Can you save a life?

[jeff]

I was driving along today when a thought occurred to me. I wonder if SCORE would provide a reduced entry for either membership or actual per race entry fees for.... people that went through and passed the basic CPR training course.

I know it sounds rather silly at first, but think about it. How many of you know how to perform the basic CPR procedures? I bet Sal might at least provide some incentive for those people that take the time to get certified. Does anything like this exist in any other form of sport?

If it even saved one life I think everyone would agree it's worth the time spent on the training.

Any thoughts?

Aloha

 

[Jimmy8]

In just about every other motorsport, the paramedics could get to a hurt driver faster than another driver could. Off Road is different in that aspect, and I know that almost every off road racer on this board stops if they see someone else in a hellacious accident, and no one else is around, regardless of who the other driver is. Have you seen the movie driven, well that happens in off road all the time, racers helping racers.

 

[Rory]

Jeff, It seems now a days teams are hiring EMT/Paramedics as pit crews. Herbst has a medic in the Helo, I think Robby Gordon has one too, I'm a medic and help out Collins at the Mexico races along with another EMT, along with some other teams. The problem with "riding in a race car" as an EMT/medic, you need the tools of the trade and there's not enough room in the race cars to carry the stuff needed. There is a lot of stuff needed for an EMT/Medic to do any good out in the field, like oxygen, b/p cuff, stethescope, first add equip, IV equip, needles, drugs (morphine), EKG monitor, back boards, head beds, c-collars and so forth. I think you have the right idea but just hard to make it work. Maybe something good could come out of this.......maybe just some more brain storming.

Racers only

 

[Jimmy8]

Another problem with an emt in a race car, is what if you have an accident and the emt is the one to get hurt. If you look at all of the bad off road accidents that have happened, the co rider gets hurt more often than the driver.

 

[stuckthrottle]

Maybe what we really need is a better EMT service at the races. About ten years ago score would hire an emt/paramedic team from tijuana known as the rescue hawks (rescate halcones). My dad was part of that emt team but thats besides the point. They would have over ten ambulances strategically spread over the race track (baja 250, 500, and 1000) along with some specialized emergency units i.e. 4x4, fire fighting capabilities, helicopters, emts on dirtbike and atvs, etc. Score later stopped this service because, although life saving, was too expensive. I'll look for some picture on this, it was quite interesting.

victor fabian
www.stuck-throttle.com</A>

 

[evan_clanin]

how can saving a life be to expensive, its priceless, if i were racing i would pay more to know that my life is a lil safer and my partners along with my friends

 

[racemedic]

The main problem that I see is the expence, most promoters don't want to spend much money. When I worked or I should say volunteered my time for SCORE we didn't get paid much. It's hard to get people to come down to a race, drive several hundred miles, oh can you bring all your own equipment too, here is your $40.00 and you will be at a check point just south of San Felipe and sorry no hotel for you. The best promoter I worked for was Baja Promotions. Lou would have rooms for us, we didn't make a lot of money but he took care of most of our expences. The bottom line is $$$ and that's to bad because there should be and can be a better system, the racers and pit/chase people deserve it.

 

[JasonHutter]

We thought about putting some of the equip. to help people out on the race truck, but came into the same problem you guys already addressed. We can't find room for even some of the basic of tools on our little 7s. We were looking for a place to put a back board for starters, which is one of the largest of tools. If we found a place for a back board, then we would need more space for everything else that you need to use the back board. The best tool we all have for now is the radio. The sooner it is reported, the sooner the proper help can arrive. At least half of everyone that is at the races with our team is either a paramedic or an EMT basic. Everyone else is family! Don't ever be affraid to ask anyone on our team for help if there is an emergency.

Jason
Fire Guys Racing

P.S. We arn't the only firefighter emt/medics out there. There are a lot of us at the races.

 

[jeff]

I wasn't suggesting full blown medics with gear in every vehicle, though that would be nice, that sounds like a pipe dream. I'm just talking about basic first aid and CPR training. Maybe SCORE, MDR or anyone else left after the off-road shakeouts and closedowns could have that as part of their membership requirements. I agree that off-road racers help other racers, it'd just be nice if everyone had the basics behind proper first on scene medical care.

Brainstorm away I say.

Aloha

 

[stuckthrottle]

here are some pics i found. Yeah i know theyre kinda old school but that was my point. That back then score was a little more "better equipped" to handle emergencies. The pictures are from a san felipe 250 about < 9 yrs ago.

victor fabian
www.stuck-throttle.com</A>

 

[stuckthrottle]

heres another

victor fabian
www.stuck-throttle.com</A>

 

[stuckthrottle]

..............and finally

victor fabian
www.stuck-throttle.com</A>

 

[robert_encinas]

i remember those days ! i also remember a couple volunteer guys whose trucks were set up like pre-runners.
i think it was Off-Road magazine that did a feature on them in the late 80's or early 90's, they had all kinds of first aid
stuff on board in place of dump cans and tools.

 

[rdc]

It only costs a couple hundred dollars to go to EMT school --- that is for one of the local programs that is a 6-8 week night course. It's really good to take whether you are in racing or not. You can take it at most city colleges too. I took it and learned a lot of valuable information. The skills I've learned have aided me in quite a few situations where I've come up on accidents (both on the highway and in the desert) and was the only one around to help.

In reality, everyone should at least take CPR and First Aid, whether you race or not. EMT school is fun and you learn great things. If anyone is interested I can give you the number to the EMT quick course.


~~KEEP THE DESERT CLEAN~~

 

[jeff]

Question... that first attached picture - that looks more like Ensenada. I forget the name of the hotel... toward the end of town on the right hand side... Are you sure that's San Felipe?

Aloha

 

[martininsocal]

jason-the 2 best things to have are a one way valve mask and an airway. if you got the room, maybe a c-collar. for the sake of argument, you can do just about all the other teratment(shock, splint, stop bleeding) with out anything but your skivvies and your brains. we aren't gonna be drilling holes to relieve subdernal bleeds or making decisions whether there is c-apine damage in the field. just abc's, stabilize, and for the most part, wait for the air ambulance. basic cpr is good to know if you own a pool, have small children, etc...but believe me, traumatic full arrests are, for the most part of the basic cpr person, dead. the treatments needed for these types of injuries far outweigh anything a bystander can do. what everyone should go through is basic first aid, learn about heat exhaustion/heat stroke, insect bites/stings, and basic trauma treatment. this will help you more than any other thing in an emergency. martin

If your gonna go, go BIG

 

[stuckthrottle]

Jeff, youre right.
That is ensenda, It was on their way to san felipe. Im 100% sure on this because that was my first time going to a race (that i can remember watching).That rescue team used to cover all 3 of the score baja races.

victor fabian
www.stuck-throttle.com</A>