08/27/2011 – MVC with ejection and Dual Air Evacuation

Incident # 11-04665 – A two vehicle accident has left two women in critical condition and sent two others to the hospital. The accident occurred on Broxton Bridge Highway (US Hwy 601) at the Colleton and Hampton County lines on Saturday morning 27-August at 03:25. The area is a remote rural area near where Colleton, Hampton, Allendale and Bamberg Counties meet. Lt. Campbell in Car 118 arrived at the scene a few minutes after the dispatch, noting the accident was actually about 40 feet into Hampton County. Hampton County 9-1-1 was notified. Campbell found a Ford Expedition, upside down in the roadway. The vehicle was across the highway between two guard rails just south of the bridge and had the entire road blocked. This created access problems for other responding units since there is about ½ mile of guard rail as the highway passes through a swamp and over a river. The initial dispatch information reported one person ejected and under the SUV, with a second person trapped in the SUV. Two men in the separate vehicles were also injured. Medic 18 and Medic 26 were already assigned to the incident. Campbell requested a third Medic Unit and two medical helicopters.

According to a witness account, the SUV was northbound on US Highway 601 when it lost control and went off the right shoulder possibly due to a tire issue. As the vehicle returned to the roadway, it over-turned ejecting a female onto the road. A southbound Ford Mustang, struck the over-turned SUV in the driver’s door pushing the Expedition onto the ejected woman. A third vehicle narrowly missed the SUV. Colleton County Rescue 18 set up north of the accident on a bridge, deploying a light tower to illuminate the scene. Hampton County Fire-Rescue responded along with one Hampton County EMS unit. Hampton County Rescue 1 set up on the southside of the scene and used a light tower on their side of the accident. Bystanders had physically rolled the SUV up enough to pull the injured woman from under the Expedition before any emergency personnel arrived. They stated the SUV was on her legs, pinning her under the vehicle. The woman suffered multiple traumatic injuries, including a head injury. She was treated by Hampton County EMS, then moved to a Landing Zone south of the accident. Lifenet 4 arrived quickly from Walterboro, then flew her to the Trauma Center at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah Georgia. MUSC was on air diversion due to weather problems associated with Hurricane Irene.

Colleton County Rescue 18 deployed multiple Holmatro Rescue tools to extricate the woman trapped in the SUV. She suffered multiple traumatic injuries, including a head injury. She was wearing a seatbelt and was still strapped in the driver’s seat. She possibly suffered injuries from the initial rollover, but received severe injuries when the vehicle was struck by the Mustang. Firefighters used a hydraulic spreader and cutter to remove the driver’s door. She was extricated with full spinal precautions onto a long spine board, immobilized and quickly moved to Colleton Medic 18. A second landing zone was established about two miles north of the accident near the intersection of Broxton Bridge Highway and Confederate Highway. The Lifestar helicopter from Springfield Georgia responded and landed in a field near the intersection. Firefighter-Paramedics on Medic 18 RSIed the patient to control her airway. She was treated for other injuries and received multiple IVs and bleeding control. Lifestar flew her to the Trauma Center at Memorial Medical Center as well.

Medic 26 treated two male patients, one from each vehicle. One patient denied ambulance transportation and went to Colleton Medical Center by private car. The second was immobilized and transported to Colleton Medical Center in stable condition. The highway was completely blocked for over three hours as the Highway Patrol conducted their investigation. SCHP was attempting to determine if alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash.  Colleton County Medic 1 and Rescue 1 were cancelled when Hampton County Fire-Rescue and EMS arrived.

Engine 23, Rescue 1, Rescue 18, Medic 1, Medic 18, Medic 26, Squad 23, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Lt. Joey Campbell served as Incident Commander. Hampton County responded with an Engine, Rescue and EMS unit. Air Methods Corp responded with Lifenet 3 and Lifestar 1.