Wednesday 6th 2016 – 2.15pm – Suzie Wheaton.
West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to Wiggin Street in Birmingham to reports of a house explosion at approximately 12.20pm today (Wednesday).
An ambulance, the Hazardous Area Response Team, a paramedic area support officer, a critical care paramedic in a rapid response vehicle and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford with the MERIT trauma doctor on board were dispatched to the scene.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived to find a house that had collapsed following a suspected explosion. Other neighbouring properties had also been damaged.
“One woman, who was believed to have been in the property at the time of the explosion had managed to get out of the building herself despite the damage. She was assessed by ambulance staff and discharged at the scene.
“A second patient, a man, who was also believed to have been in the property at the time of the incident had made his own way to City Hospital. The aircrew and critical care paramedic attended the hospital, where the man was being treated for serious burn injuries.
“Due to his condition the man was conveyed, via land ambulance, to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The trauma doctor travelled on board the ambulance continuing to provide emergency care whilst en route.
“The Hazardous Area Response Team remain on scene at the incident.”
Ends
Is this deemed to have been an appropriate use of several very expensive resources? Is it perhaps the case that a genuine need for helicopter support would have been compromised whilst the trauma doctor was tied-up escorting a non-critical patient?
Morning Paul…the doctor wouldn’t have accompanied the patient if it wasn’t clinically appropriate to do so.