Colleton County Fire-Rescue

06/02/2013

A motor vehicle collision occurred at the 67 mile marker Interstate 95 northbound on Sunday, June 2, 2013.  The call was dispatched at 04:14 and the caller indicated that the bus was carrying at least 50 people.  The caller also indicated that  the bus driver was trapped.  Engine 26 and Medic 26 arrived to find a charter bus more than fifty feet off the roadway in the trees.  There were no other motorists out with the MVC as the bus was partially hidden by trees and brush and barely visible from the roadway.  No patients were found outside the bus.  Mass casualty incident protocols were instituted and additional units were requiested including two units from Dorchester County EMS.  Crews made entry onto the bus and found that there were 55 patients including 43 teenage children.  The bus driver was heavily entrapped and in critical condition.  Those that could walk were removed from the bus and triaged into a holding area adjacent to the interstate. 

A medical helicopter was requested for the bus driver.  Lifenet 7 from Charleston responded and landed at the scene.  The bus driver was extricated using hydraulic tools and loaded into Lifenet 7 but his condition deteriorated.  He was then loaded into Medic 1 along with the crew from Lifenet 7 and transported to Colleton Medical Center in cardiac arrest.  Two other adult patients were transported by ground to Colleton Medical Center, one in serious condition and one in stable condition.  52 of the patients were found to have minor injuries or no complaints and refused transportation by ambulance.  The Colleton County School District responded to the scene with three athletic buses escorted by the Colleton County Sheriff's Office to transport these 52 people to Colleton Medical Center's cafeteria.  Once there, Colleton Medical Center staff fed them breakfast and insured they were safe and secure.  Several reported minor injuries and were seen in the hospital's emergency department.  
Hospital officials also supplied blankets, soft drinks, and phone access to those who did not have it.  The Colleton County School District continued to support the group.  Superintendent Leila Williams and her staff were on scene at the accident and present at the hospital,  Colleton County High School Band Director Tom Finnigan and several of his band members also showed up at Colleton Medical Center to support the group.  

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.  

Medic 26, Engine 26, Medic 1, Medic 19, Medic 13, Engine 5, Medic 18, Medic 9, Rescue 1, Car 11, MCI Trailer 1, Car 119, Car 110, Car 107, Car 105, and Battalion 1 responded.    Dorchester County EMS also sent two medic units to the scene.  One was cancelled prior to arrival.  One Firefighter/EMT sustained a minor injury during operations and was evaluated at Colleton Medical Center.

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