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What does entrapped mean?

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I was just wondering what everyone's definition of entrapment is, and what is the "real" definition.

I've been told that ANY time a person can't get out of their car after an MVA it is entrapment. And I have also been told that entrapment means that they are physically pinned by the structure of the vehicle (i.e. a dashboard, steering wheel, roof column etc)

For example,

If a vehicle's door was wedged closed, is that entrapment?

What if a car is rolled over and the person has back pain and is too scared to move, but can move if they wanted to?

Are those situations entrapment or inconvenienced?

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Victims are considered to be entrapped when they cannot leave the vehicle because parts of the body or the whole body is confined in the distorted vehicle after impact, injured or not.

Such a situation requires special extrication/tools needed to help remove the victim would be considered entrapment.

vwwh1 likes this

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door pop and they can get out is an extrication.

Person is pinned/impaled by pedals/dash ect that is an entrapment.

BFD1054 likes this

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I was just wondering what everyone's definition of entrapment is, and what is the "real" definition.

I've been told that ANY time a person can't get out of their car after an MVA it is entrapment. And I have also been told that entrapment means that they are physically pinned by the structure of the vehicle (i.e. a dashboard, steering wheel, roof column etc)

For example,

If a vehicle's door was wedged closed, is that entrapment?

What if a car is rolled over and the person has back pain and is too scared to move, but can move if they wanted to?

Are those situations entrapment or inconvenienced?

Not going there

knowing your misses that is a very smart move
Bnechis likes this

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Down here, entrapment is considered anytime that the person cannot remove themselves from the incident (car, fire, whatever.) We even have separate dispatch assignments when there are reports of people trapped in an auto or a fire.

Obviously a door pop isn't as big of a deal as some of the more serious extrication that we do. But I think its really arguing semantics. Anyone who has done any rescue work knows that a Doors-Roof-Dash is a bigger deal than a Door pop, and obviously infers the person is "more" heavily entrapped.

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I have to ask, why this discussion about a term? is it for dispatch, or what? a pin job is a pin job, some are harder, some take more time, some pop a door go home. I cant see having this discussion except after about 10 beers lol

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Well up here it is not a big deal, but where I used to work, it was a big difference.

A door pop was an inconvienced subject and the response was 1 Engine, 1 Ambulance

A trapped subject response was 1 Hurst ® equipped piece, 1 suppression piece, 1 Ambulance, Duty Chief and Safety officer

AFS1970, x635 and Disaster_Guy like this

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Well up here it is not a big deal, but where I used to work, it was a big difference.

A door pop was an inconvienced subject and the response was 1 Engine, 1 Ambulance

A trapped subject response was 1 Hurst ® equipped piece, 1 suppression piece, 1 Ambulance, Duty Chief and Safety officer

the dispatcher had to have a lot of info to determine that response I would think I have been to dozens of "extrication needed " calls to find everybody out of the car. All our apparatus come with reverse, just send them home.

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Actually that is the computer generated protocol response for entering a subtype to the call of TRAPPED. We were only to use that for pretty much confirmed entrapment NOT just they haven't gotten out yet, or door pops

SageVigiles likes this

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