Wear something with emergency contact info (Read 239 times)

Let's say you're finishing a 4mi race with about 300 runners entered. You take a hard right into the finish stretch which is a driveway. You're pushing to beat some guy you've been racing with for the past 1/2mi. You stumble and can't catch yourself with your hands -- planting yourself into the pavement head first.

A few runners in the finish area are doing to usual post-finish things...chatting about who couldn't catch who; complaining about the headwind in the final 1/2mi, noting how much slower we were this year than in the glory days.

As I'm walking towards the table with the water bottles I see you stumble. But what I hear sends shivers, the thunk as your head hits the pavement. The first thought I have...this is serious. I sprint back into the finish chute. First thing first...don't let him move. Check the major things...is he conscious? Where is that blood coming from? Where's the freakin' ambulance.  Holy crap, that's a lot of blood!  Pull off shirt, make a compression for that head cut.  A few other runners arrive. Someone leaves to get help. A runner finishing stops and calls 911 on their phone. Really, no ambulance...cripes there was one at the start!? Someone says "let's get organized"...setup someone to wave in the ambulance, someone else to find a police officer, and (amazingly) someone to direct incoming runners around us. Take the bib and get is name from scoring table, but crap -- no emergency contact was collected.

After what seems like forever, the ambulance arrives. Runner is now somewhat alert, able to talk with us. Someone has arrived with some small towels which we've used to stop the head bleeds at temples and side of head. We turn him over to the EMTs.

Now the hunt for the RD to get someone notified starts. They only have his name. Someone pulls up facebook looking for clues, etc, etc.

I think the facts are that many, many races are small and local events and don't have the huge organization of a race with 2, 3, 10 or more thousands of runners.

For goodness sake, shit happens -- wear something that let's them know who to contact when the cart you off to the hospital.!

I do have a shoe tag but as we all know, those shoes can get knocked off if it's a vehicle helping you go down.

I know SO many cyclists who have their Road ID strapped onto their bike handlebars, rather than on their wrists.  I've pointed out that shoes can go flying, and EMTs aren't going to be looking at their bike for ID if it's behind in a ditch while they're carted off in an ambulance.  People are genuinely shocked by the shoe thing and tend not to think ahead to what the scenario will really be, should the worst happen.

Andy, any idea how this guy is fairing?  Relieved to hear that he was at least talking.  I'll bet he ends up with a heckuva concussion.

I always run and race with my Road ID on my ankle (it has my name, age, town, allergies, medications, Dr's. name and two contact names and phone numbers on it).  I wouldn't be without it!   It can come in just as handy in an emergency whether I' running in my neighborhood or in a race.

I got the Road ID that fits onto my Fitbit.

So its with me basically 24/7.

I additionally check the contact portion of my Bib when i get it and fill it out if it isn't prefilled.

Most of our local RDs print a sticker with the contact info if you pre-registered.

 

 

 

Question: do EMTs automatically look for this? In the cold, it might be under a couple layers & not immediately visible.

I suppose they'll find it eventually.

Yes.  We do.  We may not look immediately.  But we will look.  Part of EMS assessment is to look for medic alert type tags (dog tags/necklaces, bracelets).  As Hog noted, on scene work will focus on immediate needs such as assessment and treatment of any injuries.  If we can stabilize someone well enough prior to or during transport we will look.  Sometimes, however, our attention and activities don't get much beyond airway, breathing, circulation.

It was mentioned wearing one on a FItbit.  I've seen others put them on the bands to a Garmin or their watch.  I'm hesitant to suggest or encourage this.  It's easy to be overlooked if it's attached to these devices.  I know RoadID has products specifically designed for that purpose.  But I've seen them missed both prehospitally and in the trauma bay.  When they're removed they aren't inspected thoroughly for ID tags that might be on the band.  They'll receive a casual glance, "One watch..." as it's dropped into the property bag.

Wear it on you.  Wrist.  Ankle.  Necklace.  Putting it on your bike is a good way to keep track of whose bike is whose amidst a pile of bikes.  It won't do any good when people are separated from their bikes.  Shoes can and will come off.  Please don't wear them on your shoes.

Like Daydreamer1 I've been a paramedic for 15 years.  I'm also a PA in a busy Level I trauma center emergency department.  I see, and have seen, way too many of these scenarios way too often.  I wear a RoadID on the opposite wrist from my watch.  I wear it all the time whether I'm running or not.

Good thread. I have had the RoadID on my shoes for years.

I'll get one for my wrist instead.

Question for the EMT folks......I switched from the regular Road id to the slim one. Do you think one is better than the other? I feel like the slim could potentially get overlooked as a "cause bracelet", while the regular is much more obvious. I wear it opposite my watch, so it's the only thing on that arm. The switch was 100% vanity related, way less tan lines from the slim.

Question for the EMT folks......I switched from the regular Road id to the slim one. Do you think one is better than the other? I feel like the slim could potentially get overlooked as a "cause bracelet", while the regular is much more obvious. I wear it opposite my watch, so it's the only thing on that arm. The switch was 100% vanity related, way less tan lines from the slim.

Good question.  I've had the same thought/concern regarding the slim but don't have any experience with that particular product to be able to comment one way or the other.