Bus Accident Simulation Tests EMS Capabilities

What would happen in the event of a major vehicular accident in Scarsdale involving a school bus, a passenger car and a pedestrian? Are our emergency personnel up to the challenge? Is there sufficient equipment and coordination of services to insure that the victims are treated rapidly and with the best standards of care?

That's what David Raizen, President of the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps sought to determine when he set up a simulation of a bus accident at the Secor Road sanitation yard on Monday night May 8. The drill involved a bus carrying 45 students hitting a passenger car containing three victims (one infant), resulting in a collision with a pedestrian who ended up under the bus.

The exercise brought together SVAC volunteers, police, firemen as well as EMS teams and ambulance corps from Eastchester, Mamaroneck, Larchmont, Harrison and Corlandt.

During the hour and half drill, emergency workers followed protocols to secure the scene and assess the nature of the injuries. Blocks were placed under the wheels of the bus and car to stabilize them. Victims were removed from the two vehicles and triaged according to the severity of their conditions. Those with minor wounds were treated at the scene, while others were placed on stretchers and ferried to the waiting ambulances. Fire personnel made sure that those doing the work and being treated were safe at the site and personnel at the command post tracked where each victim was going.

In addition to the 45 girl and boy scouts posing as the victims, the drill involved close to 50 emergency workers, all practicing their protocols.

Following the drill, Raizen said it went smoothly though there is still a lot to be learned. Current law requires SVAC to bring all victims of a bus accident to the hospital, even if they are not severely injured. Raizen is urging the Scarsdale Schools to assume loco parentis and pick up any uninjured students from the scene of an accident to relieve the burden on the ambulance corps.

Photos by Jon Thaler - see more here: