As a retired EMT, we were always conscious of "scene control." Be it in the field or in the OR suite. We used to have monthly "drills" where we'd have to respond to a "contrived" scenario and resolve it... usually a "disaster drill" sort of scenario. There would always be one person who just went absolutely "cray-cray" in an attempt to disrupt the scene and what the working EMTs were doing. The most senior ranking member (crew chief or Capt), would be in charge of "scene control" and would attempt to deal with this person. It's where EMTs coined the acronym, "HPFS." I won't say what it stands for as it's "politically incorrect," but if you know... you know.
The importance of good "scene control" can't be emphasized enough. One early evening, we arrived on scene to a "code" (Cardiac Arrest). It was about 7:25pm, ET. Things were getting a bit cray-cray but not as bad as the above scenario. Off to work the EMTs went, administering CPR ("1 and 2 and 3 and 4, ").etc. etc Well. in all the confusion, no one had remembered to turn off the TV. And what is it that plays on the TV at 7:25p ET? What else? "Final Jeopardy."
All of a sudden, the "compressor" looks up and sees everyone else (including the "demand valve person" looking at him. And then it dawns on him (and the other EMTs) that he's doing his compressions to the tune of "Final Jeopardy!" So now, we are all in "deep schiznit," because the family members don't realize what's going on and we can't laugh about it.... not one snicker! We had to stay professional! And since one of the family members had to ride with us to the hospital, we still couldn't laugh about it. We had to wait until we had cleared the ER, get back into the rig and drive over to a remote section of the hospital parking lot and then just lost it for a half hour. It was like Beavis and Butthead's "Sex Education" episode.
Moral of the story: Turn the $*@*$@#(*$ TV off when you enter a scene!!!
