We often hear about soldiers returning from war with traumatic brain injuries caused by explosives, but medical officials in Alabama’s neighboring state of Georgia also want the public to know that TBI occurs in the civilian world too. Recently, firefighters from Fort Stewart Army post participated in activities designed to showcase April as Brain Injury Awareness month and draw attention to the issue of brain injuries in general.
The firefighters used a variety of specialized tools to simulate the rescue of someone trapped inside a Chevy Lumina. In about 20 minutes, the firemen had essentially torn the car apart in order to gain access to its interior. The fire lieutenant speculated that the team of rescuers could have performed the task faster in an actual emergency, but the point was to strive for the goal of getting a patient out of the car and into the ambulance in less than 15 minutes.
The demonstration is actually a good crossover because car accidents are a common way that civilians might experience a TBI. The Defense Brain and Injury Center defines TBI as a blow to the head that prevents your brain from functioning normally. Some common symptoms are dizziness, decreased short-term memory, headaches, sensitivity to light and problems with maintaining balance, just to name a few. A psychology technician affiliated with the Winn Army Community Hospital says that anyone suffering from what they believe may be a concussion should get it evaluated immediately as a precautionary measure.
Of course, car crashes aren’t the only way a person can receive an impact to the head. Bicycle accidents, falls from heights and sports injuries can all cause significant trauma to the brain. Brain injuries often require expensive medical treatment. If you experience a TBI, you may be unable to work for some time. If you are suffering from any brain injury, you should find out if the cause of your injury could also give rise to the legal recovery of the costs, damages and losses associated with the injury.
Source: Savannah Morning News, “Fort Stewart pushes traumatic brain injury awareness with car extrication” Corey Dickstein, Mar. 28, 2014
