News

Actions

Ambulance presence policy at sporting events

KMTV looks at ambulances at sporting events
Posted at 10:27 PM, Sep 30, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-01 11:29:18-04

Last Friday a football player from Papillion La Vista suffered a critical head injury.

Coaches had to call 911 for an ambulance that was supposed to be at the game.

Brandon Steburg was taken to the hospital after suffering a serious concussion and was places in a medically induced coma after surgery. 

SEE RELATED: Papillion LaVista Football Player in medically-induced coma after Friday's game

The scary situation strikes up the debate whether emergency vehicles should be ready and waiting at all high school games.

Starting in 2016, the Mayor announced the Omaha Fire Department would no longer provide medical coverage at local high school football games.

Instead schools would have to contract with a private company or pay OFD a fee.  

Our partners at the Omaha World Herald report that last Friday, Creighton Prep had hired Midwest Medical Transport, but the company had a scheduling conflict and there was no ambulance there when Steburg got hurt.

“They weren't there when they were needed despite the contractor being paid, if it was the city doing it, you know they are going to be there,” said parent Laura Ashby.

Papillion La Vista Activities Director, Jason Ryan, said that at their home games they are lucky the local fire department volunteers their time.

“We are very fortunate they are here every Friday night when we have a home game we know they are going to be here,” he said.

Ryan also said the question whether schools should have an ambulance on sight for every football game is not as simple as it seems.

“Think of all of our sports, you think of soccer and the number of head injuries with concussions, baseball, softball, so I think to make that requirement for 300 plus high schools in the state of Nebraska might not be realistic.”

Ryan said they have to rely on training and work together as administrators to prepare for an emergency on the field or sidelines.

“All of our games we have an athletic trainer and we go through with our coaches and our site supervisors emergency actions plans so we are well prepared for when emergencies do happen,” he said.

On Friday KMTV went back to Burke stadium where Steburg was injured, and there was an ambulance on the sidelines when Westside and Burke kicked off. 

Family and friends have said that Steburg is doing better and was even awake and talking in the hospital on Thursday.