67Continental
Legacy Member
Most of the official statement published today by the organizers of Race the half contains many falsehoods. How do I know? Because I was the one standing in the field, on the phone with 911, while their staff did nothing. I've posted this elsewhere, but it's worth posting here again:
None of the following is true:
You had no first responders who provided any assistance. In fact, the one volunteer who tried to help had to be stopped by a medical professional from making the situation worse. We had to use a box of kleenex to stop the bleeding of the injured passenger. That is how unprepared you were for any medical emergencies.
I am the one who called 911 and directed the ambulance to the scene of the accident. I am the one who described the injuries to the victim to the dispatcher and ambulance crew, made them aware of his age, condition, and location. The 911 operator told me that the airport called to report an emergency, but provided no details. I confirmed this later with EMS services from Cowansville / Bromont.
Your group of volunteers did nothing to coordinate the arrival of the ambulance and police officers.
Your group of volunteers had to be stopped from moving the injured passenger by a trained ER nurse who was the only one on the scene - as a spectator - with any medical expertise or ability.
I was in contact today with individuals familiar with the situation between EMS services in the Bromont region and the Race The Half organizers. It turns out that what the organizer of the event told me yesterday about ambulance services was not true. They were not told by EMS that 'there would be an ambulance close by if anything happened,' and local police in the region, who are first responders themselves, were never notified that the event was taking place.
The Race the Half organizers did indeed approach the regional EMS / ambulance services about being on site. When they were told the price of this service, they elected not to pay. They were also offered a first aid service via an EMS association that costs $50 an hour for 2 paramedics, a non-transporting ambulance outfitted with medical equipment, and a golf-kart mini-ambulance. They never responded to this second offer.
That's roughly $600 to have trained EMS personnel on-site, with 2 ambulances. Participants paid $130 to enter the event. Spectators paid between $15 and $20. There was enough budget to have emergency medical services on-site, but the organizers made the conscious choice not to do so. They refused to pay for the medical response services any motorsports event must have access to.
None of the following is true:
You had no first responders who provided any assistance. In fact, the one volunteer who tried to help had to be stopped by a medical professional from making the situation worse. We had to use a box of kleenex to stop the bleeding of the injured passenger. That is how unprepared you were for any medical emergencies.
I am the one who called 911 and directed the ambulance to the scene of the accident. I am the one who described the injuries to the victim to the dispatcher and ambulance crew, made them aware of his age, condition, and location. The 911 operator told me that the airport called to report an emergency, but provided no details. I confirmed this later with EMS services from Cowansville / Bromont.
Your group of volunteers did nothing to coordinate the arrival of the ambulance and police officers.
Your group of volunteers had to be stopped from moving the injured passenger by a trained ER nurse who was the only one on the scene - as a spectator - with any medical expertise or ability.
I was in contact today with individuals familiar with the situation between EMS services in the Bromont region and the Race The Half organizers. It turns out that what the organizer of the event told me yesterday about ambulance services was not true. They were not told by EMS that 'there would be an ambulance close by if anything happened,' and local police in the region, who are first responders themselves, were never notified that the event was taking place.
The Race the Half organizers did indeed approach the regional EMS / ambulance services about being on site. When they were told the price of this service, they elected not to pay. They were also offered a first aid service via an EMS association that costs $50 an hour for 2 paramedics, a non-transporting ambulance outfitted with medical equipment, and a golf-kart mini-ambulance. They never responded to this second offer.
That's roughly $600 to have trained EMS personnel on-site, with 2 ambulances. Participants paid $130 to enter the event. Spectators paid between $15 and $20. There was enough budget to have emergency medical services on-site, but the organizers made the conscious choice not to do so. They refused to pay for the medical response services any motorsports event must have access to.
