risk

I rode to work in the ambulance today. Cameron arrived bright and early. He said the usual MOH van was out, but the ambulance was free. I asked him, what happens when the ambulance is needed? he said it’s mainly used for transporting patients from one hospital to another, not for emergency response. He then launched into a discussion of the lack of EMT services in Jamaica. When a road accident happens, people just toss the victims into the nearest vehicle and make a run for the hospital — there’s no emergency services, no spine boards, etc. I did point out that he himself was not wearing his seat belt –to which he replied with an anecdote about someone who was severely injured by a seat belt — the proverbial smoker who lives to be 100. I said, pick your risks, I like my brain. When we drove into the gate of the hospital a funeral home van was coming out. Cameron told me someone was shot this morning. Jamaicans accept the risk of no seat belts. Both our countries accept the risk of too many guns. How do we change perceptions of risk? On a cheerier note, it was well babies in the pediatric clinic all morning. What’s more delightful than a nonstop stream of one to two month olds?