. We have radios, we cancel any unneeded units enroute once the first unit has arrived on scene and determined what units are needed. Paramedic Engine 841 could have been dispatched since Medic 849 was not available, they were close enough.
This is just another example of Peeee Geeee County saving dimes and failing to protect their citizens
Thinkbeforespeaking, you should really research before speaking. Nothing in the Maryland Protocol says anything about a EKG for Presumed Dead on Arrival. And piling possibly unnecessary units onto the road is not the solution either, since traffic accidents are the number two killer of firefighters. We have radios so that the units on scene can call for assistance, not to cancel the 50 units that were dispatched for the “6 car pileup” that turns out to be a fender bender. How bout we let the facts of what really happened come out before we go all Monday morning quarterback on the whole thing.
Medic 49 was actually on scene from the beginning. A medic unit is placed on every 9I with possible entrapment. So make sure you know what apparatus was on scene before you blame it on PG’s run cards.
I don’t know how many of the critics here have ever been at a car accident with a burn victum or even had a burn patient before. First off in a totally involeved car fire the chances of survial will be slime unless you have units there as soon as the fire starts. Second you can’t just go into a burning vehicle and check the patient until the scene is safe. To the one who said to place an ekg on the patient to see if they are dead or alive. Well you must have skin surfice to attach the leads or paddles to get a good tracing. Let the investagation take place and if the first radio call would have said a possible P4 instead of a P4 there would not have been any problems. Until you have been there don’t judge.
what is this b.s. over paid or unpaid? it is the same EMS classes weather you get a check or not. where would this country be withhout volunteers.
I was there. Fact is that the car was burning for a very long time. Once the fire was out the firefighters inappropriately called a priority 4. (What assessment they performed I do not know–I was 50 feet away). The medics on-scene were tending to another patient–there were two vehicles, two patients, and they were tending to the only one who had been extricated. They were 50 feet away from the burning vehicle. Once the P4 was called by the BLS provider, there was no need for them to go “check out the body”. It is not part of protocol to hook the patient up to an EKG. Once it was discovered that the P4 was not, the medics quickly finished up with the first patient and went to tend to the non-P4 patient.
Although the chain of events sounds bad, the fact of the matter is that the firefighters took forever to put the fire out and could not have checked the patient sooner. Even after checking the patient, they quickly P4 him, but then moved into extrication mode (which they would have to do anyways if not a P4). Once that was done was when they noticed him breathing (and later talking).
i wonder how many lawyers troll this site looking for a quick buck. I too was there on the scene and am proud of the work that the vollys and the paid staff did. If you weren’t there you can’t imagine the horrific scene that i watched unfold. nobody who was there would have believed anyone could have survived that fire. and yet the men and women who worked it still followed the same procedures as if there was a living patient inside. The reason it took so long to access the patient was due to a number of reasons, first, it took quite a long time to get the fire put out, the car was leaking gasoline, and the surrounding woods were catching fire. every time the firefighters knocked down the fire it sprang back up worse than before, at one time flames were shooting 30 feet into the sky. The engines only had a limited amount of water and handheld extinguishers on hand, it finally took a a third engine with foam to eventually knock the fire out so that the rescue techs could get close enough to work on the car. Second, heavy brush and trees on both sides of the car were pinning the doors closed, that had to be cleared away even before an attempt could be made to open the doors and access the patient. Third, it was almost pitch black at the cars location, as the car was so far into the trees that the lights from the engines could not penetrate the woods. in no way was the fact that he was declared a p4 cause them to slow their efforts to extricate the PT. In any event, they still would have attempted to take vital signs immediately upon extrication to confirm the p4. there is a huge difference between the radio chatter and what what was actually happening on the ground. this PT would never have been simply extricated and left without absolute confirmation from multiple sources that he was pulseless and apneic, with traumatic injuries incompatible with life. He would have been given CPR (per MD state protocols) until ordered to terminate by online medical direction or a doctor at a receiving hospital. thankfully we’ll never know as the professional actions of the PG county Fire and EMS personnel (both paid and volunteer) were able to step up, and despite odds entirely against them and the PT, at great personal risk to themselves managed to save the life of this man. finally you can never get a clear picture of what is happening by listening to radio chatter alone, the situation is too fluid and can change in a heartbeat. its obvious reading these posts that some people have their own axes to grind, and they will find fault no matter what the outcome. well to all the armchair quarterbacks i’ll say this; you were not there and do not have all the facts. i’ll end with this, if i was ever in a situation similar to the one described above i could only hope to have firefighters and EMT’s as dedicated and skilled as the ones who were working that night.
its not about the lawers looking at this is about them doing their job if anyone seen what happen let me no a.s.a.p thank you
spell check works wonders
You know what I find crazy, is majority of you guys are taking up and defending the EMT’s and firefighters etc… and not one of you that ARE takingtheir side is not putting themselves in the position of it being one of your loved ones, a friend, or a family member. If it was one of yours you would feel the same way about the ones who are bashing. Imagine if it was one of your family members and this happened to them…. You would want to know what went wrong and what happened exactly. You can’t fault anyone on trying to investigate the answers. My thoughts on this is : If he was considered a Priority 4 than when they went to remove him from the car, they could have caused more damage removing him thinking he was dead. Not to mention if they thought he was dead then they probably didnt see the reason to rush to get him out right away because THEY THOUGHT he was already gone. I am sure you fellow EMT’s and such are going to try and protect each other but what is done is done and evidentally someone made a big mistake. Why do you think it is under investigation. There is a reason behind it. Someone is at fault for this. For those that have a heart please pray for this family. Take into consideration the trauma that this poor guy has been through.
Thank all the EMT and firefighters and police for all your help. The PT is doing fine and recovering. God was with all of you that night. Thank you.
Thanks God.Amen
Stuff happens thats life I know things like this has happened all over the country. Case in point in 1968 my mother had the same thing happen to her. Back then there were no medics in my county only the F.D. they covered her up then some one saw her move her arm. So it just goes to show you stuff happens. No blame I’m just glad some one saw her move….