# Blast injury and fireworks.



## Muppet (Jul 5, 2011)

51 y/o male is working with a mortar tube when the thing misfires... What does he do you ask? He looks into the tube and the thing fires, blowing off a quarter of his head. Male found agonal, massive head trauma / brain mater exposed and a blown pupil. Male codes upon transfer to the squad and A.C.L.S. is preformed due to the family being hysterical / saftey to get off scene (all drunk I think). Pronounced dead @ shock trauma. For all new civilian medics out there...Blast injuries DO happen and you must be prepared to deal with it. Have a good one.

F.M.


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## Crusader74 (Jul 5, 2011)

I don't envy you seeing that..


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## x SF med (Jul 5, 2011)

I'm waiting for the reports here...  last night was a doozy, and even my neighborhood (No fireworks, illegal in the city) there were big rockets and mortars going off...


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## Red Flag 1 (Jul 5, 2011)

Reminds me of the motorcycling helmet protester on another thread. Like Irish noted, many long and sleepless nights for the family and friends that saw this happen; very sad traumatic event.

RF 1


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## policemedic (Jul 5, 2011)

x SF med said:


> I'm waiting for the reports here...  last night was a doozy, and even my neighborhood (No fireworks, illegal in the city) there were big rockets and mortars going off...



Same here. The fact that they are illegal and dangerous in untrained hands doesn't deter people. The upcoming New Year will showcase another moronic Philly tradition- happy fire.


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## Headshot (Jul 5, 2011)

I was laughed at on Sunday when I described a misfire as "unexploded ordinance" and to stay away until I doused it with water.  It was bigger than a bottle rocket, and smaller than a Volkswagen.  Idiots...


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## Fritzy (Jul 5, 2011)

I had a co-worker complaining this morning about how they had gone to this big park to watch the fireworks and were lighting off bottle rockets and other things, and how her friend got "arrested" (apparently was let go later, but had a "huge fine") and they got yelled at for lighting fireworks off in the park and for drinking, which they also were not supposed to be doing in the park.

I don't know if she was still drunk and didn't realize how stupid she sounded. Everyone else was just kind of side-eyeing her, and little thought bubbles were popping up thinking "Good. Glad you idiots guys got busted."


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## HOLLiS (Jul 5, 2011)

A great holiday for most people,  the idiots see it as a day to go unchained and stupid.    What a waste.

..... Not to mention the litter.....


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## Ranger Psych (Jul 5, 2011)

I have no problem with safe and sane (literal, not the brand) firework employment. The problem is operator headspace and timing, like most everything.


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## Viper1 (Jul 5, 2011)

Sorry you had to deal with that FM.  That just sucks.


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## ffhammer (Jul 6, 2011)

You're right Firemedic. Balst injuies happen in the civvie world too. I grew up in a mining town, and every year miners would come to the school to warn us of the dangers of explosives. Years later, working in another city, I responded to a quarry where a guy had a blasting cap go off in his hand. The other medics had no idea how much damage a blasting cap could do.

Be safe, Brother.


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## dknob (Jul 7, 2011)

I remember my first brain sighting


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## Viper1 (Jul 7, 2011)

dknob said:


> I remember my first brain sighting


Ditto.


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## dknob (Jul 7, 2011)

wasnt as gross as i thought it would be.. actually none of the gore I considered gross. I'd make a good EMT


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## Muppet (Jul 7, 2011)

dknob said:


> wasnt as gross as i thought it would be.. actually none of the gore I considered gross. I'd make a good EMT



I ruined a perfectly good uniform on lots of brain and blood when I inadverntly kneeled when tubing him.

F.M.


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## policemedic (Jul 7, 2011)

Brains don't bother me. Ruptured gall bladders...yuk


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## x SF med (Jul 8, 2011)

policemedic said:


> Brains don't bother me. Ruptured gall bladders...yuk



They smell almost  as bad as ruptured bowels....    and are almost as messy.


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## Muppet (Jul 8, 2011)

x SF med said:


> They smell almost as bad as ruptured bowels.... and are almost as messy.



Did you ever get old G.I. bleed on your boots? Its just about as bad as getting old lady shit on your mouth. 

F.M.


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## amlove21 (Jul 14, 2011)

Hey man, all things considered- did you work it? Not a "dick" question, just  one of the normals....... I see you pronounced dead at schock truama- are you ok? no shit, how are YOU? what can we do to help?


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## Muppet (Jul 14, 2011)

amlove21 said:


> Hey man, all things considered- did you work it? Not a "dick" question, just one of the normals....... I see you pronounced dead at schock truama- are you ok? no shit, how are YOU? what can we do to help?



Thanks brother. I am fine and on vacation now / not because of that of course. He was worked for about 10 minutes in the E.D. until they releazied that they were not going to harvest his organs. Oh well, what are you going to do...

F.M.


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