Concertgoers Were the Heroes at the Las Vegas Shooting

(Newswire.net — October 16, 2017) Woodbridge, VA — ​Bystanders were the heroes of the tragic shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas on the night of October 1, 2017. 

It took medical teams thirty minutes or more to arrive at the scene of the shooting, due to confusion. It was difficult for emergency responders to pinpoint the location of the attack – they knew there was an ongoing emergency, but couldn’t figure out where it was happening. Once they deciphered the location of the shooting, medical crews were advised to set up first aid stations some distance away, and not to approach the scene yet. Medical crews – approximately 160 firefighters and EMTS, as well as 250 techs from private medical response companies – did make their way to the scene after some minutes, and were met by the fleeing concertgoers. By the time the medical responders reached the concert venue, they only found bodies. All of the injured victims had been dragged out of the grounds by fellow concertgoers, who had bravely stepped up to the call of duty.

Among the concertgoers were off-duty police officers, medics, and nurses, as well as 16 on-duty medical techs and paramedics, who were of huge help in responding to the immediate needs of the injured. But the bulk of the response to the 489 injured and 58 murdered was undertaken by the teachers, accountants, construction workers, students – everyday citizens with little to no medical training. The concertgoers were the first responders in this horrendous situation, and they stepped up to the plate. There were many heartwarming stories of people staunching bleeding limbs with belts, driving the wounded to hospitals in their own cars, carrying wounded into hotels for safety, the injured helping those more severely injured, people sticking around the concert grounds to stay with the injured and checking their wounds and vitals. 

The bravery and courage of those at the concert, the first responders, has been lauded across the country, and has brought up a conversation about the urgent need for everyday citizens to arm themselves with first aid knowledge. In this unpredictable world we inhabit, we never know when we may be called upon to lend a helping hand. Whether it be a scraped knee at the playground, a sprained ankle in the forest, or something far more serious, we are best equipped to help out if we know basic first aid procedures and carry a small first aid kit at all times. Check for First Aid & CPR classes through your local Red Cross.