Kanazawa fire crew asks residents not to rearrange paramedics' shoes during emergencies
The Kanazawa fire department warned that moving the shoes taken off by paramedics can delay patient transport, costing roughly 30 seconds.
Kanazawa’s fire department posted an Instagram clip that has drawn over half a million views, demonstrating the precise placement of shoes removed by paramedic crews at a home entrance. The footage illustrates how three stretcher carriers step directly onto the shoes, avoiding any jostle of the patient or dislodgement of an oxygen mask. Firefighter Daisuke Yamashita said that when residents rearrange the footwear out of courtesy, it can hinder the crew’s ability to put the shoes back on quickly, potentially adding about 30 seconds to the rescue.
He thanked the public for their kindness but urged them instead to have the patient’s My Number card or other identification ready. Comments on the video largely praised the advice, with some users noting they had not considered the impact of shoe rearrangement during emergencies.
Why it matters
Simple home etiquette can unintentionally slow emergency medical response, affecting patient outcomes.
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