Shame, Shame, Shame

kat2220

kat2220

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Daytona's infield medical center closed as drivers went 200 mph: It has been almost exactly three years since Dale Earnhardt was killed here, and NASCAR's highly publicized emphasis on safety took a hit yesterday when Nextel Cup drivers were surprised to learn that the infield medical center was locked and no doctor was on staff during Daytona 500 testing. Halifax Medical Center is nearby, but drivers nevertheless expressed shock that the infield hospital was closed, particularly after NASCAR's long safety meeting with teams Tuesday. "If there are no doctors here while we're testing, that's absolutely ridiculous," Rusty Wallace said. "There must have been a major malfunction. I'm sure Mike Helton wouldn't let that happen. It's got to be an oversight, and hopefully we'll get that corrected." Bobby Hutchens, the chief engineer for Richard Childress, said, "It surprises me, because in the age we're in we've tried to improve safety, and it bothers me that there is no doctor here, to be able to assist somebody if there's a need. "Just thinking about this place and the things that have happened, it really surprises me there's not a doctor on hand." ...NASCAR officials were not in the garage for comment. - The Winston-Salem Journal
 
it would cost nastycar to much $$$$$ to retain a dr. during testing, not to mention the electric bill for opening up the care center.

greedy SOB's
 
The teams should have not went out on to the track. The most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of. :angry:
 
The only thing shameful about this article is the fact that Mulhern published it.

Halifax Medical Center is less than two miles from the Speedway, in fact it is closer to some parts of the track than the infield care center; there were first responder EMT's and Paramedics manning the ambulances and it would be much quicker to transport to the fully staffed ER at Halifax than to the infield care center and then reload into either another amublance or a chopper. Ever fly a helicopter? It takes more than just a twist of the key to get one into the air. It takes time. I believe that time is still the most important aspect of treating serious trauma, is it not? And in this case the most timely thing would be to simply transport immediately a fully equipped and fully staffed trauma center.

This is just another case of a journalist ignoring the obvious facts in order to create contraversy amongst his readers.
Anyone who takes any of Mulhern's articles seriously is never going to have any idea at all of what goes on in reality.
Print the story, ignore the facts and the readers love every bit of it.
Whatever makes for a good sounding story line and gets the fans fired up!
And it would seem that it has worked once again.
 
Just imagine what it would cost NA$CA$H if someone were injured! I bet Jimmy Johnson knows a damn good LAWYER!
 
Originally posted by de7xwcc@Jan 16 2004, 01:04 PM
if what you say is true boB, i will take it lake a man and say i was wrong with my asumptions
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As well.

Doesnt someone here have Mulhern in his sig or something?
 
CART is in bankruptcy and will be accepting bids on all of its equipment; including the best mobile hospital in the world, until January 23, 2004. Have the IRL buy all of the CART pieces and work out a schedule to share the mobile hospital. Just my .02.
 
The whole thing is simply a non-issue. Halifax Medical Center is so close to the Speedway (less than two miles.) that it makes no sense at all to even think about loading a patient, unloading at the infield care center, trying to stabilize then reloading and transporting again.
Why mess around when a completely staffed ER and Trauma center are so close? It would be criminally insane to even think of anything other than simply transporting immediately.
I don't believe they have ever used a medivac helicopter at the Speedway for this simple reason.
It takes time to get a chopper off the ground and by the time it's ready to fly, the patient is in the ER receiving proper treatment.
 
boB,
For traumas, I can certainly understand exactly what you are saying. And I agree with it. BUT, what about this scenario: Team member slices hand open on sheet metal, but only needs a few stitches. He then has to completely leave the premises of DIS and go to Halifax to get his hand sewn up. BS! They should have the infield care center open. NO MATTER WHAT! Sorry, but one of Nascar's rules is after a crash, the driver is supposed to be checked out. Did someone do that for Michael Waltrip and for Jimmie Johnson? Who knows. Nascar isn't answering any questions regarding the infield care center. But someone needs to!

That is just my honest opinion. Your use and mileage may vary. ;)
 
Wasnt N2Racin88 or something like that the guy with the Mulhern avatar?
 
well we all know the didn't take dale to the infeild care center nor did they put him in a helicopter, they went directly to halifax
but i really don't think they were in that big of hurry i think he was already gone.
 
A crew member cuts his hand and needs stitches. He's treated on scene by the paramedics and taken less than two miles to the hospital. They stitch him up and he returns to the track.

The orginal article by Mike Mulhern is the only BS here!
I must say that he has succeeded in getting fans cranked up over another non-issue though.
 
It doesn't matter if the Hospital is 1/2 mi away. They still need a doctor there at the track. If someone is hurt there at the track they need to be looked at then not latter. Seconds count. :angry:
 
Originally posted by RobbyG Fan+Jan 16 2004, 01:30 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RobbyG Fan @ Jan 16 2004, 01:30 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--de7xwcc@Jan 16 2004, 01:04 PM
if what you say is true boB, i will take it lake a man and say i was wrong with my asumptions
Click to expand...
As well.

Doesnt someone here have Mulhern in his sig or something? [/b][/quote]
yea N2RACIN88 has it in his sig. and has a pic of him as his avitar, I would'nt trust his articles as far as I could throw um, He needs to write articles for national enquirer
 
Yep, trained medical personal have the injured in the ambulance and are evaluating/initiating treatment on them so we'll drive nearly as far around the infield of Daytona to the infield care center, unload, have another evaluation done, reload into a helicopter for a flight which will likely take at least five minutes, probably closer to ten, and we've wasted fifteen, twenty, or more minutes when the patient could have been in the ER/Trauma center and being treated in five at the most.
You said it Gollum, minutes count.

I'm not trying to blindly defend NASCAR or ISC in this situation, however, I think I've made the point about the time involved for treatment at this particular facility.
Other tracks and their location in relation to medical facilities require other measures.

I would like to know just where Mr. Mulhern got his information regarding this situation to begin with and also know for sure that the infield care center was not staffed at all. It wouldn't be the first time that Mulhern has gone to press based solely on rumor or innuendo and now no matter what anyone from the Speedway or NASCAR says they are going to be the bad guys, liars, only concerned with their limitless greed, and mindless to the safety of their competitors.
Just read the message forums and see what the fans are saying!
 
Originally posted by boB@Jan 16 2004, 06:48 PM
I would like to know just where Mr. Mulhern got his information regarding this situation to begin with and also know for sure that the infield care center was not staffed at all. It wouldn't be the first time that Mulhern has gone to press based solely on rumor or innuendo and now no matter what anyone from the Speedway or NASCAR says they are going to be the bad guys, liars, only concerned with their limitless greed, and mindless to the safety of their competitors.
Just read the message forums and see what the fans are saying!
Click to expand...
An interesting question boB. I hope someone can facilitate an answer. :blink:
 
Not sure what the flap is here since there are no race tracks I am aware of that open the infield care center for practice and testing. They do have EMT's and paramedic response teams highly skilled in emergency techniques.

My memory fails me as to whether or not the center was opened in the past for similar events at either Daytona or any facility, but what rememberances there are make me think only EMS people were on the scene. Now I gotta remember when the last time I really paid attention to that circumstance !!! I vividly recall when there were no EMS on site and things came to a screeching halt, but the infield care center being open or closed is something else again.
 
Ken,

As I've already said, this whole issue is just one more non-issue which has absolutely nothing to do with the fans, but makes a great subject to stir the famous old big brown pot.
I can picture Rusty and the other drivers sitting around in the garage and laughing their butts off over the fact they put another one over on Mike and he fell for it. Again, yet or still!
They probably are getting an even bigger laugh over all the fan reaction on the message boards while NASCAR and ISC officials can do nothing but sit back and keep quite, as to make any public statement at this point would only add more fuel to the fire.

Sorry I haven't been in touch the last couple of weeks, I'll talk to you some morning the first of the week.
 
GREAT Thread!!!!! Interesting, educational, and entertaining.
Now where else can ya get all that for free???? :D

Item: I NEVER did care for Mulhern!!!
Item: He did an article about DE's demise that I thought was sooooooooooooooo off, it should never have been put in writing.
Item: I haven't ever heard anyone say anything nice about this brainless person.

Thank all of you. Loved the read.
 
I don't think thats really a good idea.... its not a good idea at all. In my opinion, nascar isn't really a sport, its a company, and nowadays companies are alwaying trying to cut costs and save money. I'm sure when something bad happens, lets hope it dosn't, maybe they will leran their lesson
 
Originally posted by millermagic@Jan 17 2004, 10:07 PM
I don't think thats really a good idea.... its not a good idea at all. In my opinion, nascar isn't really a sport, its a company, and nowadays companies are alwaying trying to cut costs and save money. I'm sure when something bad happens, lets hope it dosn't, maybe they will leran their lesson
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Not a sport???
 
:rolleyes: Is not football, Basketball and baseball run like a buisness also.
 
You guys leave me alone. I am a highly respected journalist!
 
NASCAR IS a sport. Drivers must be in great condition to drive them cars at breakneck speeds for 3 to 5 hours straight. Show me a ***** footed feetball muscle bound nut that could do that!!!!!

All sports are truly run as a business. They are ALL in it for that unholy $$$$$!!!!!

And I will NOT change my opinion of Mulhern!!!!!

:p :lol: :D :)
 
In my opinion, it is not the helo that is of issue here. I think the issue is that noone is manning the infield care center. The infield care center should be open and manned whenever cars are on the track especially, but also for the team guys if they should get hurt while working.
 
What is the matter with you folks?
There was no need for the infield care center to be manned at all on test days. (Race day with its crowds and traffic present a different situation entirely.)
There were qualified emergency personal present on the ambulances and there is a fully equipped ER and Trauma Center less than the distance around the track away; indeed, closer to some parts of the Speedway than the infield care center.
There is a fully equipped and staffed hospital quite literally across the street and you folks are honestly going to try to use a non - issue as another excuse to curse out NASCAR.

Just one other item FYI. NASCAR doesn't furnish the medical personal. That is up to the track and must be approved by NASCAR.

This whole thing is just another attempt by one particular journalist, noted for his lack of concern over facts, to create contraversey amongst the fans.
I would have to say that is is working pretty well from the posts on most of the message forums.

But I guess this is a better subject than Jeff Gordon's haircut. At least it's something racing related.
 
boB, that's your opinion and you are entitled to it, just as us that disagree is entitled to ours.
 
boB
I think you are allowing your dislike for a particular journalist to cloud your thinking. The ER may be closer from some points of the track, but you still have to exit from the one point. No matter how you cut it, you basically have to pass the care center to get out of the track to get to the ER. Even on test days there are still thousands of people milling around the infield of Daytona. We're not discussing when 1 team goes to some track to test, we're talking about 25 or more teams and all the people they bring plus thousands of fans.
 
Originally posted by kat2220+Jan 17 2004, 10:58 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (kat2220 @ Jan 17 2004, 10:58 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--millermagic@Jan 17 2004, 10:07 PM
I don't think thats really a good idea.... its not a good idea at all. In my opinion, nascar isn't really a sport, its a company, and nowadays companies are alwaying trying to cut costs and save money. I'm sure when something bad happens, lets hope it dosn't, maybe they will leran their lesson
Click to expand...
Not a sport??? [/b][/quote]
I have weird thinking. By that, I meant that I don't think they are in it for the sports part, I mean that they are in it for the money and don't really care about the sport part of it. And that still didn't make any sense to me.
 
boB is correct about Daytona it would take less time to transport a hurt driver crewmember by ambulance to halifax than go to the infeild care center then to halifax during testing, not on race day, have to agree with boB on this one (checks temp)
 
Eagle,

Maybe you should go back and read through this thread completely.

I have questioned if anyone verified that the infield care center was indeed locked. Or might it have simply been closed for a short period of time for some reason? Or?
And the answer to that question is, "Of course not. According to the article it was locked so it must have been locked."

I honestly do not know and I honestly do not care either way. What I do know is that this particular journalist will go ahead with articles without taking the time to verify facts.
Of course now that the fans are all fired up (over an issue which has no affect on them at all) at NASCAR, no statement issued by NASCAR or the track is going to be anything more than lies, a cover-up, or just another attempt to disguise their greed.

It really isn't my dislike for this particular journalist that has me posting about this; it is my amazement that so many so-called fans will believe anything negative without question and ignore or redicule any postives.

But I guess that's what makes them all experts and fans?

I will add here that in my own experience, NASCAR will not allow cars on the track unless there is, in their opinion, adequate medical personal in attendance. That is one rule which they are quite strict in enforcing.
Also, the track is responsible for providing emergency and medical personal, not NASCAR.
 
Originally posted by millermagic+Jan 19 2004, 03:12 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (millermagic @ Jan 19 2004, 03:12 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by -kat2220@Jan 17 2004, 10:58 PM
<!--QuoteBegin--millermagic
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@Jan 17 2004, 10:07 PM
I don't think thats really a good idea.... its not a good idea at all. In my opinion, nascar isn't really a sport, its a company, and nowadays companies are alwaying trying to cut costs and save money. I'm sure when something bad happens, lets hope it dosn't, maybe they will leran their lesson
Click to expand...

Not a sport???
Click to expand...
I have weird thinking. By that, I meant that I don't think they are in it for the sports part, I mean that they are in it for the money and don't really care about the sport part of it. And that still didn't make any sense to me. [/b][/quote]
So what is different about NASCAR ????? They aren't in it for the sport ??? If that is the case, neither is Richard CHildress, Jack Roush, Robert Yates or anyone else for that matter.

They do love to race and the competiton, but the same auto racing in one form or another can be found in nearly every county of every state within the fifty states.

The top teams all reached the place they are in by trying to be the best. Being the best means spending big money and that means having high priced sponsorships. This leads to other teams needing to follow suit to remain competitive. It filters down from NASCAR to the local little league team wherein they lie, cheat and use ineligeble players in order to win.

So NASCAR isn't in it for the sport??

When Dad jums out of the stands at the youth soccer league and punches the referee in the face, is this man in it for the sport ?? Because if he were, he would accept the fact referees make mistakes and he would accept the fact there are some things besides winning at any cost.

For me personally, winning is not the only thing. Playing the game fair and square and keeping the spirit alive in the game, or in the race, are what count.

NASCAR began as a the sanctioning body and thier gig was to put on the show at Daytona Beach. Why ?? The town fathers wanted the income the race brought with it. Greed ?? YES !!!! From day one, June 19, 1947. GREED !!! Greed born by the town fathers of Daytona Beach and greed born by the Board of Directors of the newly formed National Championship Stock Car Circuit, later to be named NASCAR.

NASCAR was formed to MAKE MONEY. Richard Childress Racing was formed to MAKE MONEY. Rouch Racing was formed to MAKE MONEY. Hendrick Racing was formed to MAKE MONEY.
Was the sport the first consideration ?? Are they all greedy?? Are they all interested for the money and not the sport ?? Take away the money and the sport goes in the toilet. At the cost of racing, trophies only go so far.

The point is, NASCAR is no more greedy than any other professional sport or race team.
They are the ones making the decisions and to those who criticise the decision, it is their right. To constantly bombard NASCAR as being greedy, they are wrong. NASCAR is no more greedy than any of the teams listed. The question now becomes, did the teams become involved for the money or the sport and the answer is, the sport, and to stay competitive in the premier series, the money.

Just a friendly observation.
 
My reply to someone who trys to get my goat and tells me that racing isn't a sport is, "so you call 22 grown men fondling each other over an oblong object a sport then?"

Usually shuts 'em up! ;)
 
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