With 8 minutes, 32 seconds remaining in last Friday’s football game between Medical Lake and visiting St. Maries the action on the field suddenly came to a halt when Cardinals’ lineman, junior Nate Davis, did not get up out of a pile following a tackle.
Officials summoned the Medical Lake training staff to the field, who in turn called on the city’s emergency medical crew that watched from their vehicle outside the south end zone.
“They kept the neck stable and took care of him,” Medical Lake athletics director Chris Spring said. “We always err on the side of caution when there’s any possibility of neck or head or spine injury.”
After nearly an hour of careful attention by Medical Lake athletic trainer Leslie Martin and staff, as well as EMTs from the Medical Lake Fire Department, Davis, who was placed on a backboard, was taken to a local hospital by ambulance for observation and later released.
“He was feeling a little bit of pain in his neck,” Spring said. A lot of times when you get hit in a certain way it will give you what is called a “stinger,” that can shoot temporary numbness to extremities, he said.
The time seemed to crawl by at a glacial pace as those in attendance looked for signs that Davis would be OK.
During the wait, the question was brought up by a St. Maries’ fan why there was not an ambulance on site. Spring explained that having the fire department staffing games fills the need that other communities might do with their local ambulance.
Spring said they are lucky that the local fire department is able to staff the games. “They do that voluntarily.” In addition they are highly trained, and usually the chief, Jason Mayfield, is there, too.
“You’re at the mercy of AMR (local ambulance company American Medical Response), there’s a lot of football games going on in the area,” Spring said.
The city EMTs have the same level of training ambulance drivers have, Spring explained. “We’ve always been fortunate to have our city support that.”
When first responders determined that the injury to Davis was not life-threatening, there was not a huge hurry for the ambulance that transported him to arrive with lights and sirens.
Ironically, Davis suffered the injury the night prior to his 17th birthday and when word traveled to the grandstands, as he was taken away to the hospital, loud choruses of “Happy Birthday,” were heard.
“What I would say, when that happens on our campus that is our absolute worst day,” Spring said. “However, the result was our best day.”
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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