Emergency

[Shoeman]

I just have to ask what constitutes an emergency

A good friend of mine ran into a slight mishap off of 11 Mile a few days back. He had some motor issues (spark) and called one of his buddies at Beacon's Cove Marina for a tow. While waiting for him to leave the dock, he continued to work on the motor (he's a mechanic by trade) when his cousin accidentally hit the key and sheared off one of his fingers. They promptly radioed the CG Base at 10 Mile for a quick ride to shore in hopes of getting to a hospital.

I couldn't believe the response. They told him he'd be better off waiting for his friend.

Unbelievable... considering he was several miles closer to the base and one would think that some of the officers are trained in the medical field.


The hospital was able to temporarily attach his finger in order to maintain circulation and the main surgery to attempt restoration of the nerve tissue is scheduled for today.

[bigcountrysg]

This maybe more like, the closes CG unit available was on something more priority then your call. Stating that your friend maybe able to get there faster then the CG. But the RO (radio operator) may just have used bad choice of words in the communication.

But your incident would be an Emergency. Boat disabled, person with fingers amputated and bleeding. Yepp that would be an emergency.

[michigandeerslayer]

I just have to ask what constitutes an emergency

A good friend of mine ran into a slight mishap off of 11 Mile a few days back. He had some motor issues (spark) and called one of his buddies at Beacon's Cove Marina for a tow. While waiting for him to leave the dock, he continued to work on the motor (he's a mechanic by trade) when his cousin accidentally hit the key and sheared off one of his fingers. They promptly radioed the CG Base at 10 Mile for a quick ride to shore in hopes of getting to a hospital.

I couldn't believe the response. They told him he'd be better off waiting for his friend.

Unbelievable... considering he was several miles closer to the base and one would think that some of the officers are trained in the medical field.


The hospital was able to temporarily attach his finger in order to maintain circulation and the main surgery to attempt restoration of the nerve tissue is scheduled for today.

Man I wish you friend the best of luck... and they shoul have had someone dispatched to your location, weather it be the coast guard or the sheriff...Bad call on there part

[spiritofthewild_06]

The coast guard should have responded to your friends call. I'm sure that it was very busy out there and they were streched thin this past weekend, but never the less, personal injury is one of the highest priorities of the CG. The person working the radio was probably some non rate right outta boot camp, just got qualified and didn't do what he/she was suposed to do. Now, if the other friend had a closer E.T.A. than the coast guard that might be another reason for there call not to help out, but never the less, someone should have been enroute, and had comms. with your friends vessel the whole time. If that was my old unit and something like that happened and we didn't resond we would of had hell to pay from our officer in charge!

[boehr]

Just remember that the story is told by someone who was upset that the Coast Guard wasn't, or couldn't respond, as fast as what the person thought they should. Their boat might have been miles away and your friends buddy might have likely been able to make it there faster. I find it hard to believe that their actual words were be better off waiting for the friend but I can also understand the state of mind I know I'd be in if one of my fingers was sheared off. It is an emergency but an emergency doesn't make people who are not close automatically become close.

[Ferg]

But - first off - the guy on the radio - only repeats what he is told by the Officer of the Day - the guy making the decisions for the station that day - and, if it was labor day - I'm guessing that would be the Officer in Charge of the station.

Second - again - I hate to say it - but a 'severed' finger is NOT a life threatening injury -

Third - the CG doesn't dispatch for other agencies - (Unless they have been temperaraly attached to the unit and under the Operational Control)

Now, with those items out of the way - there are countless different reasons for not responding to that call - as a qualified SAR/LE Duty officer myself, armed with the information that help was already enroute to the location, and based on the fact that the injury was a non-life threatening injury, and also armed with ALL the other information (what other 10 thousand things that were going on that day) - I would have made the same call - I may have assets - I also may have them all engaged in more important situations, believe me - there was no asset involved in a 'routine' stop/boarding - that would not have been pulled off - IF and I'll repeat IF - they were within a reasonable distance and could have arrived on scene prior to the time that help was already expected to arrive on scene.

I know that sounds harsh - and life can be sometimes - but; until you have spent some time in a Search and Rescue Operations Center during a Labor Day weekend you can't understand, and that's to be expected.

I'm sorry for your friends finger, but remember this, it's only his finger - he was NOT in life threating situation - How do I know you ask, I only have nine fingers - it won't kill him.

ferg....