Skyhawk Cable Snap - July 26, 2014

Over 20 minutes to call for an ambulance? Stop the madness!

I'm willing to bet they called one right away, but it takes a bit of time to get back there, then they have to wait for the ride to stop swinging before they approach. Sounds to me like it was handled appropriately.

Thabto said:

News Channel 5 said:

Dreer's fiancé also says Cedar Point took over twenty minutes to call for an ambulance.

I find that a little hard to believe. I think that's just their distorted perception of time from being in a traumatic situation.

I thought the same thing. Cedar Point I am sure was on it....

e x i t english said:
Over 20 minutes to call for an ambulance? Stop the madness!

I'm willing to bet they called one right away, but it takes a bit of time to get back there, then they have to wait for the ride to stop swinging before they approach. Sounds to me like it was handled appropriately.

+1

Everyone in an emergency feels like nothing is happening fast enough. There is no way they would wait 20 minutes before calling for park EMS. Anyone notice how TV shows always show paramedics running to the scene from the ambulance like they're in a marathon? Got news for ya, they usually walk. They walk quickly but TV is not the real world and when someone finds themselves in an emergency situation they seem to think that if things aren't happening like they saw on TV then stuff isn't getting done.

You it really irks me when people try to make Cedar Point look bad...ticks me off to the nth degree...

We are so fortunate to have the best damn amusement park in the universe right in our back yards and because of an incident. It's going to happen. Stuff happens. Cedar Point handled it he way they should and will make sure this does not happen again.

I am just so ticked when people try to make the best amusement park int he world look bad...enjoy it, it's right here in our back yards....we're lucky...we could live in the middle of no where Idaho with nothing like this to do....be thankful Cedar Point has an amazing safety record and takes pride in safety first and handled this the way they did.

I'll get off my soap box now....

Let's say it did take 20 minutes for an ambulance to be called. Was that one of the park's golf cart ambulances or a large truck from off point? Generally, the park likes to have its medics arrive to inspect the scene and begin treatment. From the sounds of it, the injuries were not very severe. For all we know, one of the injured requested to be taken to an ER at which point a "real" ambulance was brought in. Maybe the ambulance was called in as soon as first responders were on scene but took some time to arrive. Maybe it was really only five minutes but felt like twenty, as has already been brought up.

Bottom line, from the information provided, and as reiterated above, the park handled this tragic accident quite well. Nobody was severely injured and those who needed it received medical care.

News Channel 5 said:

Dreer's fiancé also says Cedar Point took over twenty minutes to call for an ambulance.

I'd be shocked if calling park ops for an e-stop didn't automatically put a whole list of people on standby. Then once the higher ups TL, ATL etc get on scene they radio in and instantly get more moving.

With an event such as this I would assume they followed procedure to get the ride stopping, call park ops and give a quick encounter of the 5 Fs (who what when where why) and everyone basically gets dispatched at that point. Then you are going to get into response times and all of that like you would for any medical event that EMS companies across the country deal with for each and every call.

Having worked as a dispatcher for police, fire, ems and 911 for 12 years now, I can tell you first hand that when an emergency happens seconds can seem like days. If you estimate a timeline then go back to the recorder and play everything back it is amazing how fast you go through an event but estimated it to be far far longer than it actually was.

The time of call until first EMT on site may have been a few minutes as it will take time to get around the park. But I'd doubt it took 20 min to just summons EMS. Especially based on the few pictures of the injured who had obvious injuries.

And we know that on a Saturday at CP, the midway was probably extremely busy. Even on slower days GOD FORBID guests move out of the way quickly for the first aid ambulance when it was trying to get to any ride in a timely manner...

There is a first aid station in frontier town by the arcade and bathrooms.

topthrilldragster4lyf said:
For all we know, one of the injured requested to be taken to an ER at which point a "real" ambulance was brought in.

Since the article mentions a concussion and the woman in the photo looks like she may have a bruise on her forehead I think she would have been transported to the ER whether she asked to or not. Usually you can refuse treatment and "sign off" unless there is reason to believe you are not able to make that descision. A head injury is a situation most medics will not let you sign off on if they have any doubts about severity and they will definintely encourage you to go even if they feel they can't force you. There's too much liability involved.

^ Okay okay, I missed that article. I was speaking in general. So at worst, once first responders diagnosed the concussion, I have to believe an ambulance was called. If not sooner. Agreed that a concussion warrants a thorough examination and renders one incapable of refusing medical treatment.

Point being, the official information sounds like everything was handled professionally and promptly. I highly doubt her fiance was constantly checking the time...

JW Addington said:
There is a first aid station in frontier town by the arcade and bathrooms.

Does that First Aid have an "ambulance"? I thought the one by the arcade was the only one that had the ambulances....

I wonder if the staff from the back First Aid was the first to respond, then they dispatched for the ambulance. But it is just speculation on my part.

I would think they would dispatch whomever could arrive first in addition to necessary equipment. Then again, I don't know what their procedures are.

A concussion may have not been diagnosed. Here's my post from elsewhere, not going to retype everything.

In regards to updates for the patients or ones treated, those details can't always be revealed without consent of the patient. Even saying one was taken to a local hospital, notice the park did not give a name/status/etc. HIPPA lawsuits are easy to start, and usually never end well for those providing care. Many times the violations are not actual neglect, but acidental or unintentional. However, a violation is still a violation. Just know, one was treated on scene using BLS (Basic Life Saving) skills, and was released, so very VERY minor injuries. Another was taken to a local hospital, so as a medic to me that means they needed diagnostic proof of something that they suspect may have happened to that patient, or to finally rule out that it never happened, but covering their rears.

Was it ever determined if the fence was damaged by the swinging cable, or if it was simply taken down to let the ambulance/cart in?

Sure it was both at least I believe.

I'm pretty sure one of the news articles stated that a guest on the ground was hit by wood from the fence, which would mean that the cable destroyed the fence.

The state won't investigate the accident.

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/ohio/2014/07/28/cedar-point-ac.../13275675/

I bet the two CP EMS people were on the scene very quickly, to me that means the ambulance is here. Quite possibly they were treating and evaluating her at the scene to determine if she should be transported to the hospital. So, of course, the ambulance that transported her won't be standing by at the scene.

This line makes me wonder about the fiance: "she received a concussion, while other riders suffered sprains, cuts and bruises." I don't believe he is in any position to evaluate other's injuries, especially to make a determination that an injury is a sprain. Also, since officially only one other person had a very minor injury, his comment makes it sound like multiple riders were injured which is false. According to the official source, his fiance was also treated and released fairly quickly from the hospital which to me puts the entire concussion injury in doubt, all she had may have been a bruise or abrasion.

To me it sounds like there is some extra drama going on here for a possible lawsuit. Also, who took the pictures, was it him? Kind of exploiting his fiance to help the cause in my opinion.

I don't think a lawsuit is warranted here. I didn't see anybody killed, dismembered or left with a disability. That last article was full of baloney and shouldn't have been printed. It sounds like their source was an unhappy park guest who blew this whole accident out of proportion.