Major Incidents

Disaster on the Rails

The scene was reminiscent of a Hollywood disaster movie, but it was the real thing: a multi-situational, multi-jurisdictional train disaster between the neighboring cities of Los Angeles and Glendale, Calif. The time: 0602 hrs, Wednesday, Jan. 26. It_s dark, foggy and raining, and in less than two minutes, 11 people will be dead and 230 others will need rescue, assessment and patient care.

Posted Wednesday, April 8, 2009

When Lightning Strikes: Bolting down the facts & fiction

Did you know that lightning does strike twice in the same place? Read on to test your knowledge of this dangerous natural phenomenon and learn how to treat your patients and keep yourself safe when responding to volatile—and electric—weather.

Posted Friday, March 27, 2009

Chilled Crowds Keep 200-plus ambulances busy

Preparation by DC-area EMS agencies allows inauguration response for more than 2 million people to go off without a hitch; ultrasound use expands in the field with mixed results; JEMS legal columnists ask how well your state_s immunity laws are protecting you; and more.

Posted Wednesday, March 18, 2009

White Cloud: Responding to suspicious white powder incidents

An EMS crew responded to an injury call outside a municipal courthouse find the female victim lying on the ground, covered with a white, powdery substance.

Posted Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Holiday Heroes

Posted Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Hollywood MCI

Los Angeles City Fire Dept (LAFD) crews are shown triaging 40 people involved in a morning bus-versus-car collision.

Posted Tuesday, November 18, 2008

A Dirty Job: Compartment syndrome in a confined-space rescue

On the evening of Sept. 24, 2008, a 9-1-1 call was received reporting " man trapped in a tank" at the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Greenpoint Wastewater Treatment Plant. Dispatch immediately sent a patrol officer, as well as BLS and ALS units, to the site.

Posted Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Getting Ready to Get Out: How EMS providers & hospital staff can work together to successfully relocate patients

This article discusses the evacuation of health-care facilities during a time of disaster.

Posted Thursday, November 13, 2008

Crane Collapse

FDNY EMS Rescue and Haz Tac crews responded to and cared for critically injured patients when a crane broke away from an apartment tower under construction.

Posted Thursday, November 13, 2008