Home Health ER doctors reveal Baltimore bridge victims’ tragic fight for survival: Shock, hypothermia and exhaustion – plus a 185ft drop would’ve felt like ‘hitting concrete’

ER doctors reveal Baltimore bridge victims’ tragic fight for survival: Shock, hypothermia and exhaustion – plus a 185ft drop would’ve felt like ‘hitting concrete’

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Baltimore officials are racing to save up to 20 people who plunged into the Patapsco River after a Singapore freighter crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Emergency doctors fear the nearly two dozen people who fell 185 feet from the Baltimore Bridge last night will not survive, revealing their biological race against time.

At around 1.30am on Tuesday, the Singapore-flagged freighter Dali crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, throwing at least 20 people into the cold water of the Patapsco River.

They included six construction workers who were on foot on the bridge and people in five cars. So far two people have been saved, while another is in critical condition, authorities announced.

Tragically, doctors told DailyMail.com that those on foot faced an agonizing fall that would feel like “hitting concrete” and lead to serious injuries such as broken bones and a ruptured heart, with a slim chance of survival.

Once in 47-degree water, hypothermia kicked in, causing hyperventilation, loss of motor control, confusion, and organ failure, which began in just three minutes.

And those in cars would have only two minutes to escape from their vehicles before drowning.

Baltimore officials are racing to save up to 20 people who plunged into the Patapsco River after a Singapore freighter crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Baltimore officials are racing to save up to 20 people who plunged into the Patapsco River after a Singapore freighter crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it.

Normal human body temperature is generally considered 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius), although it can range from 97 to 99 F (36.1 to 37.2 C).

However, exposure to cold air or water can cause your body temperature to gradually drop. A temperature of 95 F or less is considered hypothermia.

Emergency physician Dr Jared L Ross told DailyMail.com: “At these water temperatures, without protective clothing such as an immersion suit or dry suit, we would expect the effects of hypothermia to set in quickly,” he said. .

Dr. Ross estimated that in just three to five minutes, a person with hypothermia can suffer from motor problems or clumsiness.

“Exhaustion would occur within 30 to 60 minutes and unconsciousness is expected by the end of the first hour,” he said.

Although Dr. Ross noted that someone with “flotation and access to fresh air to breathe” could survive for up to three hours, those without it can suffer fatal organ failure in about an hour.

In about three to five minutes, heart rate and blood pressure drop because the person is too cold to pump normal blood flow throughout the body.

The result of not getting enough blood, oxygen and nutrients in the body is nerve damage, which can appear after as little as 20 minutes.

The bridge spans 9,000 feet over the Patapsco River and is 180 feet above the water.

The bridge spans 9,000 feet over the Patapsco River and is 180 feet above the water.

The bridge spans 9,000 feet over the Patapsco River and is 180 feet above the water.

ER doctors reveal Baltimore bridge victims tragic fight for survival

ER doctors reveal Baltimore bridge victims tragic fight for survival

The nerves begin to die, which can lead the patient to think that they are burning instead of freezing, causing them to remove their clothing.

And after 30 to 60 minutes, a person may lose consciousness and organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain begin to shut down.

Several factors can affect how long a person can survive hypothermia.

Dr. LouAnn Giangreco, an emergency physician and medical director at American Family Care, told DailyMail.com that children in particular may have an advantage because they have a higher body surface area (BSA) than adults, allowing the body better maintain the core. temperature.

“This can allow a child to survive for up to an hour if immersed in very cold water below 40°F (4°C),” Dr. Ross said.

It is unclear whether children were involved in the bridge collapse in Baltimore.

Dr. Giangreco also noted that people who are more physically fit can also survive longer because their bodies can adapt faster to the harsh conditions.

“While treading water can greatly prolong survival in warmer waters, in cold waters exhaustion will occur quickly and the ability to swim will not significantly increase survival,” Dr Ross said.

A person’s weight can also determine how quickly they succumb to hypothermia. Researchers have foundfor example, that those with visceral fat, which is located deep within the abdominal wall, can maintain a normal core temperature longer than those with lower levels.

However, subcutaneous fat, which is located just under the skin, does not have the same effect.

1711476994 605 ER doctors reveal Baltimore bridge victims tragic fight for survival

1711476994 605 ER doctors reveal Baltimore bridge victims tragic fight for survival

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (left) hugs Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (left) hugs Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (left) hugs Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.

For those on the bridge, such as construction workers, Dr. Giangreco said she “didn’t expect” them to survive a 185-foot drop.

This is due to the high speed at which a person falls, also known as velocity, and hits the water.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the maximum speed at which someone can survive a fall into water is about 100 feet per second (68.2 mph/109.8 kph). This is the equivalent of 186 feet.

“Since the bridge is about 185 feet above the water, this is at the upper limit of survivability in the event of a fall,” Dr. Ross said.

“Falls from this height can cause severe blunt force trauma, especially when the person falls on their chest or abdomen.”

This includes rupture of internal organs, specifically the aorta, which is the largest artery in the body and carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Dr. Ross noted that this can lead to death in a matter of seconds.

Some evidence suggests that the human body can only withstand significantly shorter immersion.

TO 2022 Cornell University Study The average threshold that a person can survive is eight meters (26.2 feet) head first, 12 meters (39.4 feet) hands first, and 15 meters (49 feet) feet first.

For those trapped in their cars, time is of the essence.

“Cars typically fill completely with water in 30 seconds to 3 minutes and sink within a few minutes of filling,” Dr. Ross said.

“To survive you have to escape from your car within 30 to 120 seconds.”

However, this depends on whether the windows were open, as well as the make and model of the car.

Dr. Giangreco said treatment for hypothermia depends on the severity of the condition, although it largely involves returning the body to a normal temperature.

This includes passive rewarming, which involves giving the person warm liquids and warm blankets.

In more severe cases, the patient may be given warm intravenous fluids and undergo blood rewarming, which is when blood is removed, warmed, and recirculated in the body.

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