Chasers As: First Responders

[Bob Schafer]

Anyone can get basic (or better) first aid training for free at a local Red Cross office. Give them a call to find out when. You'll even have fun doing it.

 

[Susan Strom]

After a storm emergency has passed, I found that just listening to someone who was affected can bring them comfort. One time I let a man walking around an obliterated car dealership from the Del City twister bend my ear. I got the feeling he needed to just get a lot of stuff out, so I just shut up and let him talk for an hour. The things he told me, staring off into space as if he was still watching it all play out, were absolutely unfathomable. Apparently, even a stranger's ear will do; so listening for however long he needed was a comfort, which made me feel good, somewhat useful even just a tiny bit, after a catastrophic situation.

 

[Edward Ballou]

This all revolves around the issue of verbal consent vs. implied consent. The Red Cross does a SUPERIOR job in explaining how you can be exempt from liability under the Good Samaritan Law.

One general rule: If the person is unconcious and/or unable to provide consent, consent is implied. If family members are around and refuse your assistance, then it gets a little bit more hairy - but most likely they're going to agree.

Just make sure you ask if it's ok BEFORE you help - that's most important.

 

[Jason Bolt]

I am one of the "new breed of chaser emergency management people." I was actually planning on coming home to southeast Kansas to chase this spring before I took this job.

Carrying a flashlight, blanket, and work gloves is a great idea. At first in a Greensburg situation there isn't a lot of emphasis on medical care other than stabilizing life threatening injuries. Searching and finding victims is second only to responded safety. Anyone immediately on scene with medical training will certainly be utilized. Chasers that may travel some distance to get there should check in at the command post to see what kind of help is needed. Our biggest problem in Stafford County was with freelancers. Our personnel have had incident command beat into their heads. They did great. We have outside people we didn't ask for that showed up, said they were from a well known EMS agency, and not until they transported a critical patient did we find out they were a first responder unit and didn't even have on board oxygen. Things like this make local officials leary of using "medical personnel" that didn't come through appropriate channels.

Probably the best thing chasers can do is let locals see the radar. Bob Fritchie and Rachel Sigler stopped with me west of Macksville. We had no power, no radar. I could see where the storm was, what areas I could safely send rescue into, and where I needed to move personnel out of the way. Bob's actions was probably the most lifesaving thing in Stafford County that day.

 

[Randy Denzer]

I am currently in a partnership that is developing a weather training program for first responders. We have been working on this for about a year and a half. We are now training the use of Mobile Threat Net to TXTF 1 and other FEMA respnonse teams as I write this. I was on the phone with FEMA from the moment we arrived in Greensberg. I assisted the Chief in setting up an Incident Command post and other members of the team set up a triage area and staging areas. (Hats of to every MESO team member who was there, they worked hard!).

Part of our program will be a weather resource network for FEMA. This will involve a certification of those interested in providing weather recon info and response coordination.

I will provide more info as the program comes to existance.

FYI: Sam Furman and myself ended up in airpacks doing search and rescue in a Haz MAt hotzone in Greensberg. We went into the powerplant to find a man trapped while the pressurized train containers leaked amonia and possibly chlorine. This is how far chases can actually help.


Randy

 

[Glenn Schubert]

I am a former EMT Instructor. I am now a First Responder Instructor and Bloodborne Pathogen Instructor for the Illinois State Police, as a collateral duty. I usually have my First Responder kit with me when I chase. I also commend those of you who stop to render first aid to victims who have been injured from a storm. As a note, at one time Missouri did not have a "Good Samaritan" law, so that is one thing to consider.
I do have recommendation that others may have already mentioned. Do not put yourself into a risky situation where you might also become a victim. If a rescue is too risky, wait for the professionals. Downed power lines are very dangerous! Keep some latex or nitrile gloves in your kits. HBV is much more easily transmitted than HIV. Keep a CPR pocket mask or CPR microshield handy. I did CPR on a guy after a shuttle launch at Kennedy Space Center a few years ago for 1/2 hr without a barrier device, because I did not have one handy. The microshields are small and can fit on a keychain or in a pocket. Document any aid you gave as soon as you can. This may become an issue later.
I am surprised to read that some of you carry AEDs. You usually have to be under the supervision of an MD or resourse hospital to possess these...at least in Illinois.
Finally, I must say to all of you, keep up the good work. With your efforts, there was apparently a 20 minute advanced warning in Greenburg of the pending tornado.

 

[Jay McCoy]

I am surprised to read that some of you carry AEDs. You usually have to be under the supervision of an MD or resourse hospital to possess these...at least in Illinois.

Its not anything like that in Texas. Not sure about surrounding states but here not only do many 1st responders like my Emergency Services but also fire and police units all carry these units. Also many public places such as stadiums, schools, and restaraunts have them. The training to use them is now part of the Red Cross' CRP training. Anybody who has CPR training is also certified to operate the AED. Anybody can own them. They are extremely easy to use with diagrams right on the shock pads on where to place them then the machine does the rest.

 

[Bob Hall]

I’ve been doing some research on AED’s (Automated External Defibrillator) and considered adding one to the chase vehicle. It is important to remember that these “consumer” AED can only diagnose and shock ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. They are not designed to shock asystole or 'flat line' patterns. I’m not a medical professional in any form, but those I have consulted suggested that a consumer AED would be of limited life saving value to a lightning strike victim (my primary interest in purchasing one). Cardiac arrest in lightning strikes is usually asystole instead of ventricular fibrillation from what I have been told.

 

[Bill Hark]

I have consulted suggested that a consumer AED would be of limited life saving value to a lightning strike victim (my primary interest in purchasing one). Cardiac arrest in lightning strikes is usually asystole instead of ventricular fibrillation from what I have been told.

Yes, but if there is V Fib, the AED would help. More important and useful for chasers would be a CPR mask and training.. The heart will often restart on its own but spontaneous respirations can take longer. Thus CPR can be very beneficial until the person starts breathing on their own.

Although rescue and life saving is best left to the professionals, early after the event chasers can be very helpful. Once the authorities arrive, check in and find out how to best serve the area.

Bill Hark

 

[Randy Denzer]

I’ve been doing some research on AED’s (Automated External Defibrillator) and considered adding one to the chase vehicle. It is important to remember that these “consumer” AED can only diagnose and shock ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. They are not designed to shock asystole or 'flat line' patterns. I’m not a medical professional in any form, but those I have consulted suggested that a consumer AED would be of limited life saving value to a lightning strike victim (my primary interest in purchasing one). Cardiac arrest in lightning strikes is usually asystole instead of ventricular fibrillation from what I have been told.

MESO carries AED's, airway bags and trauma bags. We are Professional Firefighters and use them at work. I am an AHA CPR instructor as well as a TDH EMT instructor and a BMI.
I suggest you not worry about whether the heart is in V-Fib or A-fib or Asystole. These consumer AED's are designed to be used by the general public and all you have to do is follow the directions. I have personally seen them in action many times and they are worth the investment. I do recommend the you take a AHA CPR class to be better preparred to use in the event you need to use it. As far as a lightning strike goes, these pt's can be found in a state in which the AED may advise a shock. Do not assume anyone is asystole, it could be PEA, v-fib, a-fib or a number of other rythims (sp?).

I highly envourage anyone to carry what you can use to help as long as you have basic training to use it. A pocket mask or BVM would also be helpfull but do not count out mouth to mouth as a last resort. We were in Greenberg for an hour before seeing local responders equipped to actually help. We had our own equipement and used it for 4 - 5 hours

Anyone is welcome to email me if you have any questions about medical gear or training. I may be able to send you in the right direction.

Randy
[email protected]

 

[Jason Persoff]

I think it's wonderful to see so many chasers who have the gear to help in emergencies! My experience over the years is that all chasers want to help each other and help others when disasters strike. It's one of the things about our community about which I'm very proud. A couple purely medical comments here:

***Good Sam acts are as everyone has noted above. But there is another key aspect that hasn't been mentioned: in addition to acting in good diligence, you CANNOT accept any reimbursement of any kind, be it cash or gifts from the person you cared for. This can be very awkward after you've done a good deed and the person tries to thank you, but liability-wise it is better to decline gifts that exceed "token value". There's a lot of debate right now in the medical literature about what "token" means, but usually that's anything that has a cash value. I'm not a lawyer, and I've never heard of litigation, but I can tell you that with some states capping malpractice rewards, many personal injury lawyers are veritably attacking anyone who touched a patient.

***My area of medical research is resuscitation. AEDs are wonderful and are now available without prescription (which means you do NOT need a supervising MD for their use). However, recent data suggests an OVER-emphasis on their use. Anyone who appears to be pulseless (which depending on your level of training may mean anyone who appears unresponsive at all) should have immediate CPR instituted prior to using the AED, particularly if downtime is not known. (For those with an interest: when AEDs were rolled out to Seattle EMS in the late 1990s, survival rates for cardiac arrest DROPPED paradoxically. Further investigation revealed it was because more emphasis was placed on the AED than on basic CPR. Thus, CPR is now recommended first line, which is a change from how we have practiced previously.).

***On the topic of ventilation, I would only add that chest compressions alone are probably sufficient for field resuscitation. Ventilations are done improperly more times than they are done correctly and thus may actually hinder resuscitation. Chest compressions by themselves do in fact generate a tidal volume (air moving in and out of the lungs) and many lines of research show that chest compressions alone are probably physiologically superior to chest compressions plus ventilation. This also gets you out of the psychological barriers that come with MTM ventilations. BVMs and face masks are STRONGLY discouraged for those not routinely checked on their use since most people do not do them correctly and they result in increased complication rates.

***I think anyone who helps out at a scene of devestation is heroic. People providing psychological help by "just being there" is more important than feeling you have to have medical training. That said, if you aren't trained in CPR or first aid, the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association offer quick, valuable classes and I recommend everyone take them.

***To clarify what Dr. Hark said above, most patients of lightning strike do, indeed, have spontaneous return of heart function post-strike given time. The standard teaching is to provide rescue breathing alone initially as the heart will restart. While true, there is a phenomenon known as "stunning" that occurs to the heart after a large shock that results in return of normal "electrical" function early on, but with highly impaired "mechanical" pump function over the short-term. If someone is struck by lightning and is unresponsive, I would recommend chest compressions early on. Do not assume someone is breathing post-strike if they have "gasping" respirations. These types of respirations occur when patients are near-death and are ineffective to keep someone alive. Early CPR is a lifesaver!

***Shameless plug: I am happy to help in any capacity with medical questions if you come across a situation you need help with. I offer a medical hotline available 24/7. See my sig below.

 

[Willie Dines]

Hey Jason , How's it going buddy?

I remember catching some of your footage, of you chasing, on a documentary, that Discovery was showing, I think it was part of the "Tornado" series of programmes", it's good that you're still rolling on the roads buddy

Anyways back on topic again

I have yet to learn first aid, but I know that it is something that I want to learn, simply because as a stormchaser, it is dangerous enough and a means of helping to save lives, but to be able to have the ability in first aid to help injured victims of severe weather, is something that is remarkable in itself

I wholeheartedly take my hat off in respect for all the chasers out there, who take it on themselves to help victims, even in the smallest of ways, by offering blankets, first aid, a cigarrette (If the chaser/victim smokes), just like it was mentioned earlier, but also, I take my hat off to the emergency medical teams, who give it their all to try and help as best they can, even in times of disaster

Here is 1 thing that I am wondering though.... Do you good people here, think that it would be a worthwhile idea, to include lightning safety drills, as well as tornado drills? For Example, when chasers/spotters are shown what to do, when there is a high risk of a lightning strike near you... I feel that, if more people were aware of lightning safety, that it would help bring down the number of lightning strike victims, even if it is just by a fraction, but it is better to reduce the number of victims by a fraction, than not to reduce the number at all

Willie

 

[Jason Persoff]

Cheers, Willie...'course I'm still chasing. This is a passionate hobby! I loved those series--good ol' Pioneer Productions was very nice to us chasers and gave us more realistic than sensationalistic presentations. Good stuff.

Lightning's a bit trickier to educate or drill on. In fact, the only known way not to get struck is to live in a Farraday cage (think: car or other metallic cage) or not to be near a thunderstorm at all. Often there's no good warning of a strike about to occur (though occasionally people will see St. Elmo's Fire or have their hair stand on end). Prevention is key. Too many people assume that lightning only occurs where it's raining, but we all know that "bolts out of the blue" are exceptionally common. I think the public health stanpoint is great, mate, don't get me wrong, but it's really a matter of educating prevention.

 

[SteveCarter]

I was one of the very first people into Dumas, AR after the tornado ripped through there. I helped look for people in the rubble, and let people use my cell phone, (surprised it worked), and helped as much as I could. I REALLY wish I had more training in search and rescue. I plan on getting that training as soon as I can find the time. Chasers seem to be more and more on the scene, and I think it's our obligation to help, if not get the training to do so, at least do whatever you possibly can. ie...put the camera down, and actually help.

 

[Willie Dines]

Cheers, Willie...'course I'm still chasing. This is a passionate hobby! I loved those series--good ol' Pioneer Productions was very nice to us chasers and gave us more realistic than sensationalistic presentations. Good stuff.

Lightning's a bit trickier to educate or drill on. In fact, the only known way not to get struck is to live in a Farraday cage (think: car or other metallic cage) or not to be near a thunderstorm at all. Often there's no good warning of a strike about to occur (though occasionally people will see St. Elmo's Fire or have their hair stand on end). Prevention is key. Too many people assume that lightning only occurs where it's raining, but we all know that "bolts out of the blue" are exceptionally common. I think the public health stanpoint is great, mate, don't get me wrong, but it's really a matter of educating prevention.

Hey Jason , that's what I like to hear

I agree with you on the more realistic approach to stormchasing, because I think that making stormchasing look like an adventure theme park, is always going to cause more harm, than good, but I'm glad that Pioneer studios gave you guys the respect that you all deserve

One of the very first things that I learned in severe Thunderstorms, was, Avoiding standing near trees, telephone poles, street lights, etc, but also, I learned about lightning safety, where if outdoors and your hair begins to stand up on end, crouch down into a ball, with your feet slightly apart and your hands covering your head, I have had 3 occasions, where this particular safety drill, has came in very usefull, when outsite in a severe lightning storm

And so, with this in mind, I feel, that if there is a better way to educate people on how to be that little bit safer, then it would be worth while

Willie