Yep I hear ya guys...I was really upset seeing this wreck and not being able to do anything...I am an EMT too. BUT the roads were bad....really bad and he felt it would be more dangerous to stop. There were other people around and stoppping and there was another wreck about 2 miles behind us that was still being cleaned up.

Anyway I am over being upset and MAD and I understand why we didnt stop. Also we did make it home OK that night.

Also I did PRAY!!

tootie

 

As a 12 year Texas Paramedic instructor I have to inform you that you are full of S*$t!! Unless you have a duty to act, you do not have to stop, even with medical training. As a "volunteer" you are not obligated due to not being paid. I as a Paramedic was always afraid to stop at an accident. What happens if I stop and begin rendering aid and the ambulance is staffed by ECA, EMT or EMT-I level staff? I am then by law obligated to ride in the ambulance to the hospital. This only happened once to me, won't stop again!

 

Now to reply to the original question. If I do happen onto an accident the first thing I do is make sure that I can safely navigate around the hazard. If I feel I can help, I do stop now that my Paramedic certification has been placed on inactive status. First though, like several have said, I make sure it is safe. If I see anything, traffic, location, unexplained vapor from a tank, etc. to make me think that my safety is in jeopardy, I keep going. Call 911 either way, don't assume someone else made the call even if you see several bystanders on the phone. They are probably calling their buddy to tell them about all the mangled sheet metal, blood and guts.

 

i saw a wreck just as i was turning to get on merge ramp. it happened 100 ft or more behind me. just happened to look in mirror & saw 1 car t-bone another that was turning left onto ramp. dont know who's fault it was. i started to brake. but then i thought... whoevers fault it was probably know's it & he just may say ... that big truck was in my way or i couldnt see cause of that truck , or something to include me it. so i kept going. though only minor wreck. no injuries.

 

I'm not stopping my truck and taking the chance of some rubber necker hitting it as they drive by and then turn around and sue me. Sorry but thats the world we live in today. 25 years ago I'd of stopped. I'll keep rolling and call 911