Department of Public Safety

On Wednesday, Oct. 13th, 2010 EMT Green and Paramedic Mehta were at Barnes Hospital dropping off a patient.  As they were returning to the Medic Unit, a St. Louis Police squad car pulled into the ambulance bay.  Both crew members from the medic unit ran to the squad car.  In the vehicle the crew saw a St. Louis police officer lying in the back seat bleeding profusely.  Paramedic Mehta ran to the passenger side of the vehicle, where the officer's head was located.  The medic crew noticed that the officer was bleeding from an arterial wound to the neck.  EMT Green ran into the hospital and yelled for a stretcher.  In the meantime, Paramedic Mehta started to control the bleeding by using direct pressure.  EMT Green returned within a few seconds, and both crew members pulled the officer out of the vehicle and carried him to the stretcher.  The officer was rushed to a trauma room while both crew members continued to assist the hospital staff in caring for the patient.  The crew also helped cut the clothing off the patient, and Paramedic Mehta continued to assist in treating the officer.  The officer survived.

While SLFD EMS works for the safety and well-being of this city day in and day out, few see how arduous these medical personnel really work or the tough situations they encounter.  In summing-up the actions taken by Medic 2 on Oct. 13th, Chief Dennis Jenkerson said, "This incident again provides an example of emergency medical professionalism and experience that extends way beyond the average ambulance crew.  Paramedic Bhavin Mehta and EMT Katherine Green actions that day typify the abilities and dedication of the St. Louis Fire Department Emergency Medical Services."  Indeed.

Reprinted from the the Jan. 2011 Lifesaving Foundation newsletter.