carnageIt only took a minute after the tones went off for me to decide to respond to an auto accident. Normally I would never go, interstate wrecks simply create backups that I can't get through when responding from Chattanooga in my car. But this one was south of town after the split meaning I could get to the firehouse exit before the traffic jam.
The reason I went was that a volunteer who lives nearby responded in his car and immediately reported a 2 car accident, head-on, one overturned, two entrapped, start Lifeflight. This would be a big assignment.
Luckily as soon as I got on the interstate, one of the 3 medics responding passed me and I put on my flashers and fell in behind for an 85mph ride to my Wildwood exit.
By then two choppers had been called for but one patient had been extracted. Our Asst Chief was on-scene in the Rescue unit (has jaws, cribbing, and advanced first aid equipment). Bill was the one there in his truck and was assisting with EMS. John responded in the engine and two more vehicles, another rescue unit and another engine came from adjacent juristiction, New Home company 6.
I bailed out of the car at the fire hall and grabbed my gear throwing it into the Truck. Cribbing, absorbant, saws, things that might be needed for clean-up, I was under no misconception that I could be there quick enough to assist with the emergency operations. As I rolled south the first chopper landed, the second patient was extricated, and the second chopper was cancelled. I radioed in that I was responding "for manpower" letting them know I wasn't running priority 3 (lights and siren) and giving the Chief a chance to tell me to return to the station to standby. As it turns out, they only had the 3 men from our station, so it was good I came.
I'm still new at actually driving these things, so I chose to be a little less aggressive and hold off back near the sheriffs car and check in with command. That is the interstate behind Truck 4 and the off ramp where the accident happened is out of view to the left. One ambulance still was on scene so I didn't want to move forward and block their route back this way. The chopper had already gone and I set up my lights, grabbed a pair of gloves and hoofed it to the accident scene.
What I found was an accident scene straight from Johnnie Cash, "the mud, the blood, and the beer".
A guy and girl and friends had just picked up a case or two of beer and turned left out of the store heading back towards the interstate. They accelerated quickly and the girl lost control. The Ford Explorer swerved back and forth several times as it covered the 200 feet to the exits ramps of the interstate where a Ford Expedition was now turning right, towards them. They were now in his lane, skidding sideways. The Explorer went onto the opposite shoulder and slammed into the right front fender of the Expedition which had no where to go. the Explorer then ROLLED drivers side first up the passenger side of the Expedition, over the hood, crushing the windshield as it was now sliding UPSIDE DOWN over the roof of the Expedition and then crashed down onto the pavement on its own roof, crushing it entirely.
The couple in the Expedition were unhurt!
No word of death on the evening news though the extrication efforts were featured along with the reports of several other bad accidents in the last 24 hours. Even Chattanooga news made better time than I did!
The upsidedown Explorer then started leaking gas. So we pulled a hose line and set up a bucket and some abosorbant to catch it but waited expectantly as the wrecker then had to roll the car back onto its wheels - Would that spark a fire? They are casual down here and following their lead, I manned the line wearing only gloves and jeans and tshirt. No helmet with faceshield, much less full protective gear which would have been standard operating procedure for the lads up north at the Laurel VFD. I'd be lying if I didn't think to myself, 'man, I sure wish I had my gear on!'. 90 degree heat or no, rather be safe then risk being toast.
Oh well, when in Rome.
But no boom. no FWOOF!
The car was uprighted and the cleanup began. Beer cans everywhere, broken beer bottles everywhere else. Puddles of water, coolant, and blood on the pavement, like a bad music video for the man in black.
The car got taken away, we got to play with the hose to wash all the debris missed by the wreckers broom guy, and headed back to the hall - 2 hours in all.
I got home tonite, put in an application for Crete Carriers after all, and I'm about to open an envelope from one of the entertainment trucking companies, StageCall. stay tuned!bb.
