Just an update: I
I am working right now and at 356pm today we had to respond to a MVC ,Motor Vehicle Collision, involving a full school bus, elementary and middle school students, and a mini-van with a 45 year old and her 10 year old son.
The accident happened at the
300 block of Maryland Ave under the 95 overpass.
The school bus struck the van on the drivers side head on to the van and driver side to the bus.
The mini-vans seat belts and air bags, no side air bags.
There was no injuries on the bus out of 25 kids and one driver, which anyone in the EMS or fire service would know is amazing to have happen.
The seat belt and air bags saved the lives of the mother and her son who was in the back seat properly secured for his age and height with shoulder and lap belts.
So out of about 28 people involved in a what could have been a major incident, and the rest of my work for the night, saftey deviced did work.
So even though there are almost 50,000 deaths a year, just think of how many people don't die because of it also, that is something that I forgot to mention in my last post that is very important I don't want people to think that nothing is being done just that there is always more that needs to be done.
Also for those of you that like to research things online look up how many injuries and deaths that side airbags have caused to EMS and Fire personal since their inception here is one of my favorite articles about this
topic it is something that I use to help teach new EMTs and was used to teach me.
All these great safety devices also have hidden dangers to them also, I have been on accident scenes where air bags deploy 5-10 minutes after the occupants have been removed from the vehicle. Thankfully no one has been hurt by that that I have witnessed but it dose happen.
Nice fact: If you removed a door that has side air bags placed in it with the inside part of the door facing down and set off the air bag charge it will literally shoot the door about 3-5 feet in the air, imagine that hitting a fire fighter or EMT who is trying to apply aid to someone trapped in a car.
Every thing has its perks and draw backs.
Once again things need to be done and things need to be changed and the best part is the future of those changes is hopefully reading this right now.