Fabulous idea, fabulous writing, fabulous suspense.
 
Thank you for following along with these amazing heroes in our community. I grew up with a parent who served an emergency on-call job like these EMTs, and it was scary to see her come home with bruises, gashes, cuts—looking like she should have been the one taking the ambulance to the hospital, not staffing the thing. Try explaining to your small children that someone beat you up while you tried to save their life…

Your description of the way the general public views EMTs is spot-on. Thank you for bringing their real work to light!

I played poker with these guys, little knowing they had mad hero skills.  Looking forward to tomorrow’s installment.

<span style=“font-family: Arial; color: #666666;”>Driving 80 miles/hour with a patient who has a HEAD INJURY and is keeping everyone off balance who are probably unrestrained just fuels attitudes about those driving an ambulance. Not to mention there is a spectator in the back in this speeding amblulance.  Maybe the term “Ambulance Driver” should be taken more seriously to provide a safe work environment. Ambulance driving may not be considered a cool skill like shocking a heart but it is the one that will also keep those who provide the care, the patient and everyone else on the streets safer.  This blog clearly demonstrates “ambulance driving” at its unsafest.</span>
<span style=“font-family: Arial; color: #666666;”>You can call yourself an Ambulance Driver when you can drive like a professional and aren’t expecting applause for every little thing you do. I doubt if the OR workers, including the nurses and doctors, don’t come out and expect someone to high five them after every surgery.  Also in the OR everyone looks the same and the only way to tell them apart is their position at the patient. </span>
<span style=“font-family: Arial; color: #666666;”>Take the job of being an “Ambulance Driver” seriously and don’t belittle this very important skill. </span>
 

This is not a display of professional EMS and I hope the management at Pro Ambulance in Champaign sees this to take appropriate action for retraining this crew or reviewing their protocols.  80 mph in an ambulance with an EMT, Paramedic, Police Officer, patient and an observer in the back is just unsafe under any situation. I also have to ask if the Officer was still wearing his gun during this struggle in close quarters.  This whole situation could have had a very bad outcome for all involved.
Doesn’t this ambulance company have alternatives routes for medication such as IN or IM to slow the patient down a little? What about the appropriate or at least creative restraints?  Is a BP really necessary at that moment and would it even be accurate in a combative patient?
 Don’t think all of EMS is like this. Some of us strive to make it home after each shift. We work hard to be a safe “ambulance driver” and take that with pride without getting hung up on names which EMS has too many to remember for even those in it. If the public sees us racing at 80 mph down the highway and riding our patients like cowboys just like the movies than we deserve whatever image given to us.  It may not look exciting to have enough guidelines/protocols in place to properly sedate and secure a patient before and during transport for a calm ride but it is safer.
Please be safe out there. Speeding at 80 mph in an ambulance does not save lives.
 

JG and JJackson I feel that you’re both a little bit off base with your comments.

First of all, it’s not unreasonable to operate an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens activated at 80MPH on a flat, straight, relatively deserted stretch of 4 lane divided highway or interstate. Route 45 between Thomasboro and Urbana, in the wee hours of the morning as described in this article is just that. They weren’t screaming down Cunningham or Universty Avenues at 80MPH.

The police officer driving, as well as anybody who works in any branch of public safety in our area is required to be specially trained to operate emergency vehicles at high speeds as well as during emergency maneuvers. You will not likely see an ambulance operating in excess of 80 though for safety purposes.

EMTs and Paramedics, as well as the officers and firefighters who help them are all aware that there is an inherent risk in being in the back of an ambulance tending to the sick or injured. That is a risk they’re willing to take to help their fellow man. That risk exists at 55MPH just as much as it does at 80.

I am sure that the vehicle was operated with “due regard for the safety of others” as the law clearly states in relation to emergency vehicles.

As for your comment on the officer and his weapon JJackson, of course he was. The weapon remained in his duty holster, surely with all of the specialty retention mechanisms in place. Officers are trained often in close quarters combat and weapon retention. Otherwise police wouldn’t ever get within talking distance of anyone ever. The story mentions that the patient was immobilized on a backboard. This means his trunk was secured to the board with at least three points of restraint, likely more. In addition, the board and patient are then secured to the cot with a 5-point safety restraint system. While his arms remained free, and since he was actively resisting he had some opportunity to flail his head, it would not have been possible for him to get up and square off with anybody.

I personally know Dave, LeAnn and Tommy. I know that the three of them are all fantastic people who care deeply for those they come into contact with on a daily basis and would never allow them to be placed in the way of undue harm. They do a tremendous job, as do the rest of the EMTs and Paramedics in this county and we’re lucky to have them around!

Just remember when you’re passing all of this judgement and negativity which is unfortunately all too common in this community anymore that it’s a long fall from the judgement tree. I sure hope you don’t need the paramedics when you land!

Dan, this was a fantastic series of articles. You’ve got quite a way with the written word. Well done!

AW, I take it you are speaking on behalf of Pro Ambulance and its employees in Champaign.
I can only go by what was written in this series.
A quote by you:
” I sure hope you don’t need the paramedics when you land!”
Please  refrain from threats such as this.  Some in EMS use comments like this to intimindate others in the general public. It is not professional especially if you are in management at this ambulance service.
There is no negativity on my behalf. I am just questioning the need for speed in this situation with so many in the back. It is hard to believe Illinois has an unlimited speed limit for ambulances. With this many people in the back trying to work on a combative patient, at some point commonsense must prevail. This is regardless of your company policy. Just because you can drive as fast as you want, that does not always mean you should. The 2 minutes you save probably will not make a difference arriving at the hospital.  “Due regard” will be very difficult to explain at 80 mph in a court room.
Any rookie Police Officer should know the danger this situation presents in the back of an ambulance. 
Thank you Mr. Schreiber for writing this series. It is indeed enlightening and will make great material to present when educating new EMTs and Paramedics on mistakes that can turn very bad very quickly.  
We value our employees and try to provide the education, skills and tools or medications for safe transport to where they do not have to rely on diesel nor do we want to rely just on luck for their safety.
I will say it again. Be Safe. 
 
 

I apologize that you’ve interpreted my sarcasm as a threat, as it was not the intention. Alas, that is the problem with Internet communication. I also assure you I’m not in EMS management nor do I work for Pro ambulance. I was just asserting my opinion that  practitioners are capable of safely operating a vehicle at 80mph. Safety is important, hence the career field beingtitled “public safety.” 

AW doesn’t work for Pro Ambulance, but he does work for Arrow Ambulance.  He probably aspires to EMS management but has a fair amount of growing up to do before anything like that happens.