According to the latest forecast from the meteorological department, due to the joint influence of the upper-altitude trough system and warm and humid airflow, there will be another significant snowfall in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from December 13th to 14th, and the Beijing area is expected to have a heavy snowfall. With the arrival of cold air, the temperature in Beijing is generally lower, and people will feel even colder during the snowfall. The snow is difficult to melt, which may freeze the road, causing a great impact on transportation.
"If there is no danger, do not move the patient, and keep warm while waiting for the ambulance."
"Press the bleeding area with a clean towel or cloth."
"Don't worry. The ambulance is on the way. Don't force the patient to stand up or move the injured part. Please follow our instructions..."
The emergency line of Beijing 120 Dispatch and Command Center has been ringing continuously since the beginning of the heavy snowfall. Dozens of reports of injuries caused by falls due to snow and ice on the roads were received. The dispatchers at the center carefully answered every call for help, and guided the callers to carry out self-rescue before the ambulance arrived. Due to the snowfall, the number of calls for fall injury has increased sharply, and the rescue missions in the suburbs has become more difficult.
At 5 a.m. on December 11, 2023, the Beijing 120 dispatch and command center received a call for help. A 70-year-old man fell in the snow in a mountainous area in Fangshan District and was injured, resulting in limited hip joint movement and in urgent need of treatment. Chen Mingrui, the team leader of the dispatch command center, considered that the mountainous area was heavily covered with snow and the ordinary ambulances could not reach the site. In order to ensure that the patients could receive treatment as soon as possible, Chen Mingrui immediately dispatched the all-terrain off-road ambulance Unimog to the area for support. After receiving the mission, Tian Zhenlei, the driver of the Emergency Center Station of the economic development zone, immediately drove the crew to the scene. Tian, with his rich driving experience, drove through the muddy road. When it was just dawn, he finally drove through the thick snow and reached the destination safely and quickly.
After arriving at the scene, the emergency personnel immediately conducted a series of examinations on the patient and performed first aid measures. Then they carefully moved the patient to the ambulance and prepared to send him to the hospital for further treatment.
The mountainous terrain is extremely complex, and the way to rescue is extremely difficult. Risks such as melting ice and snow, and landslides might occur at any time. Tian stayed calm in the face of danger, and planned the safest and shortest route, saving the driving time for the follow-up diagnosis and treatment for the patient. The patient was finally transferred to a hospital in Fangshan District safely and quickly.
The 120 crew members in this mission fully carried forward the first aid spirit of great virtue, precise treatment, saving time, and making progress, facing the ice and snow and taking on the responsibility bravely. They work hard in the ice and snow, acted upon orders, raced against time, and took responsibility to protect the people's life. In the ice and snow, the busy ambulance crew shows the heroic spirit of countless first-aid crew.
The Beijing Emergency Center has issued a notice on the safe use and safe driving of pre-hospital emergency ambulances in extremely cold weather such as rain, snow, and ice, requiring strict implementation of the responsibility management system and strengthening safety guarantees. In addition, according to the "Beijing Medical Rescue Emergency Plan for 120 Emergency Network in Rain and Snow Weather ", the center has made arrangements for medical work related to the treatment of critical patients during daily pre-hospital first aid work in rain and snow weather, including first aid personnel, equipment, medicines, supplies, communicate and mobilize all-terrain off-road ambulances for rescue missions. The center coordinated and guided the first aid sub-centers and network first aid stations in each district to strengthen emergency medical rescue preparations in rain and snow weather, and coordinate the first aid forces to jointly carry out emergency medical rescue work in rain and snow weather.
Beijing 120 issues health warnings to the citizens in the severe cold weather of ice and snow. Please keep the following three points in mind.
1. Prevention is the most important thing
On snowy days, or when the snow is melting, the ground is cold and slippery. High-risk groups such as the elderly and pregnant women with limited mobility should avoid going out as much as possible.
2. Strengthen thermal protection
When the temperature drops sharply, it is necessary to prevent frostbite. The frostbitten part of skin will be pale or purple, cold, and hard, and the consciousness will disappear. In severe cases, it may cause coma or even cardiac arrest. It is necessary to wear gloves, hat, warm clothes and pants, and non-slip shoes when going out in snowy days. The trouser and shoelaces should not be too long to avoid stepping on them and causing falls.
3. Observe more and walk slowly
It is recommended to observe the road conditions outdoors, and be especially wary of the roads covered with thin ice. It is necessary to stay concentrated, drive carefully and slowly, and do not use your mobile phone to take pictures of snow scenes while walking to avoid accidents. When walking, you could lean your upper body slightly forward, spread your arms slightly, keep your hands in your pockets to maintain balance, keep your feet apart to shoulder width with toes pointing out, and keep your center of gravity stable at all times.
First-aid tips: What to do if you fall and sprain?
Once a fall occurs, under the premise of ensuring environment safety, you should not get up immediately. You could slowly feel the ability of physical activity. If the pain is severe, you could call for help nearby. In serious cases, it is recommended to seek medical treatment in time to avoid secondary injuries caused by improper activities. Fractures caused by falls usually occur in wrist joints, knee joints, ankle joints, or hip joints. Fractures of lumbar vertebrae may also occur. In addition, it is also easy to cause soft tissue injuries, such as tendon strains, ligament sprains, etc. Taking the most common ankle sprain as an example, after the injury, you need to sit or lie down to rest, elevate the injured area, apply cold compress to it, and then apply hot compress after the acute stage of 24 hours. Do not blindly massage the injured area to avoid aggravating the injury. If swelling, severe pain or obvious deformity occurs in the injured area, it is necessary to call 120 and go to the hospital for further treatment.