Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

Driver of the car I crewed for is a County Sheriff Paramedic, 1 night during a bad crash he got out & assisted the safety crew to extract a driver after bad crash, driver ended up ok but got his bell rung :8:

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

speaking of grundy county,one night a guy crashed a drawf car into the wall nearly head on.the car rolled and slid along the pit wall trailing gasoline.the driver had a nylon go cart suit on.the gas ignited and followed the car and when it got to the car the car exploded.the driver was trapped inside the burning car with a go cart suit on.this went on for a while.we had a fire crew there but...….other drivers ran over but couldn't roll the car over to get the driver out.people in the pits carried coolers onto the track and threw water from the coolers onto the burning car.this went on a long time.kids brought water out from the food stand and threw the water on the burning car.when the fire was finally put out and the driver rescued he was faced with a track ambulance only that couldn't leave the track.morris fd responded and they called for a helicopter to take the driver to a burn unit in the Chicago area.the driver survived but was never the same.changes were made after that incident but came too late for one guy.

Originally Posted by copper14:
speaking of grundy county,one night a guy crashed a drawf car into the wall nearly head on.the car rolled and slid along the pit wall trailing gasoline.the driver had a nylon go cart suit on.the gas ignited and followed the car and when it got to the car the car exploded.the driver was trapped inside the burning car with a go cart suit on.this went on for a while.we had a fire crew there but...….other drivers ran over but couldn't roll the car over to get the driver out.people in the pits carried coolers onto the track and threw water from the coolers onto the burning car.this went on a long time.kids brought water out from the food stand and threw the water on the burning car.when the fire was finally put out and the driver rescued he was faced with a track ambulance only that couldn't leave the track.morris fd responded and they called for a helicopter to take the driver to a burn unit in the Chicago area.the driver survived but was never the same.changes were made after that incident but came too late for one guy.

A driver standing in the pits ran out on the track with a fire extinguisher to put the fire out. The next week UMARA thank the rescue crew for a great job.

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

From Kaleb Johnson Racing
"Kaleb was scheduled to start 4th in tonight’s feature. Due to no fire truck or the proper safety crew, the team has decided to make one lap and pull in. Unfortunately, this is not how we wanted to start the year.. On the bright side, there are always more races and laps to be made! Onto next weekend."

This was at a Sprint Car race in Boone, Iowa last night! This was an IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car race. I don't know all the details but I suspect this means no ambulance. Where is the IMCA in all this? How can they sanction a race where there is not proper safety equipment. They are as guilty as the track!

I encourage everyone to email Boone Speedway and ask them if they have an ALS ambulance and proper fire safety equipment on site and state that you won't attend races there until they do. promoter@raceboone.com

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

Boone, safety crew in shorts and t-shirts.

West Burlington had no ambulance and a driver ended up with broken bones. This is crazy. Drivers should not race without the proper safety equipment.

That's any class, not just sprints.

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

JHarris - This is a perfect example of what I posted a few pages back. It's too easy to simply point to the absence of a transport unit and draw the immediate conclusion that safety was sub-par.

The Burlington event was an co-sanctioned IRA/MOWA show. We usually have one series or the other take a leadership role in staffing a co-sanctioned event. This one was managed by IRA President Steve Sinclair. Not only has Steve been around sprint car racing for his whole life as a promoter/series director etc... his day job is as an agent for K&K Insurance. He is the person who visits all tracks for K&K in the region and evaluates safety annually. Steve is also a very active member of the Sprint Car Safety Council. Steve is a leader in safety for the sport. He has seen it all. Not only because he is my agent... but also because he is a foremost authority of all things "safety-related" for cars that go in circles... he is my first and primary call for guidance on anything safety related - which is usually a weekly call.

With that being said, I started getting some texts and seeing some tweets about the lack of a transport ambulance at 34 while I stayed back to get Jacksonville ready for Sunday's race. My immediate response to the texts were "Sinclair is up there running it... there's more to the story I'm sure. If anybody is going to make sure things are adequately staffed it's Steve." After things kind of turned into a Twitter uproar Saturday night criticizing the track and criticizing our two race series, I was able to confirm with my IRA counterpart that.. yes.. there was more to the story.... Here's Steve Sinclair's post Sunday explaining the situation - all of which is 100% accurate..

Originally Posted by :
Just to correct a misconception from last night at 34 Raceway where it was made to sound by some as though we raced without proper medical in place. That is absolutely untrue, and that would never be allowed at any of our events, and anyone who knows us should be aware we take safety very serious, in fact we are one of only a few series who have ever traveled from event to event with their own safety team and equipment, and IRA was one of the first series to have additional med insurance available to our members. And we are always one of the first to upgrade rules in regards to safety, such as no hesitation in going with new roll cage bars, etc. Some tracks have transport units, some have a transfer system. Both meet mandated guidelines as long as proper staff, equipment, and a transfer plan are in place. Transfers are not uncommon. A transfer is where the crew on site begin treatment and call for a transport, utilizing a pre-arranged transfer plan. Then the patient is transferred to the transport unit while on race track owned property. The same medical/fire that was at the track, the New London Fire Dept, has provided the Raceway's fire/rescue, plus staffed and equipped their own multi-purpose vehicle plus stocking the track owned ambulance, and have done so for many years. All were present last night. Several other sanctions, national and regional, have competed there with the very same staff, and equipment as last night. They brought 5 people, some dedicated to fire, some med, but all capable and certified on med side. Plus we had our med/fire person and 2 equipped atv units. There absolutely was equipment on site, and a very well organized crew with stabilization capabilities and a transfer plan in place. I just wanted to clarify and correct any misconceptions. Thank You, Steve

A well-known racer and friend of mine who is also very concerned about driver safety had made some posts on Twitter critical of the situation - which at first blush very will might be valid criticism - changed his position after learning more today and tweeted:

Originally Posted by :
Great convo with @IRA_sprints today!@34Raceway definitely had a good fire/safety crew Sat night. Always things to learn when an accident happens on the driver/team side & the track/promotion side. We are all focused on making things better & as safe as possible for all involved.

The point I am trying to make here is this. YES, there are for sure some deficient rescue/emergency response operations at some race tracks. But you can't simply base all of your conclusions on whether or not there is a transport unit on site. Things like distance from track of a unit, what staff and equipment is actually at the track, what types of situations are they capable of handling and many other factors should come into play in that evaluation.

34 Raceway has an very well-planned and trained staff to handle a wide range of eventualities. There is thought and preparedness. That's what we should be asking for. Not simply whether there's a box on the premises. Again, this is all coming from a guy who is fortunate enough to have a staffed transport ambulance at all events. But I think it's unfair to take the easy shots at some places that don't... but might have an even more comprehensive plan and response than I do with my ambulance service.

Sorry for the length.

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

Speaking of Grundy County, please get your facts correct before you make posts like this.
1.The people in the pits put out the fire with water from coolers? (FALSE).
2. However long it seemed for the fire to be extinguished it was put out by the safety crew in 27 seconds (Fact)
3. Driver was extricated from he car in less than 2 minutes
4. ( Fact) Water was brought out to attempt to cool the driver after he was out and on a gurney.
5. The Ambulance was there and was treating the driver until life flight got there. Also there was a certified nurse on the scene attending to the driver
I was there monitoring the situation. Where were you?
GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU MAKE A RIDICULOUS POST LIKE THIS.

Either way, a certified nurse is no substitute for EMT's, nor an ambulance that can't leave the facility.

A few years ago I was running at Montpelier and out of no where the red flag came out it was a few minutes later we found out there was an injury in the stands and the ambulance had to leave they didn't resume the race until the ambulance returned

Originally Posted by treecitytornado:
Paragon, only had an old Meat Wagon, & would have to wait on an Ambulance for a serious injury! I ran there a few times over the years & thankfully it wasn't an issue, but hopefully the New Promoters will have an Actual Mobile Ambulance, there every race night!

We ran Paragon 0NE TIME the tow truck driver was wasted drunk lol he about ran my car into the trailer trying to back my car in

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

Originally Posted by kdobson:
The point I am trying to make here is this. YES, there are for sure some deficient rescue/emergency response operations at some race tracks. But you can't simply base all of your conclusions on whether or not there is a transport unit on site. Things like distance from track of a unit, what staff and equipment is actually at the track, what types of situations are they capable of handling and many other factors should come into play in that evaluation.

You are correct, there are tracks with deficient emergency response teams. Far too many tacks in my opinion. One deficient track is one too many. You need an ALS ambulance on site at every race. I could care less if their station is right across the street from the main entrance to the track or if its 40 miles away. You need one at the track sitting in a position to react instantly to a medical issue. Seconds matter. What the person in the ambulance can do matters. EMTs are not good enough. You have to have a Paramedic at the event. An ALS ambulance provides at least one Paramedic and an EMT or driver plus all the right equipment. A BLS ambulance is just two EMTs.

Here are some differences between an EMT and a Paramedic according to UCLA. (https://www.cpc.mednet.ucla.edu/node/27):

"EMTs usually complete a course such as UCLA's EMT course that is about 120-150 hours in length. Paramedic courses can be between 1,200 to 1,800 hours. EMT and paramedic courses consist of lectures, hands-on skills training, and clinical and/or field internships. EMTs are educated in many skills including CPR, giving patients oxygen, administering glucose for diabetics, and helping others with treatments for asthma attacks or allergic reactions. With very few exceptions, such as in the case of auto-injectors for allergic reactions, EMTs are not allowed to provide treatments that requiring breaking the skin: that means no needles.

Paramedics are advanced providers of emergency medical care and are highly educated in topics such as anatomy and physiology, cardiology, medications, and medical procedures. They build on their EMT education and learn more skills such as administering medications, starting intravenous lines, providing advanced airway management for patients, and learning to resuscitate and support patients with significant problems such as heart attacks and traumas. Paramedic education programs (such as UCLA's Paramedic Program) may last six to twelve months."

If you don't have someone that can start an IV or cut an airway into someone it is simply not good enough. People need to educate themselves on the differences and start holding promoters responsible. A friend of mine told me to ask two questions of track medical personnel before you race there. "Are you licensed to and can you start an airway?" and "Are you licensed to and can you sustain life?" You need a yes to both questions.

If anyone wants something to watch regarding safety in motorsports check out "Yellow Yellow Yellow: The Indycar Safety Team (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7278738/). This will tell you exactly how important having properly trained personnel at the race track is. Just ask James Hinchcliffe.........and before someone says "we're not racing Indycars that go 200mph" ask yourself how many drivers we have lost over the last few years in our segment of the sport alone. If I'm a promoter, I want to give an injured driver every possible chance. Every promoter should feel the same way.

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

To Clarify my original post. Grundy is now staffed at all race events with Morris Fire Dept ALS ambulance. They can and will leave the premises of necessary and Morris will supply a second ambulance if needed, of course at a cost.

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

I've worked for tracks that take it upon themselves to voluntarily have an ambulance on premises and tracks that have not.

Pressuring the tracks is the wrong avenue. As long as insurance companies have in their policies that an ambulance is NOT required with only a paramedic and EMT available, don't be shocked that some promoters cheap out and be thankful for the ones that step up on their own accord. Everyone has their own idea of acceptable risk. Let them make their choice on that risk and leave it to them to deal with the consequences.

Get the insurance companies to change their policies and you make the tracks update their safety standards. Trying to "shame" tracks one at a time will result in nothing other than sabre rattling. After all, a hefty chunk of the tickets you buy go to pay for those safety crews & equipment.

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

Originally Posted by rockstar5:
A few years ago I was running at Montpelier and out of no where the red flag came out it was a few minutes later we found out there was an injury in the stands and the ambulance had to leave they didn't resume the race until the ambulance returned

Being around Limaland, Waynesfield, Eldora and Montpelier I was surprised other tracks didn't do the same thing when the Ambulance had to do something else. Like the ones I stated do.

I remember quite few years ago they actually had to call the Ambulance out of Limaland because a bad accident on 309 or 81 don't remember which and they needed more ambulances so they took the Limaland ambulance and they halted all racing until they got another ambulance.

Crap for the All-Star show at Waynesfield a kid fell from the bleachers when they was pushing cars out on the track for the A. The flag man threw the red which I was surprised because it was only 4 wheelers pushing cars at walking pace around the track to get all the cars on track. Ambulance ended up coming behind the bleachers to treat the kid then took the kid down the road to the park for Life Flight/Care Flight to helicopter the kid out and nothing happened on track until that ambulance got back. Not trying to bad mouth Waynesfield because a kid fell, only 2-3 tracks I've been to a kid couldn't fall out of the bleachers due to openings, but applauding them for not doing anything until the ambulance came back they even stopped the 4 wheelers pushing cars out. Also bars were put up on the bleachers where it couldn't happen again.

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

Originally Posted by Spi-nex:
I've worked for tracks that take it upon themselves to voluntarily have an ambulance on premises and tracks that have not.

Pressuring the tracks is the wrong avenue. As long as insurance companies have in their policies that an ambulance is NOT required with only a paramedic and EMT available, don't be shocked that some promoters cheap out and be thankful for the ones that step up on their own accord. Everyone has their own idea of acceptable risk. Let them make their choice on that risk and leave it to them to deal with the consequences.

Get the insurance companies to change their policies and you make the tracks update their safety standards. Trying to "shame" tracks one at a time will result in nothing other than sabre rattling. After all, a hefty chunk of the tickets you buy go to pay for those safety crews & equipment.

Keep in mind the racers pay $30-40 for a pit pass to go for the expense of the insurance and ambulances as well. When we pay that kind of money just to be there we should be allowed to expect an ambulance. The cost for an ALS ambulance per night is only $500-$700. To put that in perspective 17-24 pit passes sold at $30 pays for an ambulance. If a promoter can't afford that then they shouldn't be in business.

Re: Ambulances at Race Tracks
 

A correction in ambulance services at Grundy County. Morris F.D. no longer provides the service. I believe it has to do with a Taxpayer Fire Department being used for services to a private company. Grundy has on property a private ambulance service that is ALS staffed with certified EMTS. It is costly but that is what is needed for everyones' protection. Morris Fire Department still responds to emergency calls at the track.