Dr. Bock’s Medical Team at Indianapolis Is Able to Handle Just About Anything

Herm Johnson’s machine spun out of control and blasted into the first-turn wall, transforming the knee-high car and its driver into a twisted mass of rubber, metal and man.

As track workers freed Johnson from the wreckage, medical personnel swarmed about, tending to his broken arm and chest injuries. Johnson was taken to the infield hospital and in a matter of minutes was on his way to Methodist Hospital aboard a helicopter ambulance.

That was the scene May 10 during practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where speed and efficiency give racers the edge. Those same elements also combine to make the track’s medical program a success.

“Any incident that occurs, our people are immediately at the scene,” said Dr. Henry Bock, Speedway medical director.

At the scene can mean both on and off the track--a hefty job when you consider on race day that means 300,000 potential patients.

The Speedway’s medical corps roster reads like this: 10 physicians; 40 nurses, directed by Carrie Cordell; 150 paramedics and emergency medical technicians, and 20 people handling such support services as radio communications. The number does not include the number of Red Cross volunteers who also work the track during practices and on race day.

In addition, the medical team has two helicopters, 21 ambulances and three wheelchair ambulances at its disposal.

At last year’s race, the volunteers treated 236 spectators for ailments ranging from sunburns to heart problems.

“Much of what we do is courtesy treatment, such as handing out Band-Aids. But we’re geared to handle traumas too,” Bock said.

Indeed. The infield hospital is essentially an emergency room with several beds; sitting at the pole position is a trauma area for the most seriously injured or ill. The entire facility is a place where doctors and nurses can stabilize patients before they are transported to Medhodist.

There’s also a new piece of equipment being used at the hospital this year, a boon for both doctors and drivers. Each driver’s medical history is on computer tape and can be used as a reference before treatment is started.

Not all of the medical attention is located at the infield hospital.

Red Cross volunteers staff eight aid stations located at every turn of the track. Paramedics and EMTs, who are equipped with advanced life-support equipment and two-way radios, work in teams in various sectors and can respond to any incident in an instant.

“We’ve found our response time is a lot quicker in reaching them (spectators) on foot, rather than by ambulance,” Bock said.

“The most frequent thing we see out here is people having difficulty breathing and cuts and abrasions from stepping on broken glass,” he said.

“Many people don’t prepare for the hot weather with protective clothing and that causes problems. This track makes a lot of demands in sheer physical exertion.”

And the ever-popular way of beating the heat almost always leads to problems, Bock said. From the first day of qualifications until race day, the infield becomes a Valley of Armageddon of 12-ounce aluminum cans and frothy bottles.

There’s no pay for the doctors, nurses and medics, and one might wonder why they fight the crowds and donate their time and energy. Bock has been doing it for nearly two decades, starting in 1966 while still a medical student.

“I think all of us here feel what we do represents a tremendous challenge to our abilities,” Bock said. “Mixed in with that we have a good time and get to see the race.”