“C” Shift – Mutual Aid MVC/MCI 

Incident # 10-06494 – Dorchester County requested mutual aid with a mass casualty incident on I-95 near the 83 mile marker northbound near the Town of Saint George, Tuesday evening 30-November at 1902. The original incident was reported at approximately 1815 to Dorchester County authorities. According to reports, a northbound Greyhound Bus collided with the rear of a loaded log truck trapping the bus driver. Twenty one passengers were on the bus when the collision occurred. Multiple ambulances from the surrounding Counties responded to assist with the incident. Colleton County sent Medic 19 and Medic 26 as soon as the request was received and called in off-duty personnel to staff Medic 104 and Medic 106 that were also sent to the scene. Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded as well.

Several ambulances transported eight patients to Colleton Medical Center, followed by Berkeley County’s Mass Casualty Bus transporting an additional nine uninjured people to CMC. Several injured people were transported to Trident Medical Center near Summerville. Medic 1, Medic 9 and Engine 1 were relocated to Colleton Medical Center to assist with the influx of patients.

The hospital activated their disaster plan which brought additional staff members and administrative personnel to the ED to assist. The Hospital Staff cared for the uninjured citizens, by making them comfortable in the lobby; providing blankets and nourishment until another Greyhound bus could pick them up.

The northbound lanes of I-95 near the accident site were closed for several hours while rescuers extricated the bus driver. Medics 19 and 26 assisted at the scene, but were not required to transport any patients. Other Colleton units were cancelled before they arrived at the scene. The extrication lasted nearly 2-1/2 hours. The bus driver was transported by ground ambulance to the Trauma Center at MUSC. No medical helicopters could fly due to poor weather conditions. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.