Close Calls
Explore our Close Calls directory, where EMS professionals share real-life stories and lessons learned from near-miss incidents in the field. This collection offers valuable insights into the importance of situational awareness, decision-making, and teamwork in preventing serious outcomes. Understanding these close calls is crucial for improving safety and performance. For more insights, visit our section on Safety Protocols. Learn from others鈥� experiences to better navigate critical situations.
Dallas Fire-Rescue Firefighter-Paramedic William An was shot in his arm and leg while helping a victim who was lying in the middle of an East Dallas street
Many employees who would have been in the area of the paint shop explosion were off-site at a training exercise when the blast happened
The former firefighter-EMT rolled the woman on her back and began chest compressions until EMS arrived on the scene
Paramedic Mark Weidberg was driving home from work when he saw a vehicle had veered into a ditch
Dispatcher Kelly Dennis guided officers to a stabbing victim who didn鈥檛 know her location by having officers honk their horns in the area
Joseph Leifkin told paramedics he couldn鈥檛 die, because he had a date scheduled with his wife for his 91st birthday
William Schmidt was in his living room when he heard honking and a loud crash outside his home
Lou Meyer performed CPR on a elderly man who went into cardiac arrest at a hair salon
Before fire and ems crew arrived, the woman said two men pulled her out of the overturned vehicle
A paramedic performed a thoracostomy on Sandy Kelley, a move that doctors said likely saved her life
Responders searched the scene and surrounding area when they heard a faint sound more than two dozen feet away
Mario Calabria was biking with his family when his father fell off his bike, hit a tree and was knocked unconscious.
Firefighter James Brugger and his wife were waiting to board a flight when they saw an unconscious man lying on the ground
The baby sitter began to massage the infant鈥檚 sternum and prepare to perform CPR after he had a seizure and turned blue
The woman鈥檚 husband followed a police medic鈥檚 instructions until EMS arrived to the scene
The man was helped to shore by other surfers, who used a surf board leash as a tourniquet
Danette Purvis performed CPR on her colleague while others ran to grab an AED
Video from Miller鈥檚 dashcam shows him performing CPR on the boy until he resumed breathing
The 14-year-old recognized his father was ill, so he dialed 911, laid him on the ground and performed CPR
A state police trooper was off-duty in a Walmart when he noticed a large crowd surrounding an unconscious man
Officers Felix Baez and Giovanni Laguna were patrolling when they saw a mother running with her child down the street yelling 鈥渉elp鈥� in Spanish
The smoke detectors in the house were not working and smoke could be seen coming out of the attic
An off-duty firefighter at the scene evaluated the man after his stepson pulled him out of a pool
Shiloh Shahan lost consciousness and suffered minor injuries after jumping over 100 from waterfalls Sept. 1
Authorities say the safety wire became tangled in a wheel, preventing the SUV from falling several stories to the ground
The trio received a certificate of recognition after reviving a man who stopped breathing on a highway July 3.
The man was driving along a road Monday when a large tree fell on the car, crushing the roof and trapping him inside
When the woman choked on her food, her two children sprung into action and performed the maneuver
A babysitter called 911 after notifying a neighbor, who immediately began performing CPR on the infant
Good samaritans discover couple who had overdosed at the wheel and called for EMS
Paul Emmel received stitches after being transported to the hospital
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