Coroner rules man who died in front of family at Richmond trampoline park could have been saved
Credit to Author: David Carrigg| Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2019 03:35:42 +0000
A B.C. coroner has ruled a man who died after doing a flip into a foam pit at a Richmond trampoline park may have survived if staff had CPR training.
According to coroner Cynthia Hogan: “A more timely medical aid response with respiratory support may have prevented a fatal outcome.”
The accident occurred at 7 p.m., Jan. 20, 2018, when Jason Greenwood decided to do a front flip into the four-and-a-half foot deep pit full of foam blocks at Extreme Air Park.
Hogan wrote that Greenwood, 46, asked family members to video record him as he ran up a ramp, did the flip and landed head first into the pit.
“When Mr. Greenwood did not surface from beneath the foam his family jumped in the pit and attempted to dig through the foam to locate him, others then joined in,” she wrote in her report.
“The scene was very chaotic with a dozen or more people in and out of the foam pit and people still playing nearby.”
Extreme Air Park indoor trampoline park in Richmond.
Greenwood was located and several people called 911, while others alerted the two staff members working (a third staff member on shift was taking a break so there was no one working on the floor).
Hogan wrote that one 911 operator suggested not moving Greenwood, while another suggested moving him.
People in the pit started to remove the foam from around him and Richmond firefighters attended. Hogan wrote that it took 21 minutes from the time Hogan injured himself until he was removed from the pit and resuscitation commenced.
Greenwood, who had alcohol in his system at the time of his injury, had earlier signed a lengthy waiver stating he understood using the facility could result in severe injury or death. There was a sign that said flips should be done only in the foam pit area. The park had a safety kit, but no life-saving equipment and none of three staff members in the facility had any first aid or resuscitation training and there was no plan in place to deal with an emergency.
Greenwood died in hospital four days later due to a severe brain injury as a result of a cervical spine injury with spinal cord disruption.
Shortly after the accident, Postmedia News interviewed a witness who said one of Greenwood’s daughters was trying to get the attention of the two staff members at the desk to get help.
“His daughter’s at the front desk screaming and crying, ‘My dad’s stuck and he’s not breathing.’ And the front desk attendant said, ‘One moment, I’m just checking in these customers. I’ll be with you after that.’”
Following Greenwood’s death, Postmedia reported that the growing trampoline park industry operates with little oversight.
The International Association of Trampoline Parks claims there were only three parks in 2009 and there were now over 1,000 around the world. Only two B.C. trampoline parks belong to the association — Apex Adventure Park in Richmond and Flying Squirrel in Victoria.
The IATP advocates all its members follow a standard for the design, manufacture, installation, operation, maintenance, inspection and major modification of trampoline courts.
Locally, Technical Safety B.C. says it oversees the running of equipment and devices involving some waterslides and amusement park rides, ziplines, drop towers, bumper boats and cars, but not trampoline parks.
In July this year, recommendations were made to the B.C. government by Technical Safety B.C. to regulate such facilities across the province. The government accepted the recommendation.
Greenwood’s wife is suing the trampoline park.