05/23/2012 – MVC w/entrapment & Air Evacuation

Incident # 12-02756 – A high speed single car MVC has left one man in critical condition. Fire-Rescue was sent to the intersection of Peirce Road and Skipper Lane for a car that had struck a tree at 21:29, Wednesday evening 23-May. Medic 9 arrived five minutes later to find the Nissan Altima lying on the passenger’s side, bent around an oak tree. The car suffered heavy damage, trapping the driver in the wreckage. It appeared the small car dropped off of the north bound shoulder after negotiating a curve, then over corrected and entered the woods on the northbound side of the road. The car began to flip over before striking an oak tree roof first. The roof was crushed in to the seats. The man was unconscious and suffering breathing problems. Firefighters stabilized the car by first chaining it to the tree, then setting up stabilizers on the under carriage. The roof was already split and displaced. Crewmembers used a reciprocating saw to cut away a portion of the roof and Holmatro Hydraulic Cutters to severe the passenger side “C” post. Firefighters manually displaced the roof by about eighteen inches to provide space for the patient to be pulled from the car.

The Lifenet 4 medical helicopter responded, landing at the Cottageville Elementary School ½ mile south of the accident. Law Enforcement Officers transported the flight crew to the accident scene, so they could assist with patient care. The man was immobilized and treated at the scene, which included multiple IVs, splints and bleeding control. He was RSIed prior to transport to maintain his airway. Medic 9 transported the patient to the landing zone, where he was transferred without difficulty. Lifenet 4, flew the critically injured man to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston. The SC highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Engine 9, Medic 9, Tender 9, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Lt. Andy Salhman served as Incident Commander.