The Oct. 7 story, “Breaking point for McKenzie,” brings up the obvious issue of replacing the outdated surface at McKenzie stadium.
The turf/injury issue is just one question for Evergreen Public Schools to ponder.
I attended the game and witnessed the dislocated elbow and subsequent EMS transport of the student athlete mentioned in the story. The player was evaluated and splinted on the field by the medical staff quickly, but because there was not an ambulance on scene, it took approximately 15 minutes post injury for EMS to arrive for transport.
While a dislocated elbow is not a life-threatening injury, catastrophic head-, neck- and limb-threatening in-juries are a foreseeable possibility that can occur during all football games and practices.
Having a certified athletic trainer at games is a necessity, however, they should be complemented with EMS personnel and equipment on-scene for immediate lifesaving interventions.
