# Subway safety training for paramedics



## mariomike (30 Jun 2016)

The TTC is the third most heavily used urban mass transit system in North America, after the New York City Transit Authority and Mexico City Metro.

"Today we are going to talk a little bit about the hazards that exist when you are working on a patient underneath one of our subway trains",

Subway safety training for paramedics,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ttZLfF_mPY


----------



## Blackadder1916 (30 Jun 2016)

mariomike said:
			
		

> The TTC is the third most heavily used urban mass transit system in North America, after the New York City Transit Authority and Mexico City Metro.
> 
> "Today we are going to talk a little bit about the hazards that exist when you are working on a patient underneath one of our subway trains",
> 
> ...



An interesting video but not what I was expecting in terms of "rescue training".  However, the first thing that I noticed, right at the beginning as it shows the paramedics in class (as well the same scene at the end of the video), is at least one paramedic (female in the back row closest to camera - maybe others) paying more attention to her smartphone than to the presenter.


----------



## mariomike (30 Jun 2016)

Blackadder1916 said:
			
		

> An interesting video but not what I was expecting in terms of "rescue training".



Let's say  _safety_  training for extricating trapped patients from underneath subway trains.  



			
				Blackadder1916 said:
			
		

> However, the first thing that I noticed, right at the beginning as it shows the paramedics in class (as well the same scene at the end of the video), is at least one paramedic (female in the back row closest to camera - maybe others) paying more attention to her smartphone than to the presenter.



The recruits of today. Definitely better educated than we were. Not saying that makes them better or worse, just different.  
Maybe the class had not yet started, or just ended?  :dunno:


----------



## Oldgateboatdriver (30 Jun 2016)

And as usual, Toronto centric bull ...

If you look up ridership stats for North America, you will find that  Montreal comes before Toronto in third place, and that's with a population half the size of TO.

Just saying.


----------



## mariomike (30 Jun 2016)

Oldgateboatdriver said:
			
		

> If you look up ridership stats for North America, you will find that  Montreal comes before Toronto in third place, and that's with a population half the size of TO.



My apologies, OGBD if the information was incorrect. This was the source, 
"The TTC has the third largest ridership rate in all of North America – after Mexico City and New York City."
https://www.ttc.ca/News/2015/August/082415NR_30thbillionth.jsp

Top 5 Canadian Cities For Public Transit
http://blog.navut.com/canadian-cities-public-transit/


----------



## Oldgateboatdriver (30 Jun 2016)

OK.

I see what they did, especially navut who claims Montreal comes "a close second to Toronto".

They look at total infrastructure, but they don't look at the proportional (or even actual) ridership. Montreal has less infrastructure than TO, for sure, but the ridership is slightly higher than TO's. However, Greater Montreal is half the population of Greater Toronto, so all proportions kept, you can say that People in Toronto still take their cars while people in Montreal use transit (in fact it has been remarked before that on that aspect, Montreal and NY are two similar cities in that people don't use their cars to go to work. It's certainly true with me as I have never used my car to go to work downtown in the 35+ years I worked there. Transit was too good to bother.)

And that's just transit, as in Montreal, we have the second largest use of bicycles to go to work in North America, after Vancouver - but Vancouver doesn't have our winters  :cold:


----------



## medicineman (30 Jun 2016)

Well that messed me up - I thought this was a training course for healthy dieting for paramedics at Subway...carry on.

MM


----------



## mariomike (30 Jun 2016)

medicineman said:
			
		

> I thought this was a training course for healthy dieting for paramedics at Subway.


----------



## chrisf (30 Jun 2016)

mariomike said:
			
		

> The TTC is the third most heavily used urban mass transit system in North America, after the New York City Transit Authority and Mexico City Metro.
> 
> "Today we are going to talk a little bit about the hazards that exist when you are working on a patient underneath one of our subway trains",
> 
> ...



It's fantastic they took the initiative to make that training video...

In the latest confined space/fall prevention courses that I took, the practice of writing "call 911" down as a rescue plan was discussed...

It's generally regarded as unacceptable in our provincial jurisdiction now, unless prior arrangements have been made with the local emergency services, only because they may not always be available (if resources are otherwise engaged) and they may not have the tools/training to perform the rescue in all cases...

This was taken in a very proactive way in our workplace, which, while we have our own rescue training/capabilities, we decided to invite the local fire department along for a visit...

They leapt at the chance, as they had no experience in fire fighting or rescue in our particular work environment (a ship).

Feedback following the visit (which took place over several days, each shift requested the chance to visit, and showed up with pretty much the whole shift of about 30 people each time!) was very positive, and they felt they had a good deal of information to use from the experience.


----------



## jollyjacktar (30 Jun 2016)

medicineman said:
			
		

> Well that messed me up - I thought this was a training course for healthy dieting for paramedics at Subway...carry on.
> 
> MM



I was thinking, make sure you don't wolf down the sandwich and chew at least 20 times before swallowing.


----------



## medicineman (30 Jun 2016)

jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> I was thinking, make sure you don't wolf down the sandwich and chew at least 20 times before swallowing.



I was more concerned about them either gaining weight or becoming pedophiles...

MM


----------



## mariomike (1 Jul 2016)

Not a Sig Op said:
			
		

> It's fantastic they took the initiative to make that training video...
> 
> In the latest confined space/fall prevention courses that I took, the practice of writing "call 911" down as a rescue plan was discussed...
> 
> ...



Glad you liked it.    

They have been talking about installing floor to ceiling safety barriers for years. ( Like they finally did on the Bloor Viaduct. ) They are mandatory in some cities. 
Some are electrocuted on the third rail. Surprisingly, many survive somehow.  

What the video did not show is the need to work fast to keep the trains moving. I believe the potential capacity on Line 1 alone ( there are four Lines ) is something like 32,000 passengers per hour in each direction. Anyone familiar with the city can see the Metrolinx projects going on to keep up with the predicted increase in ridership.
Paramedics are stationed at Bloor-Yonge, Spadina, Union and Eglinton during rush hours. 

Radio communications are much better now down "in the hole" than from what I remember.

Also, bring a flashlight and hopefully some water, as it can get very dark and hot working underneath a subway train.  

And your safety glasses. There is steel dust mixed with oil down there from the wheels and brake shoes. Some subway tunnels have been in existence since  1954. 

Subway emergencies can happen in elevated portions, in open cuts, in tunnels or stations. Stokes baskets are under the platforms.
You may also be able to take advantage of the emergency rail carts. Each one can carry two stretcher patients. But, I have not seen one of them in many years. Not sure if they still use them?

As far as marine rescue is concerned, our department operates a Paramedic Marine Unit year-round as part of their Specialized Emergency Response for the City.

Their response area is approximately 460 square miles of open water on Lake Ontario. From the Etobicoke creek (Peel Region) to Rouge River (Durham Region) and extends 13 nautical miles to the US/Canada border. They are also responsible for all waterways within the City.



			
				Oldgateboatdriver said:
			
		

> It's certainly true with me as I have never used my car to go to work downtown in the 35+ years I worked there.



I'm just a retiree enjoying his golden years.    Sometimes I walk to the local subway station, sometimes use Uber, sometimes TTC ( take the car ).  
At the subway station, sometimes I see young people "tease" the trains as they approach by standing as close to the edge of the platform as possible . I hug the walls.


----------

