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Fire department assists Emergency Services by Heather Woolwine Public Relations When you work in a level-one trauma center, you’ve seen it all; the great, the good, the bad, and the worst. As Robert Rodrigues, R.N., describes, one patient’s case went from bad to great with one phone call.     On Sept. 24, Rodrigues, Emergency Services clinical nurse leader, and other staff received a patient from a moped accident. This patient sustained a gruesome injury; the gear shift pedal impaled his leg during the crash.   “We determined that the only safe way to remove this object without creating more damage or requiring he undergo major surgery would be to remove it from the opposite sides of the injury, similar to removing a fish hook,” Rodrigues said.    To accomplish this task, emergency staff needed only to cut the external portion of the gear shift close to patient’s skin in order to remove a bend in the metal and an attached bolt.   Quickly, a problem arose.   The gear shift pedal consisted of case-hardened steel, meaning that none of the emergency services equipment could cut through it.   Demonstrating the quick and resourceful thinking behind one of the state’s highest level emergency rooms, the emergency services staff sought help from their cousins in another branch of emergency service.    “We called the fire department, and Ladder Company 4 responded in less than five minutes, specifically Capt. Vandross, assistant engineer Cain, and ladder man Holmes,” Rodrigues said.  “Upon arrival Capt. Vandross and his men displayed competent professionalism and a can-do attitude. They set up the Jaws of Life in the hallway and after the patient was sedated, the gear shift was cut to the exact specifications we needed in mere moments.”   By performing this unusual request in competent and quick fashion, the firemen enabled MUSC’s emergency services team to not only care for the patient, but also prevent further pain, injury, and health care costs.   “We had to improvise. It was a critical situation that took some maneuvering to accomplish but it was worth it,” Rodrigues said. “The patient suffered less soft tissue damage, as well as avoiding the operating room and a large incision. The patient left the hospital the next day. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to those firemen, as they exemplify the best of fire service.”   Friday, Dec. 9, 2005 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.