[1339]

Hope your Tday was safer than this toy owner\'s was

We went to my sister's in Brentwood (the delta) for Turkey day. Traffic was heavy, but manageable. We
only lost 10 or 15 min to slowdowns. Sarah was sick so she and Mom stayed home and I took Justin and
Julie in the 410. we were almost there when we hit a slowdown and to the left, (widely separated
freeway lanes here, 50 yds or more) was a Toy Tacoma (I think) laying on it's drivers side. The dust still
hadn't settled and a guy was on the pass door waving for help.

I stuck my arm out holding traffic and cut across junping over the rain gutter curb to lend assistance. I
told Justin "your with me" and ran over. I could see an arm coming from under the side, above the top
of the truck. I didn't like that and was thinking "this will be bad". The driver was a girl screaming that she
was bleeding to death and to get her out. She was in total panic, and wouldn't stop screaming. There
was some blood on the ground, but hardly the arterial bleeding someone said she had. But who takes
chances? Lots of other well meaning people also stopped but mostly were calling 911 and telling each
other what not to do, like "don't move her, she might have spinal injuries" etc.

After getting a busy signal from 911 (just too many damn cell phones, they swamped the circuit)
I had Justin get the First aid kit to see what I had to stop bleeding. Damn I need to upgrade that kit,
nothing more than big Band-Aids...

One person that was useful was a nurse. I tried to make sure her trained opinions were adhered to, since
everyone else was divided, do we push it on its wheels to get her out, or try to get to her? If she was
bleeding out, getting to her was critical. No brainer in my mind, and I said so. Meanwhile I had Justin get
me some leather work gloves and ripped out the rear window. No better access, it was an extended cab. I
was about to do the same to the front, when the nurse agreed to right the truck. some other guys had
got a big truck and a tow strap on the frame to pull with. I directed him to take it slow as he could, and the
rest of us were pushing it. Over it went (those things are HEAVY, although it was a bit up hill...).

We were lucky and the door popped right open and the 1/2 door in the back also opened. She stepped out and
seemed fine other than a gash on her head. A bit confused, but no really serious gross injuries. (She had
asked earlier what happened, she didn't remember) We had her sit down (so she wouldn't fall down, just in
case) and some one got a space blanket for her. The nurse looked her over and didn't seem too excited
about her injuries either.

I told Justin to get our stuff, and looked the situation over. We were no longer needed, so I told the kids
"Were out of here".

That truck was a mess though. The tail gate and a bunch of frou-frou tubing was ripped off, both ends were
bent and the drivers side took a hard hit or 2 at the roof line. Everything was bent. My guess was that she
drifted and caught the curb, he front tire caught and snapped it sideways or even started it endo. It
definitely rolled several times. We were about 10 min from my sisters, so off we went. I was even on time,
beating my brother, his wife Marcia and Mom for once. When they got there I asked if the had fun getting
past the wreck, and they said that there was 2 fire engines, an ambulance AND an air med evec chopper
on scene. Holy... Someone calling 911 must has said arterial bleeding... I guess over-reaction is better
than under reaction, but I'm glad I don't have to explain why all that response was used for maybe 20-30
stitches in a scalp wound...

In retrospect, I could have done a couple of things better. What I was doing was better than most of the
people, but I try to have high standards especially with my background in race wreck management...

I should have got the rear window and WS out FIRST.

I should have tried to get her to asses her injuries, and compress her wound with something.

I should have asked if there were others with first aid training and got them organized and the untrained
back out of the way. They meant well but delayed potentially critical decisions.

I MUST upgrade my first aid kit in the cars. My only big wound bandages are in the tent trailer first aid kit.

I keep heavy work gloves in the zuk but not the mini van. Fix that...

I need to work with my kids on emergency response. Justin did well, but Julia followed us and shouldn't have.

Prep I did right,

All the kits have latex gloves. don't risk getting someone else's blood on you. AIDS and other blood borne
diseases are a real danger.

CPR and First Aid training and certification. It's worth it.

This was a learning experience for me. I hope sharing it helps someone else.

 

[rockrat]

Re: Hope your Tday was safer than this toy owner\'s was

Good Job regardless, your actions are still valued and every situation can call for a different action, More people should have the knowledge to react. I am glad there are people out there with the integrity to act with out fear of backlash as you did.

 

[1339]

Re: Hope your Tday was safer than this toy owner\'s was

Thanks RR.

In reply to:

I am glad there are people out there with the integrity to act with out fear of backlash as you did.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, if you are current on your first aid cert, (and possibly without it) and they consent. (unconsious
or incoherent is implied consent) They cannot sue under the good samaritin laws, Which CA and most
other states have. Check your state/province though, as not all have a Good Sam Law. Something to
bring up with your representitive(s). As long as you are attempting to help and don't do something you
know is damageing, your all clear.

 

[Sarge]

Re: Hope your Tday was safer than this toy owner\'s was

Well done , Wayne . A good point , about the Samaritan laws in each state . You really should know your rights , as every state writes their own version , and sues accordingly . I've always kind of ignored them , instead to follow my instincts and training and take care of the "human element" first , shoot the lawyers later , or so to speak . I went through a similar situation last year with a rolled pickup and trailer , we barely missed getting hit by this moron with a very badly loaded trailer . I broke out the windshield after covering the driver up with a work coat I had , then helping him out since both doors were jammed shut hard . The guy honestly didn't get one scratch , and actually got upset about the windshield until we moved back a few feet when the truck caught fire and burned to the ground . He sort of forgot about the window , and at that point the police/fire dept's showed up so I left . I do carry a large first aid kit in the truck , with a pretty big assortment of bandages ,ect at all times . I also always have a spike in my Gerber multi-tool , as well as one in the truck to break auto glass , you'd be amazed how tough that stuff is . If you carry a high-lift jack , a good rescue peice to have is a Jack-Mate , they are about $40 and can crush/rip/tear/remove almost any panel or structure in most vehicles with ease if used properly . Weighs about 8lbs , but worth keeping around with you , straightened my door opening the last time I flopped the zuk , gotta love that.....
Sarge

 

[1234]

Re: Hope your Tday was safer than this toy owner\'s was

Excellent job.
It gets pretty confusing and sometimes is hard to get the things that you should do done in the right order. Like they say, hindsight is 20/20.
We came upon a guy trying to tow a big old international with his mini van. needless to say the first big hill he went down got them. They rolled in the medium. He had his whole family in the van, wife and I think 3 kids & baby, the dust was still in the air as we got there. I remember thinking,
"this will be bad" as there were personal items and toys scattered all over. The mini van was a total mess.
Miraculously, the only semi-serious injury was a little girl with a badly sprained ankle and she was going into shock.
Most people were just standing around looking but a few of us were able to get the little girl covered up and warm until the ambulance arrived, and get the situation under control. What really amazed me is the fact that a lot of cars that were going by wouldn't even slow down from their 80 per.
Kerry

 

[Guest]

Re: Hope your Tday was safer than this toy owner\'s was

Great job reguardless!
I had 2 similar experiences when I was in the military. I was a trained "combat lifesaver" not to be confused with a medic.
Anyway, I kept an advance first aid kit in my Escort GT for many years. It had everything a medic needs to include IV bags and all the hardware they needed to use.

Anyway, I did a lot of traveling my first year of marriage as my wife stayed with her parents here in Orange, TX. as I was stationed at Fort Hood at the time.

The first goes like this. I was just outside Beaumont heading for Houston on my way back to the base. This woman in her mid to late 70's endowed her jeep Charokee at 70-75 mph (or so), about 200 meters in front of me. (Have no idea how she managed this)
It landed flat on its roof and stayed there. It spun as it slid atleast 300 meters on it's roof until it came to a stop in the median.
The windows in the back areas behind the driver exploded, but the side doors and windows stayed in place. When I got to her, she was strapped in her belt upside down. I and another guy, busted out her window, cut her down and pulled her out.
This was necassary as her "Emergency fuel pump shutoff switch" failed and was dumping fuel all over the hot exhaust and engine. Thick Smoke everywhere. We had to act fast or it was going to catch fire. It was a no brainer making this choice.
We got her to the other side of the road. I did a quick eval. and the only visible injuries were a butte load of knicks from all that broken glass. I knew she was going to be ok, when this ol' lady refused to lye down. She also begged me to get her purse.
I took her order and ran to get it. When I returned, the Jeep ignited. The front tires exploded a minute or so later from the heat.
That was the sign I needed. So, when paramedics and fire trucks came. I got in my Escort and took off.

The other was a year or so later here in Orange. It was summer and my wife and I were at the Jack in the box off the highway. I heard a long screach of tires and a loud crash. It was dark and I saw a pair of headlights pull over in that general direction. I told the lady in the window to call 911. I convinced my wife to go that way as she was driving.
We had to go around as another vehicle pulled over on the other side too. I figured all the action was over there. While going over the overpass I heard another screach of tires and another crash, then a series of impacts.
We stayed on the service road to stay out of traffic. By the time I got there, My car and another remained. One was leaving.
I got over to a man and woman who were standing over a man in the fetal position. He was on the shoulder. I heard more skids and thumps.
It turned out, This drunk hit the huge light pole in the center median. His car split in 2 and he was ejected.
When he got up to get across the road, he was struck by their vehicle and thrown 50 ft. The lady said he got up again and was run over by someone else, in another attempt to get to the other side. The other driver stopped, then ran, never to return. By this time I heard more tires and thumps.
Figured out that it was the light pole lying in the fast lane on my side. This drunk hit it so hard, the bottom of this pole was off its base more than 30 feet.
It was too dark for the other drivers to see it and traffic was heavy enough to cause another wreck. So this couple stayed with this man, I ran for my aid and emergency kits. I dropped the aid kit by the drunk and ran with flairs to drop by the pole. Traffic should have run me over it was that thick.
Very foolish now that I look back. I had our newborn baby in the backseat of the car my wife was in. They were outta danger on the service road though. I just didn't think they could have watch me get killed too.
My training kicked in and I was just reacting to the situation at hand. I ran back to the drunk. I started my evaluation and treatment of his injuries. I asked him if he hit his head, never got a straight answer. I bet he did after all that. This guy was so drunk, he was boligerant with me. Then I asked him about his legs and all he could tell me was to leave his f****ng legs alone. He then passed out. I thought he died right then. He did not die, just was

out. I looked at his legs and he had multiple compounds fractures to them both.
He was loosing a ton of blood, so I started 2 IV bags on him. I made sure to leave him in his fetal position. I figured he put himself there, so I wouldn't move him for fear of spinal injuries. By this time cops, fire and all the rescue persons showed up.
I ran to the first Paramedic and cop, gave them my rundown of the guys injuries. I told them, I started a "ringers" bag. The Cop asked who put flares out, I never told him. Figured I was in trouble for it. The lady and the man stayed there to answer questions as they were the first vehicle who hit him and the witness to the "hit and run" second vehicle. (I saw that guy drive off-figured he was going to call 911)
Anyway, as the paramedics started working on him, I walked away and got in my car. After all I had JIB waiting and it was getting cold.
I don't know what happened to him. Don't know if he survived or not. I'm pretty sure he did though. I don't see a white cross there, as that is custom here in Texas.