04/05/2011 – “B” Shift – MVC with Traumatic Arrest

Incident # 11-01930 – A high speed single car MVC has left one patient in critical condition at a Lowcountry Trauma Center. Fire units responded to the 900 block of Quail Drive at 14:45  Tuesday afternoon 5-April. A southbound Oldsmobile Intrigue left the roadway before Partridge Trail, striking a large tree on the driver’s side. The impact resulted in approximately two and half feet of intrusion into the vehicle, partially ejecting the female driver. She was wearing a seatbelt. A witness to the accident found the woman unconscious with breathing difficulties. He was able to lay her on the ground to improve her respirations, but her leg was trapped under the vehicle. Firefighter-Paramedics arrived minutes later and began treating her. Several crewmembers manually lifted the car a few inches to allow other rescuers to extricate her leg. A medical helicopter was requested, but while immobilizing the patient, she stopped breathing, then went into cardiac arrest. The helicopter was canceled. CPR was begun, the patient was moved to Medic 26, where Firefighter-Paramedics started resuscitative efforts, including IV fluids, medications and placed the patient on a Lucas CPR Device. She was rapidly transported to Colleton Medical Center.

Once at the ED, the medical staff continued the resuscitative efforts until the patient regained a heartbeat and sustainable blood pressure. A medical helicopter was called to the hospital to transfer the patient to a Trauma Center. Lifenet 3 arrived approximately 20 minutes later and flew the patient to MUSC in Charleston where the patient underwent emergency surgery and was admitted to the Trauma ICU.