In Sunday’s reader comment section there were three comments on the bomb threats at local schools recently. A “sheatherly” needs a reality check, and as a former first responder, I would like to enlighten her.
I have been in the very position of being delayed by a mother who “wild horses could not drag me from going.” I was responding to a wreck in my personal vehicle, driving 80 mph down an empty highway when a car passed me at well over 100 mph. Remember- I’m trained to drive emergency vehicles and the mother in this case was not, and I’m concentrating on getting there safely so I can treat all injured persons and not worrying my head off about my child. In other words, this “concerned mother” was endangering herself, me, and everybody else who might have been on the road with her thoughtlessness and selfishness.
The scene was down a gravel road, and “Mama” turned down it just before I did, raising a cloud of dust that radar couldn’t penetrate, which severely slowed me down. What could she do once she got there, besides get in the way and possibly do something that would cause further harm to her child or another patient?
Luckily there were two other first responders on scene when I arrived, so the situation was well under control, and there were no serious injuries.
So, I urge “sheatherly” and all other people who think they are doing something good or right for their child by getting in the way of trained, licensed, people who can help, to stay out of the way and let somebody who can help do so. What would you think or say or do if some other “sheatherly” was concerned about her child and kept your child from getting needed immediate care?
If your child is not the only one in danger, remember there are other mothers just as worried as you are. Lose the movie reaction of rushing in to help when you can’t. Use reason and caution in these situations. Don’t create another emergency that will pull personnel from the first scene.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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