Report Number: 05-0000187
Report Date: 05/27/2005
Event Description
We were conducting our monthly EMT continuing education class. The topic was "combative patient training". The class instructor had two groups of 5 firefighters demonstrate how to subdue a physically combative patient. When our group approached the patient, we all simultaneously converged on the patient and restrained him while standing up. The pile of bodies then shifted in one direction and fell on top of one of the subduers. As the pile cleared, one firefighter was on the verge of passing out due to being at the bottom of a dog pile. Another firefighter sustained a serious neck injury. All participants returned to their seats.
When the pile shifted, all the weight of the pile came straight down on one of the firefighters, rupturing a cervical disc and causing a 50 % occlusion to the firefighter's spinal cord. The seriousness of the injury was not known until 6 weeks later, when the firefighter stopped sucking up what felt like a pinched nerve in the neck and went to get "electric shock" feelings checked out. The firefighter was offline for approximately 7 months. He underwent surgery and is still undergoing procedures and rehabilitation.
Lesson Learned
This was just a poor choice as far as training topics go.
In the future, any classes with this subject and or nature might have content that includes applicaple laws as well as implications from restraining a patient. Possibly even pressure point locations, uses and techniques.
To view the whole report