Mass Shootings at Virginia Tech

B
E
were moved to the minor treatment unit at the
VTRS building.
Twelve EMS patient care reports (PCRs) were
available for review. In some cases PCRs were
not completed, and in other cases not provided
upon request. In multiple casualty incident
situations, EMS providers can use standard triage
tags in place of the traditional PCR; however,
no triage tag records were provided, as
noted earlier.
Based on the PCRs available and the interviews
of EMS and hospital personnel, it appears that
the patient care rendered to Norris Hall victims
was appropriate.
Transportation – EMS command appointed a
transportation group leader who assigned
patients to ambulances and specific hospital
destinations. Christiansburg Rescue Squad
(CRS) responded with BLS and ALS units and
CHAPTER IX. EMS RESPONSE
D
C
A
Figure 19. Initial Location of Treatment Units
108
A/B: Staging Areas
C: Command Post
D: Treatment Area
(Delayed and Minor
Treatment Units)
E: Secondary Triage
(Critical Treatment
Unit)
was among the first in line at Norris Hall. CRS,
BVRS, CPTS, and Longshop–McCoy Rescue
Squad transported critical patients to area hospitals.
CPTS ambulances from Giles, Radford,
and Blacksburg as well as some of their
Roanoke-based units, including Life-Guard
flight and ground critical care crews, responded
in mass to the incident either at Norris Hall or
by interfacility transport of critical victims. By
10:51 a.m., all patients from Norris Hall were
either transported to a hospital, or moved to the
delayed or minor treatment units. In addition to
VTRS, 14 agencies responded to the incident
with 27 ALS ambulances and more than 120
EMS personnel (Table 4). Some agencies
delayed routine interfacility patient transports
or “back filled” covering neighboring communities
through preset mutual aid agreements.
Agency supervisors and administrators were
working effectively behind the scenes procuring