South Orange Rescue Squad Responds, Explains Process

A weekend diving accident at the pool has raised questions both about the safety of the high dive and the response process of the South Orange Rescue Squad. A lengthy MaplewoodOnline thread focuses on the events of July 3.

Eyewitness accounts of the accident, in which a boy reportedly fell from the high dive, hit his head and received a concussion, tell of a response time from "less than a minute" to "a long time." The child has no longterm injuries, and will be fine.

South Orange Rescue Squad Kurt Gibson outlined the response process for Patch, noting that he was on the scene about a minute after dispatch.

"When there is an emergency, the people on the scene dial 911. That connects them to the South Orange Police HQ where the dispatcher on duty assesses the emergency and if it requires a medical response, they transfer the call to CENCOM," explains Gibson. "CENCOM is the area-wide emergency medical dispatch center where the call is again reviewed as to what level of response is needed; an ambulance for basic medical problems or in addition, the paramedics who can provide advanced life support such as IV's, drugs and intubation. CENCOM then activates the tones for the Rescue Squad and includes the location and nature of the emergency."

This procedure was followed at the pool. Gibson notes that, "In this case the ambulance was at the pool within 60 seconds of the tones going off. The second ambulance was the paramedic unit who also assessed the child."

Further, he explains, "In all situations where there is a fall, especially from a height like this, children and adults are immobilized on a backboard with a cervical collar and head immobilization, whether the patient is conscious or not- that is standard operating procedure."

"For a bystander this may seem a slow process but the object is not so much speed, but to make sure the spine, neck, head are protected," says Gibson." The all-volunteer crew is composed of state-certified EMT's who use this process "quite often."

Gibson explains that, "Any patient in our area that suffers trauma such as a fall from a height or severe motor vehicle accident is taken to UMDNJ which is the closest and best-equipped Level 1 Trauma Center. The other area Trauma Center is Morristown Memorial though they are a Level 2." The final decision as to where a patient goes depends also on staffing at the facility; units call ahead to find out where best to take a patient.