Motor Vehicle Accident
May 16th, 2006, 10:53PM - Units from Bradford County Emergency Services and the Sampson City Volunteer Fire Department responded to U.S. Highway 301 South in front of the Super Wal-Mart for a reported vehicle accident.
As additional 911 calls were received, the City of Starke Fire Rescue was called, due to the possibility of entrapment. Bradford County Medic 1 was first to arrive on scene and found a Toyota Sequoia trapped underneath the rear of a tractor-trailer. After an initial scene size up, one patient was found in the driver's seat of the SUV. The male patient was pinned between the drivers seat and the dashboard of the vehicle.
Using multiple rams and hydraulic rescue tools, firefighter from Starke and Sampson City worked hard to free the driver. While extrication was going on, paramedics from multiple Bradford County Emergency Services units and ShandsCair worked to stabilize the patient.
After about an hour of extrication, a wrecker from the local towing service was called to assist. The wrecker pulled the vehicle backwards and out from under the semi-, and firefighters continued extrication.
After approximately 90 minutes, the patient was removed from the vehicle and loaded into the ShandsCair helicopter for transport to Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Story by:
R. Sullivan EMT-P
B. Meehan EMT-B
Photos by: T. McCarthy EMT-B