Fuckmatiè World Rally Team's Request For Ambulance Denied

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54)
05/25/2015 at 20:02 • Filed to: omgwtfbbq

Lorenzo Bertelli is out of the hospital with no serious injuries after rolling over on SS10 of Rally Portugal. He is very fortunate, since he had to wait more than three hours for an ambulance after the crash.

At first Bertelli felt fine, and they put out the OK sign. However, twenty minutes later, he started feeling sick and dizzy, having hit his head on the roll cage during the crash, leading the team to switch to the SOS sign and request medical assistance. After hearing his symptoms, the Chief Medical Officer declined the request, feeling that the symptoms were not serious enough to justify stopping the stage. A spectator who happened to be a paramedic checked out Bertelli, and had a very different opinion, but was unable to sway the decision. The ambulance did not respond until the stage was over, more than three hours after the crash.

It is understandable why Bertelli didn’t feel the symptoms at first. The adrenalin rush of driving a rally car, and the crash in particular, kept him going for a while. That’s what adrenalin is for. He only began feeling sick as the adrenalin wore off, which is perfectly normal. Head injuries are not to be taken lightly. Had the injury been more serious, Bertelli could have died, all because the powers that be felt that keeping the stage running was more important.

I’ve volunteered in many capacities at many rallies, and I find this absolutely appalling. My primary purpose as a rally volunteer is to keep people safe. Keeping the event running smoothly is important, but secondary to the preservation of human life. Never, in all the rallies I’ve worked, have I heard the slightest hesitation to cancel a stage and send an ambulance to an injured competitor, regardless of symptoms. That’s why they’re there. If situations like this aren’t taken seriously, what’s the point of having marshals and radio operators and ambulances in the first place?

You can read Fuckmatiè’s full report on the incident !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

(Photo credit: Fuckmatiè World Rally Team. h/t to Elana Rabinow.)

DISCUSSION (51)

BJ > Justin Hughes
05/25/2015 at 20:57

This past winter I face-planted while skiing. Hard, but not really that hard. I was sore so decided to sit down and rest. Twenty minutes later I nearly puked in the chalet.

I was otherwise fine, not dizzy or dopey, speech was clear and I had full control of my body and thoughts. It was still frightening, something I wish to never experience again.

I can’t imagine having a rally car crash and going through the same thing, or much worse, and to be denied medical care.

Justin Hughes > BJ
05/25/2015 at 21:32

It sounds like you had it easy compared to Bertelli - and that’s not putting down the severity or suckitude of your faceplant.

BJ > Justin Hughes
05/25/2015 at 22:01

Severity - minor, I was back in business the following morning.

Suckitude - major, I face-planted in front of my 12 y-o nephew, on the bottom end of a bunny hill, under the chair lift, while trying to catch sick air on a 6” bump. My ski tips went outwards, and the landing was wonderfully crunchy.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Justin Hughes
05/25/2015 at 22:12

That’s really unacceptable. Even after the series of motorsport accidents in the last few years. Schumi really points to how easily a head injury can happen even wearing a helmet.

Justin Hughes > BJ
05/25/2015 at 22:15

Oof! That sounds like way more insult than injury.

Stef Schrader > Justin Hughes
05/25/2015 at 22:55

a) Between this and losing Tanak, what the crap is happening in WRC this year?

b) Hoooooly crap, my brain explodes every time I see this team’s name. Hahaha. (I think the broadcast goes with FWRT.)

ElanaR > Justin Hughes
05/25/2015 at 23:13

I’m so freaking pissed about this.

How can teams be expected to run flat out when they cannot be assured of prompt medical care in the case of an accident. part of the decision to push is knowing that there is medical care available ASAP. I’d really like to put the medical officer who made this decision in a rally car and see how he felt about having to wait until the end of the stage in case of injury.

Dusty Ventures > Stef Schrader
05/25/2015 at 23:43

The Tanak incident gets half a pass from me. I know everyone keeps saying it was 14 minutes from when his GPS went offline to them stopping the stage, but those GPS units have a history of randomly failing sometimes, so they couldn’t have stopped the stage as soon as it failed in case it was just a technical/electronic issue. So you need to instead look at when he should have finished (about 9 minutes before they stopped the stage, IIRC). But again, you don’t stop the stage because a car is late. They may just have a flat. So you wait until the next car arrives (Meeke) and ask them if they saw the missing car. Now we’re down to 6 minutes before they stopped the stage. Meeke says he didn’t see anyone, and in hindsight they should have at least seriously considered stopping the stage. But sometimes a driver passes a car that pulled down a junction or something (getting out of the way while dealing with a flat/mechanical) and didn’t see said car. So instead of stopping the stage at this point the organizers sent in a helicopter and waited for the next car to show up so they could ask him. Again, the wrong decision in hindsight, but a logical one. Wait for the next car, now we’re down to three minutes before they stopped the stage. It would be easy to kill most if not all of those three minutes talking back and forth between stage end, stage start, race control, the rallymaster, and the helicopter. In other words for me it wasn’t a failure of the organizers as much as a freak unexpected incident shining a light on the weaknesses in the system (weaknesses that are difficult to patch up without investing in a fair deal more people and/or more technology).

That said, I heard from Alex Gelsomino that at Rally Portugal the organizers had divers at the ready at a reservoir along the rally route, so it looks like that investment is being made, which is fantastic news.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 07:34

This really needs to be on the FP (is it even the FP anymore?). This is pretty inexcusable since there was a potential head injury, and I don’t see any media outlets talking about it.

BJ > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 08:23

There was sufficient injury, but yes, it was also a bit embarrassing. My nephew and I were both laughing a bit until I regained feeling in my face, at which point things were no longer funny... :)

theshinobi01 > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 09:50

In a sport where concussions are a high possibility due to a roll over or a huge crash, I think that’s ridiculous.

Nobi > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 09:59

“ Fuckmatiè “

Best team name ever.

The Rusty Hub > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 09:59

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/05/14/fia…

It’s a great first step toward making racing safer, but there needs to be (A) a panel with real power to make safety recommendations based on the accident reports and (B) cooperation from the series to make racing safer. All the safety lessons in the world go right out the window if the series ignore them.

boredalways > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:02

1000% inexcusable. The CMO needs to be suspended for the remainder of the season

Dest > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:02

WRC seems to really be fucking it up lately in regards to their participants safety.

Justin Hughes > The Rusty Hub
05/26/2015 at 10:06

Exactly, and that’s what gets me about this. It’s nothing new - we deal with crashes on stages all the time, and we have a procedure that boils down to “Do you need an ambulance? OK, we’ll send an ambulance.” It isn’t, or shouldn’t be, any less simple than that.

zetec duratec ECOTEC > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:09

This is completely unacceptable. I hope this gets litigated. YOU DON’T FORCE A DRIVER TO RACE WHEN HE DOESN’T FEEL MEDICALLY UP TO IT.

AndrewBermuda > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:12

How the hell is it even a consideration to deny or approve the sending of an ambulance?! If there is a crash, and the driver claims the need for an ambulance at ANY TIME FOLLOWING THE BLOODY CRASH, BRING OUT THE DAMN AMBULANCE!

Christ, what year is it?!

The Rusty Hub > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:19

I’m interested to know, by the way, which 25 racing series the FIA collects data on and will publish in that database. The series that need it most probably aren’t represented, nor would I expect them to take safety recommendations well.

Svend > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:22

From a medical side we always went in when called regardless of what the organisers said or outcome. Sometimes it was a panic reaction to call us but our duty was to the patient and with our vehicle in the way the organisers/committee had to stop all racing. We had many arguments but we never paid them any heed.

Outie5000 > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:33

I feel like the cheif medical steward was not acting as he should. Safety ALWAYS comes first. Shut a race down and help injured people is the norm, not the exception.

captain_spleen > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:37

Natasha Richardson:

On 16 March 2009, Richardson sustained a head injury when she fell while taking a beginner skiing lesson at the Mont Tremblant Resort in Quebec, Canada about 80 miles (130 km) from Montreal . The injury was followed by a lucid interval , when Richardson seemed to be fine and was able to talk and act normally. Paramedics and an ambulance which initially responded to the accident were told they were not needed and left. [19] Refusing medical attention twice, she returned to her hotel room and about three hours later was taken to a local hospital in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts after complaining of a headache. [20] [21] She was transferred from there by ambulance to Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur , Montreal , in critical condition and was admitted about seven hours after the fall. [22] [23] The following day, she was flown to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where she died on 18 March at the age of 45. [24] [25] An autopsy conducted by the New York City Medical Examiners Office on 19 March revealed the cause of death was an “ epidural hematoma due to blunt impact to the head”, and her death was ruled an accident. [20] Her heart, kidneys and liver were donated to other individuals. [26]

SchwarzeEwigkt > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:43

I'm confused. I thought *everybody* knows that if you hit your head and you start to have nausea, you *get your ass to a hospital now so you don't die.*

unclespok > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 10:48

It seems to me that the chief medical officer is much more qualified to make the call than a random paramedic. Since the driver was released from the hospital relatively quickly, it sounds like the cmo was right.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > The Rusty Hub
05/26/2015 at 11:00

I thought that the medical delegate had the power to stop any FIA event at any time on safety grounds. Could be wrong. That might just be an F1 thing.

RallyorDie > BJ
05/26/2015 at 11:08

It is scary. I recently got hit by a car while on my bike. I was wearing a helmet but still took a good whack to the head. I walked things off and rode the last half mile home. Some 10 minutes later I could barely stand and was throwing up into my bathtub. I can’t recall any of the details from the crash either.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 11:13

Shouldn’t the headline be

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Justin Hughes > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
05/26/2015 at 11:15

It was, but it turns out this is the team’s actual name, so I updated it.

I like pooping. > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 11:17

I just want to know what Matiè did to be immortalized via team name.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 11:25

Oh, so they just flip the u for the car decals? Seems like an “n” would work just as well, and be humorous as well.

472CID > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 11:48

Fuckmatie? is it a pirate team?

BenLikesCars > BJ
05/26/2015 at 11:49

Weird shit can happen. Look at Natasha Richardson.

She fell during an intro skiing lesson, she even turned away medical assistance, twice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_R…

Scary.

And when he had the skiing accident, Schumacher was wearing a helmet, for crying out loud.

Keith Moon > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 11:53

The chief medical officer needs a bang on his head with a sledgehammer. Then he needs a 3 hour wait for an ambulance. If he comes out of this experience alive and healthy, he will learn a very important lesson about the value of human life :-/

fdomestic > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 12:56

As an English speaking outsider, that name is hilarious

NeonBlaqk > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 13:18

That’s just insane. Yes, all forms of motorsport are inherently dangerous blah blah whatever, but within that, you’re supposed to mitigate the danger as much as possible and then be quick with assistance when things go wrong. The moment he said he was feeling ill after they knew full well he’d had an incident, they should have put two and two together and realized Bertelli needed medical attention. Just because you say you feel ok one moment doesn’t mean that is set in stone. The human brain isn’t like a bone where you quickly realize “oh crap, it’s pointed backwards, ergo it’s broken,” it can take a little while to realize that something is seriously wrong.

factsonly1 > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 13:23

It doesn't sound that serious. Can't blame the Medical officer.

Wilson > Justin Hughes
05/26/2015 at 14:08

All medical personnel in this position should always err on the side of caution. Not only is there risk to the driver, but in WRC fans are often at risk too. Even if you don’t give a shit about anyone’s well being, this sort of poor decision making exposes the WRC to all sorts of liability unnecessarily which, in turn, can affect the insurability (and finance-ability) of the series. Just foolish.

BJ > RallyorDie
05/26/2015 at 14:20

Sounds terrifying! I had a bike crash many years ago and if it wasn’t for my helmet I’m not sure how smart I’d be today... that time I was lucky to escape any head injury.

BJ > BenLikesCars
05/26/2015 at 14:21

These examples are exactly why it’s shocking that medical treatment was not provided after the team made the call - head injuries are scary and unpredictable, and there’s so little room for error.

Justin Hughes > factsonly1
05/26/2015 at 15:00

It turned out not to be serious, but there was no way of knowing for sure until he got checked out. If it had been serious, he might not have needed an ambulance by the time they sent one.

BenLikesCars > BJ
05/26/2015 at 16:06

See, in America, we have lawsuits for stuff like that. People can put our litigation legacy down all they like, but it does serve some purpose.

BJ > BenLikesCars
05/26/2015 at 16:18

I wouldn’t be surprised if Portugal has some sort of civil liability laws as well. Since Bertelli seems to have turned out fine, it’s likely that a lawsuit wouldn’t go far, even in America. But perhaps the fear of litigation would be enough to prevent this type of incident?

WRC and/or FIA may also be liable under the laws of the country where they are based in the case of incident. But that would be for the lawyers to work out.

JimbobarooneyD > Justin Hughes
05/27/2015 at 02:57

I read this article thinking that the loonie Italian had tried to do something silly... Kinda wish that had been the case now. Shocking.

chaos-cascade > Justin Hughes
05/27/2015 at 02:57

I don’t understand why they have to stop the race.

Kinja'd!!!

Justin Hughes > JimbobarooneyD
05/27/2015 at 09:25

Well he did roll the car, so that's something.

Farabomb > Svend
05/27/2015 at 09:41

Noble and I thank you for your service but realize ignoring the RD you can create a situation where your EV can create more patients. I trust you make sure it’s clear before leaving your station and make sure your’e as far off the racing line as possible.

Svend > Farabomb
05/27/2015 at 10:05

We never blindly entered into an open active track. The rare (though not as rare as we’d like it to of been) occasions we had to step in, we notified the relevant people of our intentions before moving off and marshals knew to white flag the course when they saw our lights and/or us.

In regards to positioning of our vehicles on the track it was always made completely clear if we had to enter or did enter the track, the race stopped, no ifs or buts. It sometimes pissed a few people off especially if the meet had to be cancelled and they didn’t get the points they needed for the next meet or finals, etc... but I’d like to think they understood why we did what we had to do.

I’m out of that scene now and have been for a while.

Farabomb > Svend
05/27/2015 at 10:48

Cool, as long as the flaggers knew what was up and waving the racers should be aware of the issue. I help out with the timing and scoring at trackdays and yes, I know all about pissy drivers.

Again, thank you for your service. You keep us safe out there and allow us to enjoy our hobby.

Svend > Farabomb
05/27/2015 at 11:11

As I say, I got out of that scene. I was getting a real buzz from callouts, assessing scenes, treating casualties, etc... and though I did enjoy the job it had its really low points and even its high points I felt guilty because it was at someone elses expense.

I now fill shelves at a supermarket on nightshift which pays the bills and I relax by cleaning friends and neighbours cars for free.

I sometimes miss it but I’ve seen it destroy people also. I know one guy who would stop in at a pub for a pint before his shift just to get him to work and then go back to the pub straight after his shift, another hung himself after he was taken off of driving duties while he was on certain tablets, etc...

Stay safe and always prepare for what may happen and don’t rely on someone too much that you become complacent. Have fun.

Fuel_of_Satan > Nobi
05/27/2015 at 11:55

I was sort of "hoping" their ambulance denial was related to the name offending whoever is on the other line. It would, kind of, make more sense. This is just.... Stupid.

BenLikesCars > BJ
05/28/2015 at 14:40

Thank heavens he was okay. He could have been dead from neglect.