Last month on this page, I talked about the serious motor vehicle accidents to which the emergency services respond. Recently, a Pennsylvania fire chief wrote to us, detailing how many more accidents and roll-overs his department is being called to this year than in the past. In nearly 22 years in my fire department, I have never responded to so many cars flipped over, into trees, slamming into poles and ending up off the road into the woods as in the last several years. This discussion on serious accidents is happening all over the country for many reasons. Members of the FDNY, who now are dispatched as first responders and for motor vehicle accidents on highways or where someone is reported pinned, find their runs to these types of calls on the increase.
Repeating a point made here last month, the average car on the road today is less than three years old. We practice on cars that average 15 years old. Of the 12 million to 13 million emergency calls we respond to each year, tens of thousands are for car accidents. From the minor fender-bender or fluid spill all the way to the extensive extrication, human caring, no matter the number or origin of occupants, is what matters. The safest, most timely way to extricate the patient is what is necessary. After extrication is complete, medical treatment continues to a hospital or trauma center, by ground or by medevac.
Most vehicle accidents and the work of firefighters or rescue squads who do extrication are noticed only by the impatient drivers who often have to take a detour or who rubberneck past the accident scene. In late August, a vehicle accident in Paris involved Princess Diana, one of the most famous woman in the world. It's hard to believe but many firefighters have seen accidents even worse, with more fatalities. But this single car accident made worldwide headlines for weeks after the princess and two others were killed. An estimated 2.5 billion people around the world watched her funeral on TV. I was surprised that nothing was mentioned on TV or in the newspapers of the crew who had to extricate the trapped parties. Apparently, the car was traveling at a very high speed. Noting the extreme damage to the vehicle, it must have been an extensive and complicated extrication.
Firefighters around the world are prepared to respond to the motor vehicle accidents every day. We respond to similar critical situations that may not make worldwide headlines but still leave their mark on responders. With the automobile industry continually adding various safety features to their vehicles, we are planning to enhance auto extrication coverage in upcoming issues.
