Code Black

Sorry for the bumps.

Traffic's backed up for 20 miles.

This is the only way to the accident site.

There should be a few medics and EMTs,

but we may be the only doctors on site.

Keep your heads on.

There's gonna be a lot of people there who need your help.

This is not first come, first served.

Your primary job on initial eval is to prioritize the patient.

Each of you take a packet of tags.

There are four colors.

Green is for minor injuries,

Yellow is for more serious injuries,

but not immediately life-threatening.

Red is for critical patients

who won't survive without treatment and transport.

The black tag is for death or expected death.

Wait, "expected death"?

Are you saying we put a black tag on a living patient?

You want us to decide who lives and dies?

We want you to decide whose life you can save.

And prevent the next doctor or EMT who comes along

from spending precious time on an unsalvageable patient.

There's nothing in your training that's prepared you for this.

Do it right and you'll save more lives than you lose.

We're here.

That back there.

All right, let's unload our gear.

Hello, folks. Welcome to the zone.

Sorry, who are you?

D.I.C., doctor in charge.

I'm the guy they send out to all these train wrecks,

car wrecks. Whatever.

I just got off the phone with a Gina Perello.

She said I have two attendings, four E.R.rez,

and one surgical rez -- who's the surgical?

Heather Pinkney. - I'm a surgeon, as well.

We usually keep one in the tent, one in the field.

You're gonna be the roamer.

You must be Dr. Rorish. You're gonna be here with me.

I'm better in the field.

You're now in my E.R., Dr. Rorish.

If I say you're in the tent, you're in the tent.

I need all this blood organized by type.

The rest of you, bags and tags.

Let's move, folks.

Oxygen tanks upright! - You good, Leanne?

Yeah. You go ahead. Keep your wits about you.

Good luck. All right?

See you on the other side.

That guy's vest is missing a "K."

Where are the gurneys that I asked for to be lined up here?

Dr. Lorenson, over here. I've got the driver.

You're doctors. - I got the passenger.

Help us! Please!

Please, help us!

It's okay. We got you. - My arms are broken.

Can you hear me? - His head -- his head hit the window hard.

His breathing is labored. He's non-responsive ...

Are you a doctor? - I'm a hospice nurse.

Alice Sellers. How is he?

Please, help him. - ‭Is he your husband, Alice?

No, his name is Fred.

His name is Fred. We were at dinner.

Okay. Okay.

He's my date.

Alice. - ‭Yeah.

I need to examine you.

Do you have any other injuries?

My right arm. My right foot is broken.

Multiple fractures. Suspect intraperitoneal bleed.

‭Hemorrhagic shock.

Is -- is he okay?

I'm so sorry, Alice.

Wha... ‭- I'm so sorry.

What? What? No!

Let's get this lady back to triage, please!

I know what a black tag is.

No, don't black-tag him.

Okay. Okay. - He's still breathing!

He's still breathing!

Police and fire rescue teams

are hindered in getting to the accident site

by the heavy fog and the traffic gridlock all around it.

Are my people on site yet?

Just arrived.

Angels Base, 911 dispatch.

I have a call from the scene.

Sounds like a kid. I'm gonna transfer her.

Uh, no, no. That -- that goes to 911.

We only talk to medics.

She sounds isolated.

Can't quite make out what she's saying.

Says her mom's in bad shape.

You start talking to patients directly

and you're going down a rabbit hole -- trust me.

Hello?

Is anybody there?

Hello.

This is Dr. Perello ‭at Angels Memorial Hospital.

What's your name?

Lily.

My mom and my brother are back...

and we -- the car swerved and we went over the...

Lily, I'm having trouble hearing you, sweetheart.

We have doctors there. They're wearing yellow vests.

It's cold and... I can't see anything.

All right. ‭Lily, where are you, honey?

Lily.

Hello?

Hello?

Can you still hear me?

Look at that fog. Can't see 10 feet.

Heavy fog conditions...

When it lifts and they start bringing people back here,

all hell's gonna break loose downstairs.

Be ready.

Now, so far, we only have...

You know, Jesse, ‭the nurses have been talking.

They said that your, uh -- your discharge has been approved.

Your labs are all back. They're normal.

Even if that was true, that's private information.

Those nurses shouldn't be flapping their traps.

Is it hot in here?

No. No, and calm down.

Look, it's just because we miss you.

Ah, I did a lap.

Feel like I just built the pyramids.

Hi. ‭

Amy, my roommate, Jack Rhodes.

Hello. - Amy and I, we work together.

Work friends, huh?

Well, then I wish I was a little better dressed

for our first date.

You would've totally scored.

Oh, I like her.

Jesse, you okay, man?

My chest is feeling a little tight.

Jesse. - ‭Should we call a doctor?

Talk to me. ‭Are you having any pain?

I'm feeling nauseated and dizzy.

Just try -- try to slow down your breathing, okay?

I think you're hyperventilating.

This can't be happening again.

It's not.

I want you to breathe with me, all right?

Okay. Okay.

Four slow beats in

Four slow beats out. Good.

Look at me. You see me?

You're okay. ‭It's not a heart attack.

It's a panic attack.

Okay.

Keep breathing.

Okay. Okay.

Over here. Bring her over here.

Abdomen is tense. Cap refill delayed.

Please go back!

BP is 60 over 40.

I need a portable ultrasound, please.

He was breathing.

His pupils were non-responsive.

Alice is a hospice nurse.

My aunt was a hospice nurse.

And my mother used to always say she had one hand in heaven.

All right. We've got free fluid in the abdomen.

Central line and fluids should stabilize for transport.

He was alive. They black-tagged him!

They killed him! You killed him!

Dr. Lorenson, it's time for you to go.

You okay? - ‭Yeah.

It's not easy.

All right. Just breathe.

Okay. Come right this way. Go to the orange tent.

You're gonna be okay.

What the hell?

Is anybody in there?

Oh, my God.

Aah! Aah! Get me out of here!

Help me! - ‭Okay. Okay.

Help me! Get me out of here! I can't -- I can't breathe!

Okay. Okay. Okay. What's your name?

Kenny Wylar. Get me out of here. Please get me out of here!

Kenny, I'm Dr. Leighton, and I'm gonna help you, okay?

Are y-you alone in here?

It's just...me and Olaf.

A doll for my daughter.

She's gonna get upset if

I can't get him back to her. - ‭Okay, okay.

Kenny -- Kenny, she's gonna be more upset

if we don't get you back, okay?

Let's start with that.

I can't breathe.

Stay with me. Stay with me. - ‭Okay.

Mario! Heather!

Hi. It's Gina.

A little girl called in before. Her name is Lily.

Sounded like her family was in pretty bad shape.

There's a lot of that out here, unfortunately.

I told her I'd send help.