20 year old woman dragged from home by man in camo

[vaskidmark]

I don't know what I am.

I know when to freeze and when to jump.
I have to do both at work, so...

Per your screenname you are a

real live GIRL! On the INTERWEBZ!!

However, there are several members who might volunteer to do a verification check.

stay safe.

[KD5NRH]

As a former paramedic and firefighter instructor, I would routinely fail people during an exercise if the first words out of their mouth was not 'assess scene safety first' before doing something.  The people who grab an ax and run solo into a burning building after leaping off the truck always gave me the heebie-jeebies.

Well, considering that the fire is often one of the biggest hazards on the scene, (and certainly the most visible) putting it out seems like a good first step in making the scene safe 

[Scout26]

I've seen it as well.  The "Vapor Lock" of people when action is required. 

I was constantly yelled at by the WINO when we'd be driving along see an accident, and I'd be running toward the scene with first aid kit in hand.  I could never understand her "I'm a nurse, but I'm a baby nurse, so I'm just going to sit in the car and not do anything."  She would say that as a nurse she could be sued if she did anything "wrong".  I printed and read to her Illinois "Good Samaritan" Law.

I've always been "Evaluate the scene as I run toward it type."   

One place I worked at, I saw on of our temps get her sleeve caught in a conveyor and start to get drug toward the roller at the end.  I ran and tackled her, ripping her sleeve but freeing her, and when I looked up from the floor the two other managers that I had been standing with where still where I had left them.  They still had the "deer in the headlights" look on their faces for a moment or two until "time started back up again" and everyone started to run toward where the girl and I had piled up on the floor. 

[MillCreek]

Well, considering that the fire is often one of the biggest hazards on the scene, (and certainly the most visible) putting it out seems like a good first step in making the scene safe 

And you now get hammered by OSHA and other State and Federal regulators if you attack the blaze without first utilizing the appropriate safety protocols.  Seattle Fire got sanctioned and fined on this a few years back when they lost three firefighters in a structural blaze.  The command center did not know how many people were in the structure or where they were.  So when part of the structure collapsed, everyone was pulled back to attack from the outside only.  A considerable period of time passed before anyone realized that the entire crew of an engine was missing.  Entry was made to effect rescue but by then it was too late.  I remember standing on the street and saluting as the funeral procession went by.   

[MillCreek]

I've seen it as well.  The "Vapor Lock" of people when action is required. 

I was constantly yelled at by the WINO when we'd be driving along see an accident, and I'd be running toward the scene with first aid kit in hand.  I could never understand her "I'm a nurse, but I'm a baby nurse, so I'm just going to sit in the car and not do anything."  She would say that as a nurse she could be sued if she did anything "wrong".  I printed and read to her Illinois "Good Samaritan" Law.

Tell WINO that a healthcare risk manager approves of her stopping to give aid.  Although I am not an expert on Illinois law nor am I familiar with their version of the Good Sam law, I do know that it is plainly and simply the right thing to do. Although my years as a licensed provider are many years behind me, I still carry a comprehensive first aid kit and still stop to give aid when necessary.  I can possibly do a lot of good at the scene and I can look at myself in the mirror the next morning.

[KD5NRH]

The command center did not know how many people were in the structure or where they were.

I'm guessing this was before PASS became commonplace, but there should still have been some personnel tracking.  Tag boards worked fine for a long time, and I've seen a few other methods improvised by small departments that actually worked extremely well.

[AmbulanceDriver]

Portland Fire has a pretty good PASSPort system in place now.  It's also backed up with a roll call from dispatch on any evac scenario.  But I will admit, they've gotten pretty lucky.  I remember the last time they had a big fire and were seeing signs that the structure might collapse.  Everyone got out ok, but one engine crew got split up during the evac.  Add the fact that one half of the crew had a bad radio, and there was some real panic for a couple minutes until everyone got accounted for.

[MillCreek]

I'm guessing this was before PASS became commonplace, but there should still have been some personnel tracking.  Tag boards worked fine for a long time, and I've seen a few other methods improvised by small departments that actually worked extremely well.

For many, many years, Seattle Fire suffered from the 'NIH syndrome': not invented here.  So if it was a technique not developed or refined by Seattle Fire, it wasn't any good.  Their EMS system was ground-breaking and a national leader for many years, but the fire side of the house suffered from a series of hide-bound, good ol' boy chiefs.  After losing a few firefighters over the years, they went to tag boards, and now they have an electronic system roll call and personnel tracking system. Last I heard, they were experimenting with a RFID tag tracking system affixed to the helmet. The volunteer department I was with was using tag boards years before Seattle.

[MillCreek]

My first words on every scenario during classes/testing:

"BSI! Scene Safe?"

Scene safe! BSI! MOI/NOI! Spine stabilization?

I will go to my grave chanting that.  I used to do it as a little cheer during class.

[MillCreek]

Portland Fire has a pretty good PASSPort system in place now.  It's also backed up with a roll call from dispatch on any evac scenario.  But I will admit, they've gotten pretty lucky.  I remember the last time they had a big fire and were seeing signs that the structure might collapse.  Everyone got out ok, but one engine crew got split up during the evac.  Add the fact that one half of the crew had a bad radio, and there was some real panic for a couple minutes until everyone got accounted for.

Spot on.  The key in the Seattle incident was it involved the whole crew of an engine, so there was no one back at the rig to notice that they did not come back. In order to maximize boots on the fireground, they had a few engineers covering several rigs at once and sent the rest in on hoses.

[Tallpine]

hide-bound, good ol' boy chiefs

As in: "we don't need no steenkin' ICS"