A snowstorm that paralyzed the D.C. Metropolitan area January 26 also brought challenges to the Rescue Squad with icy roads and sidewalks, paralyzed traffic, and numerous calls for help.
During the 24-hour period, Rescue Squad units from its main station and the satellite ambulance at Bethesda Station 26 responded to 48 incidents, with some requiring multiple units. This is more than double the number of calls in an average day. These calls included 1 working house fire, 7 box alarms, and 8 personal injury automobile collisions. Many of these calls were during snow conditions and required significant work.
Firefighters Face Live Wire, Downed Trees and Power Lines
The Rescue Squad responded along with units from Bethesda, Chevy Chase, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Naval Medical Center to a stubborn fire in the walls and floor joists between the basement and first floor in a 1930's era house on Roosevelt Street, near Suburban Hospital. It started when a tree fell and shorted the electric service line to the house. For the initial part of the incident the fire was being fed by an active electrical short.
The Rescue Squad crew gained access to the house and found it charged with smoke. Although they were able to quickly complete a primary search of the structure, deployment of initial firefighting hose lines was challenging because crews were blocked from vehicle access to the structure by downed power lines and trees on both sides of the house. There was also a live wire arcing near the electric meter. The fire extended into the walls of the house, which necessitated extensive overhaul operations to ensure that all of the fire was found and exposed. Firefighters from the Rescue Squad and other units ultimately used up all of the spare SCBA bottles on scene. Air Unit 716, from Silver Spring, was delayed in responding because it was tied up on a fire in another part of the county, but ultimately arrived on scene to refill bottles.
Neighborhood streets were very slippery, and apparatus was blocked out because of a fallen tree and wires across the street. In fact, another limb from the same tree fell during the incident and struck a firefighter. Fortunately, his protective gear did its job and he was able to walk away for evaluation of a minor injury by Medic 741.
"Excellent Team Effort"
The Rescue Squad was able to handle the large number of calls because of the many volunteer firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs who came in to ride extra as a supplement to the Roving Crew that was on duty, and the Day Staff, which made an outstanding effort during their normal shift and that night as well. “The strong staffing that we had available for the night shift allowed us to handle this tremendous amount of calls," said Rescue Squad Chief Ned Sherburne. "This was an excellent team effort.”
Thursday, February 10, 2011
2010-2011 catch-up
Catch up on some major calls during November-January:
Crews Quickly Extricate Woman in North Bethesda Crash, January 24
Rescue Squad First on Scene of Weekday House Fire, December 22
Rescue Squad First on the Scene of Bethesda House Fire, November 30
Visit http://www.bccrs.org/action/index.html to read about these calls, as well as other interesting calls during 2010.
Crews Quickly Extricate Woman in North Bethesda Crash, January 24
Rescue Squad First on Scene of Weekday House Fire, December 22
Rescue Squad First on the Scene of Bethesda House Fire, November 30
Visit http://www.bccrs.org/action/index.html to read about these calls, as well as other interesting calls during 2010.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Rescue Squad Extricates Two After Head-On Collision
November 14 , 2010
Rescue Squad Extricates Two After Head-On Collision
The Rescue Squad extricated patients from two vehicles following an early-morning collision on Sunday, November 14. Rescue Squad 741B and Ambulance 741B were dispatched at about 1:45 a.m. for a personal injury collision with rollover on Jones Bridge Rd. at Lynnbrook Drive, adjacent to the Walter Reed Medical Center. As the units were arriving on the scene, Montgomery County dispatchers updated responding units with information that there was one pinned.
RS741B arrived first to find a Cadillac sedan on its roof abutting the Medical Center's fenceline. The Cadillac's driver was partially ejected through the sunroof with the roof of the car resting on his torso. The other car was a compact vehicle, with significant front-end and driver’s side damage. It was located in the middle of the roadway, some distance from the SUV. An initial survey found that its driver was trapped and possibly pinned in the vehicle.
The Rescue Squad was positioned to enable sequential extrications. Given the state of the victim who was partially ejected through the sunroof with his torso pinned under the Cadillac, the Squad crew chose to conduct a rapid extrication. They used the hydraulic spreaders to lift the vehicle while throwing step chalks under the vehicle. Once the vehicle was off of the victim, he was rapidly extricated and promptly pronounced by the medic on Engine 707, from Chevy Chase.
The squad crew then stabilized and began extrication of the driver in the other vehicle. The crew began by popping the driver’s side door with the hydraulic spreaders, and then used a combination of the spreaders and the cutters to remove the door’s hinges. Once the victim's legs were exposed, it was discovered that she narrowly avoided being pinned and was extricated without further cutting.
Because the Rescue Squad’s medic unit was tied up on another call, Medic 701 from Silver Spring was dispatched. After removal from the vehicle, the driver was assessed by medics, and quickly transported by Ambulance 741B to the Trauma Center at nearby Suburban Hospital, with the paramedic from Medic 701 upgrading the unit to an advanced life support unit.
The total extrication time for both victims was approximately 17 minutes.
The Rescue Squad’s Chief 741 took command of the incident, assisted by Montgomery County Battalion Chief 702.
Rescue Squad Extricates Two After Head-On Collision
The Rescue Squad extricated patients from two vehicles following an early-morning collision on Sunday, November 14. Rescue Squad 741B and Ambulance 741B were dispatched at about 1:45 a.m. for a personal injury collision with rollover on Jones Bridge Rd. at Lynnbrook Drive, adjacent to the Walter Reed Medical Center. As the units were arriving on the scene, Montgomery County dispatchers updated responding units with information that there was one pinned.
RS741B arrived first to find a Cadillac sedan on its roof abutting the Medical Center's fenceline. The Cadillac's driver was partially ejected through the sunroof with the roof of the car resting on his torso. The other car was a compact vehicle, with significant front-end and driver’s side damage. It was located in the middle of the roadway, some distance from the SUV. An initial survey found that its driver was trapped and possibly pinned in the vehicle.
The Rescue Squad was positioned to enable sequential extrications. Given the state of the victim who was partially ejected through the sunroof with his torso pinned under the Cadillac, the Squad crew chose to conduct a rapid extrication. They used the hydraulic spreaders to lift the vehicle while throwing step chalks under the vehicle. Once the vehicle was off of the victim, he was rapidly extricated and promptly pronounced by the medic on Engine 707, from Chevy Chase.
The squad crew then stabilized and began extrication of the driver in the other vehicle. The crew began by popping the driver’s side door with the hydraulic spreaders, and then used a combination of the spreaders and the cutters to remove the door’s hinges. Once the victim's legs were exposed, it was discovered that she narrowly avoided being pinned and was extricated without further cutting.
Because the Rescue Squad’s medic unit was tied up on another call, Medic 701 from Silver Spring was dispatched. After removal from the vehicle, the driver was assessed by medics, and quickly transported by Ambulance 741B to the Trauma Center at nearby Suburban Hospital, with the paramedic from Medic 701 upgrading the unit to an advanced life support unit.
The total extrication time for both victims was approximately 17 minutes.
The Rescue Squad’s Chief 741 took command of the incident, assisted by Montgomery County Battalion Chief 702.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Rescue Squad Extricates One From Overturned Vehicle
November 5
Rescue Squad units worked with crews from Bethesda and Glen Echo Fire Departments to quickly stabilize and remove the driver from a large SUV that had flipped on its side in an early morning collision on Little Falls Parkway in Bethesda.
Rescue Squad 741 Bravo and Medic 741 were dispatched at 6:00 a.m. on November 5, along with units from Bethesda and Glen Echo for a personal injury collision with a report of a vehicle overturned. The initial dispatch reported the incident to be at Little Falls Parkway and River Road.
Glen Echo Engine 711 found the vehicle on Little Falls to the south of River Road, with the vehicle on its side with one person trapped. Rescue Squad 741 Bravo’s crew arrived and began to stabilize the vehicle using Paratech struts and comealongs on the bottom of the vehicle, and step chocks on the top.
Once stabilized, the Squad crew worked with the crew from Bethesda’s Truck 706 to cut the SUV’s A and B post and flapped the vehicle’s roof, using hydraulic O-cutters. This provided access to the driver, who was assisted from the vehicle onto a backboard. The patient was then transferred to the crew of Medic 741, which conducted a trauma assessment and transported to Suburban Hospital.
Rescue Squad units worked with crews from Bethesda and Glen Echo Fire Departments to quickly stabilize and remove the driver from a large SUV that had flipped on its side in an early morning collision on Little Falls Parkway in Bethesda.
Rescue Squad 741 Bravo and Medic 741 were dispatched at 6:00 a.m. on November 5, along with units from Bethesda and Glen Echo for a personal injury collision with a report of a vehicle overturned. The initial dispatch reported the incident to be at Little Falls Parkway and River Road.
Glen Echo Engine 711 found the vehicle on Little Falls to the south of River Road, with the vehicle on its side with one person trapped. Rescue Squad 741 Bravo’s crew arrived and began to stabilize the vehicle using Paratech struts and comealongs on the bottom of the vehicle, and step chocks on the top.
Once stabilized, the Squad crew worked with the crew from Bethesda’s Truck 706 to cut the SUV’s A and B post and flapped the vehicle’s roof, using hydraulic O-cutters. This provided access to the driver, who was assisted from the vehicle onto a backboard. The patient was then transferred to the crew of Medic 741, which conducted a trauma assessment and transported to Suburban Hospital.
Medic and Engine Crews Save Patient Experiencing Allergic Reaction
October 22, 2010
A man awoke in the early hours of October 22, 2010 experiencing chest pain and struggling to breathe. He had been suffering from trouble breathing the previous day, but it became worse during the night. When he woke, he also found his skin flushed and the presence of hives on his face, neck and shoulders.
He called 911, and Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad Medic 741 and Bethesda Fire Department Engine 706 (the latter staffed by a Department of Fire and Rescue Services crew) were dispatched to render aid for “a male patient experiencing an allergic reaction.”
The crews arrived on the scene simultaneously and found the patient standing in his living room leaning against a sofa trying to catch his breath, wheezing and displaying all the signs and symptoms of a moderate allergic reaction. The patient wasn’t aware that he had any allergies, but he had started taking approximately six new medications several days earlier and thought he might be allergic to one or more of them.
Working with the paramedic assigned to the engine company, the Rescue Squad medic assumed control of patient care and began quickly assessing the patient. He directed the crews to take vital signs and administer high-flow oxygen to the patient. Upon placing the patient on a cot in the back of the medic unit, the crew connected the patient to an ECG monitor to assess the patient’s cardiac rhythm and vital signs.
They also began administering medications. The medic administered Albuterol and Atrovent medications through a nebulizer in an effort to counteract the effects of the patient’s allergic reaction, open his airway and lung passages, and reduce his work of breathing. Then the medic injected the patient with Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and Epinephrine. Once these medications were administered, the crew turned their attention to establishing an IV, monitoring the patient’s airway, and checking the patient’s response to these interventions provided.
The crew continued supportive patient care on the way to the hospital. The patient began to improve and commented that he felt that it was becoming easier to breathe.
Allergic reactions are not uncommon, but moderate to severe reactions must be treated quickly and aggressively. Rapid recognition of the signs and symptoms of a life-threatening allergic reaction and speedy activation of the Emergency Medical Services system – i.e., calling 911 – can greatly improve a patient’s outcome when he or she is experiencing a life-threatening allergic reaction.
A man awoke in the early hours of October 22, 2010 experiencing chest pain and struggling to breathe. He had been suffering from trouble breathing the previous day, but it became worse during the night. When he woke, he also found his skin flushed and the presence of hives on his face, neck and shoulders.
He called 911, and Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad Medic 741 and Bethesda Fire Department Engine 706 (the latter staffed by a Department of Fire and Rescue Services crew) were dispatched to render aid for “a male patient experiencing an allergic reaction.”
The crews arrived on the scene simultaneously and found the patient standing in his living room leaning against a sofa trying to catch his breath, wheezing and displaying all the signs and symptoms of a moderate allergic reaction. The patient wasn’t aware that he had any allergies, but he had started taking approximately six new medications several days earlier and thought he might be allergic to one or more of them.
Working with the paramedic assigned to the engine company, the Rescue Squad medic assumed control of patient care and began quickly assessing the patient. He directed the crews to take vital signs and administer high-flow oxygen to the patient. Upon placing the patient on a cot in the back of the medic unit, the crew connected the patient to an ECG monitor to assess the patient’s cardiac rhythm and vital signs.
They also began administering medications. The medic administered Albuterol and Atrovent medications through a nebulizer in an effort to counteract the effects of the patient’s allergic reaction, open his airway and lung passages, and reduce his work of breathing. Then the medic injected the patient with Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and Epinephrine. Once these medications were administered, the crew turned their attention to establishing an IV, monitoring the patient’s airway, and checking the patient’s response to these interventions provided.
The crew continued supportive patient care on the way to the hospital. The patient began to improve and commented that he felt that it was becoming easier to breathe.
Allergic reactions are not uncommon, but moderate to severe reactions must be treated quickly and aggressively. Rapid recognition of the signs and symptoms of a life-threatening allergic reaction and speedy activation of the Emergency Medical Services system – i.e., calling 911 – can greatly improve a patient’s outcome when he or she is experiencing a life-threatening allergic reaction.
Fatal Early Morning Collision on Beltway
October 18, 2010
Rescue Squad 741 Bravo and Medic 741 responded to an early morning accident on I-495 that left one person dead and another seriously injured.
Shortly before 5 a.m. on Monday, October 18, the units, along with units from Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department and Montgomery Battalion Chief 2 were dispatched to the Inner Loop of I-495 between the I-270 Spur and Old Georgetown Road for a personal injury collision with an overturned truck. The Cabin John units arrived on scene first to find a tractor-semitrailer filled with kegs and cases of beer that had departed the roadway, overturned onto its side, and struck a tree. Additionally, a severely damaged personal vehicle sat in the far right middle lane of the roadway.
Crews quickly determined that the driver of the car had suffered multiple traumatic injuries and removed him from his vehicle to begin treatment. Medic 741’s crew, supplemented by crewmembers from Ambulance 726, initiated advanced life support procedures and transported the patient to the Trauma Center at Suburban Hospital.
The fatally-injured truck driver, was trapped in his vehicle, but was not immediately removed so that police could complete their investigation. Rescue 741 Bravo’s crew remained on the scene for several hours to support the police in their accident documentation, and to assist in cleaning up the accident scene.
View the news coverage, including photos, at:
http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=706&sid=2082956
Rescue Squad 741 Bravo and Medic 741 responded to an early morning accident on I-495 that left one person dead and another seriously injured.
Shortly before 5 a.m. on Monday, October 18, the units, along with units from Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department and Montgomery Battalion Chief 2 were dispatched to the Inner Loop of I-495 between the I-270 Spur and Old Georgetown Road for a personal injury collision with an overturned truck. The Cabin John units arrived on scene first to find a tractor-semitrailer filled with kegs and cases of beer that had departed the roadway, overturned onto its side, and struck a tree. Additionally, a severely damaged personal vehicle sat in the far right middle lane of the roadway.
Crews quickly determined that the driver of the car had suffered multiple traumatic injuries and removed him from his vehicle to begin treatment. Medic 741’s crew, supplemented by crewmembers from Ambulance 726, initiated advanced life support procedures and transported the patient to the Trauma Center at Suburban Hospital.
The fatally-injured truck driver, was trapped in his vehicle, but was not immediately removed so that police could complete their investigation. Rescue 741 Bravo’s crew remained on the scene for several hours to support the police in their accident documentation, and to assist in cleaning up the accident scene.
View the news coverage, including photos, at:
http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=706&sid=2082956
Friday, October 1, 2010
Bus Plunges off "Skyramp" onto I-270 Spur; One Fatality
September 28, 2010
An evening rush hour turned deadly when a tour bus plunged 45 feet off a "skyramp" onto Interstate 270 Spur below, leaving one dead and multiple injured patients.
Rescue Squad 741, Medic 741, and numerous other Montgomery County and Federal units responded at approximately 4:00 pm to a personal injury collision involving a bus and possibly other vehicles. Initial reports were that one person (the driver of the bus) was dead on the scene. Two traumas and several other patients were transported to area hospitals.
View the news coverage:
Bus Crashes Off I-270 Ramp: http://www.nbcwashington.com/traffic/transit/Bus-Crashes-Off-I-270-Ramp-104027829.html
Bus crash on I-270 ramp leaves 1 dead (video) http://www.tbd.com/articles/2010/09/bus-crash-on-i-270-16121.html
DC sightseers hurt in bus crash, driver killed http://www.wtop.com/?sid=2065855&nid=104
Four people remain hospitalized in Bethesda bus crash on I-270 that killed one: http://www.gazette.net/stories/09302010/montnew112934_32556.php
One Dead, Dozen Hurt In Bus Crash Outside DC: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130222444
An evening rush hour turned deadly when a tour bus plunged 45 feet off a "skyramp" onto Interstate 270 Spur below, leaving one dead and multiple injured patients.
Rescue Squad 741, Medic 741, and numerous other Montgomery County and Federal units responded at approximately 4:00 pm to a personal injury collision involving a bus and possibly other vehicles. Initial reports were that one person (the driver of the bus) was dead on the scene. Two traumas and several other patients were transported to area hospitals.
View the news coverage:
Bus Crashes Off I-270 Ramp: http://www.nbcwashington.com/traffic/transit/Bus-Crashes-Off-I-270-Ramp-104027829.html
Bus crash on I-270 ramp leaves 1 dead (video) http://www.tbd.com/articles/2010/09/bus-crash-on-i-270-16121.html
DC sightseers hurt in bus crash, driver killed http://www.wtop.com/?sid=2065855&nid=104
Four people remain hospitalized in Bethesda bus crash on I-270 that killed one: http://www.gazette.net/stories/09302010/montnew112934_32556.php
One Dead, Dozen Hurt In Bus Crash Outside DC: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130222444
Friday, September 24, 2010
"Rescue Day" open house, October 2
Meet our EMTs, firefighters, and paramedics and see them in action. Explore our rescue trucks, ambulances, and medic units, as well as apparatus from neighboring departments. Watch a helicopter land in our parking lot and meet the flight medics. All this, and more, takes place at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad's Annual "Rescue Day" Open House, October 2, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, rain or shine. Rescue Day is being held in conjunction with the Taste of Bethesda, the outdoor food festival held just two blocks away in Bethesda's restaurant district.
Rescue Day will feature free fire and rescue activities and displays for all ages, including tours of the station; fire and rescue trucks; live demonstrations of emergency medical, rescue, and firefighting equipment; a special visit by a helicopter; free children's firefighter hats; and a moon bounce. The B-CC Rescue Squad is located at 5020 Battery Lane, at the intersection of Old Georgetown Road and Battery Lane. To view a video of last year's event, visit http://www.bccrs.org/RescueDayMainPage.html . For more information, call 301-652-0077, or email info@bccrs.org .
And check out our latest email newsletter, at http://tiny.cc/usomj , to read recent news of the Rescue Squad.
Rescue Day will feature free fire and rescue activities and displays for all ages, including tours of the station; fire and rescue trucks; live demonstrations of emergency medical, rescue, and firefighting equipment; a special visit by a helicopter; free children's firefighter hats; and a moon bounce. The B-CC Rescue Squad is located at 5020 Battery Lane, at the intersection of Old Georgetown Road and Battery Lane. To view a video of last year's event, visit http://www.bccrs.org/RescueDayMainPage.html . For more information, call 301-652-0077, or email info@bccrs.org .
And check out our latest email newsletter, at http://tiny.cc/usomj , to read recent news of the Rescue Squad.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Overturned Car on Old Georgetown Rd.
August 10
A morning rush hour collision on a busy section of Old Georgetown Road left a vehicle on its side with the driver trapped.
Rescue Squad 741, Medic 741D and Ambulance 726 responded to a personal injury collision at the intersection of Old Georgetown Road and Poindexter Lane, at 0825 hours on a Tuesday morning. First arriving units reported a vehicle on its side with one person trapped inside.
The squad crew used Paratech struts and wedges to stabilize the vehicle before beginning the extrication. They were then able to cut away the front windshield to gain access to the patient, who was then removed from the vehicle through the windshield.
Once extricated, the patient was quickly removed to Medic 741D. Its crew thoroughly assessed the patient and transported to Suburban Hospital with minor injuries.
Other units responding included Engine 726 from Bethesda, which provided scene safety, and Tower 723, from Rockville, which provided additional manpower. Chief 741B responded and took command, assisted by Chief 741E.
A morning rush hour collision on a busy section of Old Georgetown Road left a vehicle on its side with the driver trapped.
Rescue Squad 741, Medic 741D and Ambulance 726 responded to a personal injury collision at the intersection of Old Georgetown Road and Poindexter Lane, at 0825 hours on a Tuesday morning. First arriving units reported a vehicle on its side with one person trapped inside.
The squad crew used Paratech struts and wedges to stabilize the vehicle before beginning the extrication. They were then able to cut away the front windshield to gain access to the patient, who was then removed from the vehicle through the windshield.
Once extricated, the patient was quickly removed to Medic 741D. Its crew thoroughly assessed the patient and transported to Suburban Hospital with minor injuries.
Other units responding included Engine 726 from Bethesda, which provided scene safety, and Tower 723, from Rockville, which provided additional manpower. Chief 741B responded and took command, assisted by Chief 741E.
Two Killed in Old Georgetown Rd. Collision
August 7
Numerous Rescue Squad units responded to a collision early on a Saturday morning that killed the drivers of both vehicles.
At about 0845 hours, Rescue Squad 741, Medic 741, Medic 741E, Ambulance 726, Engine 720 from Bethesda, along with Battalion Chief 2 and an EMS duty officer from Montgomery County were dispatched for a vehicle collision with a report of 2 persons trapped on Old Georgetown Road just north of the Beltway. A Buick station wagon and a Toyota minivan had struck each other in an offset head-on collision, leaving both drivers pinned inside their vehicles.
Unfortunately, the collision was fatal for both drivers, so no immediate extrication was necessary. As a precaution, RS 741 used its thermal imaging camera (TIC) to check in the brush beside the road for any vehicle occupants who might have been ejected but did not find any additional patients. (Use of the TIC for this purpose is not novel.)
RS741 returned to the scene several hours later, along with Truck 706 and Engine 720, to assist the police with completing their investigation.
Numerous Rescue Squad units responded to a collision early on a Saturday morning that killed the drivers of both vehicles.
At about 0845 hours, Rescue Squad 741, Medic 741, Medic 741E, Ambulance 726, Engine 720 from Bethesda, along with Battalion Chief 2 and an EMS duty officer from Montgomery County were dispatched for a vehicle collision with a report of 2 persons trapped on Old Georgetown Road just north of the Beltway. A Buick station wagon and a Toyota minivan had struck each other in an offset head-on collision, leaving both drivers pinned inside their vehicles.
Unfortunately, the collision was fatal for both drivers, so no immediate extrication was necessary. As a precaution, RS 741 used its thermal imaging camera (TIC) to check in the brush beside the road for any vehicle occupants who might have been ejected but did not find any additional patients. (Use of the TIC for this purpose is not novel.)
RS741 returned to the scene several hours later, along with Truck 706 and Engine 720, to assist the police with completing their investigation.
Ambulance Crew Saves Woman With Allergic Reaction
June 8
An ambulance crew’s quick actions saved a woman suffering from a severe reaction to medication.
Ambulance 726, a B-CC Rescue Squad ambulance stationed at Bethesda Fire Department Station 26 on Democracy Blvd., was dispatched at 1925 hours for a report of trouble breathing in a middle aged woman at her residence near Montgomery Mall. They arrived on scene to find a woman who had been to the oral surgeon earlier in the day, and appeared to be having a bad reaction to some of the medications he had given her. She was speaking in gasps and hyperventilating due to the difficulty she was having in breathing.
Prior to the arrival of an engine company with a paramedic, the crew assessed the patient’s symptoms and learned of her medical history, including the oral surgery earlier in the day. They concluded that she was suffering from a severe allergic reaction and anaphylactic shock and began to administer oxygen at 15 liters per minute through a non-rebreather mask.
Recognizing the potential allergic reaction, they also quickly administered a dose of epinephrine using an EpiPen®. This led to a textbook reaction, with bodily shaking and an increased heart rate, while apparently reducing the swelling to the respiratory system. The patient’s breathing slowed down by the time the engine company with a paramedic arrived, and she was doing significantly better by the time the medic was able to evaluate her.
With the rapid improvement in the patient’s condition, the paramedic concluded that no advanced life support intervention was needed; however, the paramedic accompanied Ambulance 726 as they transported the woman to the hospital.
An ambulance crew’s quick actions saved a woman suffering from a severe reaction to medication.
Ambulance 726, a B-CC Rescue Squad ambulance stationed at Bethesda Fire Department Station 26 on Democracy Blvd., was dispatched at 1925 hours for a report of trouble breathing in a middle aged woman at her residence near Montgomery Mall. They arrived on scene to find a woman who had been to the oral surgeon earlier in the day, and appeared to be having a bad reaction to some of the medications he had given her. She was speaking in gasps and hyperventilating due to the difficulty she was having in breathing.
Prior to the arrival of an engine company with a paramedic, the crew assessed the patient’s symptoms and learned of her medical history, including the oral surgery earlier in the day. They concluded that she was suffering from a severe allergic reaction and anaphylactic shock and began to administer oxygen at 15 liters per minute through a non-rebreather mask.
Recognizing the potential allergic reaction, they also quickly administered a dose of epinephrine using an EpiPen®. This led to a textbook reaction, with bodily shaking and an increased heart rate, while apparently reducing the swelling to the respiratory system. The patient’s breathing slowed down by the time the engine company with a paramedic arrived, and she was doing significantly better by the time the medic was able to evaluate her.
With the rapid improvement in the patient’s condition, the paramedic concluded that no advanced life support intervention was needed; however, the paramedic accompanied Ambulance 726 as they transported the woman to the hospital.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Glen Echo House Fire Injures 3 Rescue Squad Firefighters
May 25, 2010
Rescue Squad 741 responded to a late afternoon house fire with an initial report of an explosion in the 5600 block of Ogden Road in Glen Echo.
First arriving Glen Echo Engine 711 reported a large 2-story split-level house with attached garage that was fully involved. When the Rescue Squad arrived on scene a few minutes later, it found heavy black smoke coming from the attached garage and from windows on all sides of the house.
The crew quickly forced entry to the front door of the house. With 5 personnel on Rescue Squad 741, the crew split into 2 teams and entered different parts of the house to conduct search and rescue operations. They quickly conducted a primary search throughout the first and second floors with smoke banking down to the floor level and significant heat. During their search, they broke out windows and forced open a door on the D side of the house, opposite the garage in order to provide some visibility.
After the fire was knocked down, Rescue Squad 741’s crew assisted fire marshals in removing the remains of a Jaguar that was parked in the garage for further investigation.
Three Rescue Squad firefighters were slightly injured as they entered the basement and encountered intense heat that was coming from the attached garage. After returning to the station, the three were transported non-emergency to the MedStar burn center for assessment of minor burns received to the ears. They were treated and released after a short time.
To read about more incidents, visit http://www.bccrs.org/Action.html
Rescue Squad 741 responded to a late afternoon house fire with an initial report of an explosion in the 5600 block of Ogden Road in Glen Echo.
First arriving Glen Echo Engine 711 reported a large 2-story split-level house with attached garage that was fully involved. When the Rescue Squad arrived on scene a few minutes later, it found heavy black smoke coming from the attached garage and from windows on all sides of the house.
The crew quickly forced entry to the front door of the house. With 5 personnel on Rescue Squad 741, the crew split into 2 teams and entered different parts of the house to conduct search and rescue operations. They quickly conducted a primary search throughout the first and second floors with smoke banking down to the floor level and significant heat. During their search, they broke out windows and forced open a door on the D side of the house, opposite the garage in order to provide some visibility.
After the fire was knocked down, Rescue Squad 741’s crew assisted fire marshals in removing the remains of a Jaguar that was parked in the garage for further investigation.
Three Rescue Squad firefighters were slightly injured as they entered the basement and encountered intense heat that was coming from the attached garage. After returning to the station, the three were transported non-emergency to the MedStar burn center for assessment of minor burns received to the ears. They were treated and released after a short time.
To read about more incidents, visit http://www.bccrs.org/Action.html
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