06/23/2011 – MVC with entrapment & Air Evacuation – “C” Shift

Incident # 11-03455 – A Florida man received critical injuries in a single car MVC on I-95 at the 51 mile marker southbound Thursday morning 23-June at 09:08. The small Pontiac Grand Am left the roadway and struck a large tree in the median. There were no skid marks and it is believed the man may have fallen asleep. The vehicle received heavy interior and exterior damage. The unrestrained male driver was semi-conscious, suffering multiple critical traumatic injuries and was trapped in the wreckage. The dashboard and steering wheel were pushed upward within inches of the roof. Firefighter-Paramedics used Holmatro Rescue Tools to remove the driver’s door and hydraulic rams to push/displace the lower portion of the dash off of the patient. He was treated during the extrication including pain medications, then removed with full spinal precautions. A medical helicopter was called to the scene but arrived before the extrication was completed. The landing zone was set up at the rest area four miles south of the scene to keep from closing the Interstate while the extrication continued.

The patient was transported by Medic 1 to the rest area to meet with Omniflight-Charleston. Prior to being flown, the patient was RSIed allowing crews to intubate the patient and secure his airway. Omniflight flew him to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston, were he was taken for emergency surgery after arriving. Traffic was shut down to one lane for over an hour and backed up for four miles. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. This was the second entrapment in less than an hour.

Engine 1, Engine 19, Rescue 18, Medic 1, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 116, Car 118 and Car 119 responded. Battalion Chief Dan Barb served as Incident Commander. Captain Scott Feather served as LZ Coordinator.