Woman Declared Dead- WOOPS!

[Guest guest]

That story reminds me of a scene I flew to once in which 2 were reported DAS

and 1 patient entrapped. While the patient was being extricated, I walked

away from the scene to take Polaroids photos of the vehicle (for the ED &

Trauma docs). About 20 feet from the extrication, I saw one body covered

with a sheet. I noticed there was an intermittent sinkening in of the sheet

around where the patient's face should be. At first I thought it was just

the wind, but as I got closer, I heard audible agonal respirations. I pulled

the sheet back slowly (scared to death), and found the patient obviously

trying to breathe! She had a pulse! We ended up flying her to the hospital,

and called another ship for the entrapped patient. My patient had massive

injuries, went to the OR, and died the next day of DIC. I will never forget

that experience. You can bet it taught me what a HUGE responsibility we have

when we deem a victim " DAS " .

Lance Gutierrez