Like you, I was at first concerned and then relieved as the hostage situation of four EMS providers in Georgia played out to its conclusion Wednesday.
The dramatic audiotape revealed the anxiety rescue personnel were facing as they realized the dangers of the situation, but the calmness that was exuded and the amount of information he provided to rescue personnel showed great professionalism under fire.
This incident serves as an excellent reminder that our job environment can go from being a stable, safe situation to hell-in-a-handbasket very quickly.
I’m sure there were very few warning signs for the EMS providers that might have kept them out of the situation.
However, it’s still essential that we run through a mental checklist each time we evaluate the scene.
- What are the hazards that exist?
- What are the escape routes?
- What is lying around that can be used as a defensive weapon?
It’s not a question of being paranoid, but being prepared for when really bad things happen.
I know I don’t do it often enough and need to do it more regularly, more consciously.
Kudos to the crew involved in yesterday’s scary incident, for staying calm and helping to mitigate what could have been a tragic outcome.
