interview question

The_Pheniox

The_Pheniox

Location
Canada
Hi guys,

During an interview I was asked, what would you do if the person you are working with is in the bucket and they pass out. No scenarios given, how would you answer that.
 
Get him to the ground ASAP and ascess the situation/call 911.

What else can one do?
 
Well you take the leap just to make sure that in case it is electrically charged there is nothing to worry about there or check prior to using the lower controls to bring him down. calling the EMT might also be a very wise option in this case and then put the bucket on the ground rather than on top of the truck for easier access for you and the paramedics and then check for pulse and do you check call care procedures.
 
Call 911 and make sure that you follow whatever protocol dictated by law or your employer.

Remember, when it comes to deciding if you should perform the rescue yourself, if you don't know, don't go!

If you decide that you can affect a rescue assess the situation carefully and do what you can to get him down WITHOUT making yourself a victim also.
 
Yell as loud as possible to the bucket operator. If no response.....

Call 911 or if possible have someone else call 911.

Make sure the bucket truck is not energized. I would make 'the jump' onto the bucket truck even if it didn't look energized.

Make sure the victim is not tangled in the tree or ropes before operating the lower boom controls to get the victim to the ground.

Be careful to not move the victim in case of spinal injuries....unless there is no pulse or breathing. If no pulse or breathing start CPR.
 
Key to any rescue situation is to make sure that you or someone else calls 911 BEFORE any rescue is attempted.

And what TreeCo said, don't make yourself a second victim...


jp
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Standard BLS (Basic Life Support) procedure for unconscious victim:

Have someone call 911 and return to site to report that task completed.
Based on scenario, no likelihood of C-Spine injury.
[Scene Safety] Check to make sure the bucket isn't energized.
Use ground controls to lower bucket.
[Body Substance Isolation] Don latex gloves and eye protection.
[Level of Consciousness] Check for consciousness verbally, then by painful stimulus - rub your knuckles into victim's sternum.
Remove victim to ground to perform procedures.
[Airway] If unresponsive, assume unable to control airway - open airway by head-tilt/chin-lift method.
[Breathing] Look,Listen,Feel for breathing by putting your cheek/ear next to victim's mouth and watching for chest rise. If no breathing, begin rescue breathing.
[Circulation] Use index and middle finger to feel for carotid (neck artery) pulse. If no pulse, transition from rescue breathing to CPR.
Continue CPR until patient is revived, rescuer is exhausted or relieved by another rescuer (hopefully EMS).
 
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Well you take the leap just to make sure that in case it is electrically charged there is nothing to worry about there

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One of the worst things you can do.

This may be a good thread in itself, but it is not recommended.
 
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Great response fhfr436. Great response.

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Thanks, it all seems second nature and obvious to me, but I've been a licensed, practicing EMT for about 7-years now.

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not all bucket trucks have ground controls, do they?

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I wouldn't be surprised to find that some older ones do not. I have limited experience with bucket trucks, but have used many different hydraulic manlifts for many years. In the event of system failure, these often only have hydraulic valves that can be opened at the ground level to release the various degrees of freedom (telescope, lift, rotate basket). I've often gotten myself in a position, however, where just releasing the pressure would not be enough because the basket has been threaded up into the structure. Obviously this could easily happen in a tree too. In that event, the preferrable system is going to be the type Genie manlifts have: battery power can be used for emergency operation of all controls if the main power source for the hydraulic system fails. That includes going up/extending as well as down/retracting.

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not all bucket trucks have ground controls, do they?
Then what?

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You must have access to the patient to effect any type of lifesaving care. Any significant patient care (to an unresponsive patient) will involve getting the patient horizontal. Potentially, this could be done off the ground in a Stokes basket, but just getting the patient in it would be extremely difficult. There are really only two possible postions: slumped over the side or a pile of goo in the bottom. You really need to get them to the ground to be effective.

Assuming the truck is not energized is an essential first step though. Never allow the would-be rescuer to become another victim!
 
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Thanks, it all seems second nature and obvious to me, but I've been a licensed, practicing EMT for about 7-years now.



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Fhr, do you work as an EMT and do tree work? I got my EMT-1 about three years ago and haven't done anything with it... been thinking about working part time on the side to stay up with all the stuff (BSI precautions
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)

jp
grin.gif
 
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do you work as an EMT and do tree work?

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I don't really "do" tree work. Although I do tree "work" on occasion (friends, family & neighbors). I am an avid, although not frequent recreational tree climber. Earlier in life, I did a lot of rock climbing.

Daily, I am a practicing registered structural engineer and an on-call (part time) Fire Fighter/EMT. Through that route, I am also a Rope Rescue Technician. If you live in an area with an on-call Fire Dept. or combination dept., not married (or very accomodating wife) and no kids, it's a great side job.
 
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stay up with all the stuff (BSI precautions
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)

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That's a great think about the FD, they pay me (and require me to attend) monthly EMS CE training.

BSI is second nature to me ... due to repetition. I'd never enter a scene without gloves and glasses. The thing that's hard to keep up with is CPR - American Red Cross (ARC) seems to be changing the protocol every year. I've known CPR for about 26-years and those old deep-rooted methods are hard to re-wire.
 
That ones got to be in your lap this time - LOL

Might be a dozen good answers.

My first response would be to do what I need to do first, to make sure that nothing else is going wrong as a result of that, or due to it's cause, that would immediately increase injuries or escalate the situation. That would be reasonable looking to see if the cause can be seen.

So the passed-out person may not be the first item of attention. The cause, if any, could easily be the priority.

Just depends.
 
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