The Boston Marathon happened not too long ago; April 18, 2016 to be exact. The anniversary of the tragic bombing was just before that, on April 15th (2013). I have always wondered what it was like for the medical staff that day. I know there are pictures, and I know you can just imagine the horror of what was happening... But how did the medical staff react to everything happening? I know that it's one of those events that you don't know how you'll act or react until it happens to you. But I know that these medical professionals were there for anyone that needed help. Would you be able to do the same? I think I could.
The medical tent was only set up for running related injuries. They were not prepared for what happened that day. Not with supplies, at least. Most of the people volunteering their time were medical professionals that do not deal with trauma. Thankfully, athletic trainers do see traumatic events and are trained in that area. The medical staff kept calm and did their jobs. Fortunately, the lead medical staff was trained in disaster management, and there were nearly 800 medical staff spread out along the course that day.
Lauren Plourde, that athletic trainer at Marshfield High School, has been volunteering at the Boston Marathon since 2012. She has seen hot temperatures, cold temperatures, runners dropping from various reasons, spectator injuries... You name it! She was taking her NATA exam the year of the bombings, but she says the next year was very memorable because of how many runners came back and were not scared away. She was one of the lucky ones to be in a safe place that tragic day.
Other athletic trainers weren't so lucky. They were there on that day, and they remember everything. Ray Castle, athletic training director at the Louisiana State University, heard the noise and ran towards the chaos. As did many of the other medical professionals there. Castle and 65 other athletic trainers were in the medical tent that day, all of whom are first responders by profession, but none of which were ever a part of something so traumatic. They all stayed calm and did what they are trained to do - take care of, help, mobilize, and transfer the injured individuals. The first bomb went off, and Jack Foley, athletic trainer for Lehigh University, sprung into action. After the last seriously injured person was transported, he looked at his watch and it was 3:04 pm... Only 15 minutes after the bomb went off. Things operated that smoothly. Though, Castle says that there was nothing that could have been done to prepare him for what he witnessed.
One take away message from all of this is summed up by Foley very nicely. He says: "People have said to me, 'I bet you wish you hadn't been there,''' Foley said. "But I'm glad I was there, I'm glad I engaged and I'm glad I did the right thing. I'm proud to be an athletic trainer.''
The three articles I read about the athletic trainers and medical staff are worth a read. I can't believe it's already been 3 years since that awful day, but if there were athletic trainers and other medical staff there, it would have been a lot worse. I hope one day I can volunteer at such an extraordinary event.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/medical-tent-tauma-center-boston-bombings/story?id=18971988
http://marshfield.wickedlocal.com/article/20160406/SPORTS/160407584
http://espn.go.com/sports/endurance/story/_/id/9210964/athletic-trainers-played-key-role-boston-marathon-medical-response
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