Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

There was just an article in the St. Pete Times. FL has a new law that 
governs when a life flight is called in. There is a list of risk factors 
the first responders check at a trauma incident. If you have two on the 
list - you go by chopper. One of the factors is "50 or older." So if you 
are in an accident and are older than 50 and have a broken bone - you go 
by chopper. That does sound a little unreasonable - not all 50 year olds 
are created equal and not all broken bones are created equal.

That means if my wife had called 911 when my (at that time) new horse 
decided I would make a good yard dart and busted four ribs - I would 
have had no choice I would have been flown out. I'm sure happy I told 
her if she didn't put the cell phone away, it would end up where it 
would be very uncomfortable ;-)  got up and led my horse back to the 
truck about a mile away. On the other hand if I had punctured a lung or 
was spitting up blood I would have been happy to see a chopper.

The real rub comes from the fact the patient has no say, these flights 
average about $8000 bucks and normally insurance doesn't come close to 
paying that much. You are also taken to a specialized trauma unit which 
may be at a hospital not in your neighborhood.

Truman

Chris Paus wrote:
> So are you am EMT then???
>  
> I did need rescuing in September. Got my face too close to the back 
> end of a young colt and bammo, found out what it feels like to get a 
> broken nose. I'm glad they just sent the ambulance for me and not the 
> Life Flight chopper!
>  
>  
> however, that ambulance ride on 8 miles of gravel road to get to the 
> highway was very much not fun! bumpy! like riding in a buckboard wagon!
>  
> **
> **/"Whisper words of wisdom, let it be." The Beatles/
>  
> Chris 

--

"Life is about obstacles. Endeavors in life are not to be overlooked. 
Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but how we react to 
what happens. Not by what life brings us, but the attitude we bring to 
life." Wade Boggs, on his induction to the baseball hall of fame. 


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