10/August/2014 – Fatal MVC with ejection – “C” Shift

Incident # 14-04700 – Fire-Rescue units were sent to the 400 block of George Warren Drive (SC Hwy 212) Sunday morning 10-August. At 01:00 a caller reported a car over-turned in the woods with a person trapped inside. Medic 18 arrived minutes later but could not locate a patient inside or around the car. The Ford Mustang was found on its roof at the wood line and appeared to have over-turned multiple times. It suffered heavy damage. Firefighters used a thermal imaging camera as they searched the woods prior to the vehicle. They found an unconscious adult male patient in critical condition approximately 120 feet from the car. He was hidden from view on the dark rural highway by five feet high brush and was not visible by personnel with flashlights. Firefighter-Paramedics immediately requested a medical helicopter as they began treating the patient. Engine 7 and Engine 18 were sent to a nearby field to set up a landing zone, however the patient went into cardiac arrest and the helicopter had to be cancelled. Crewmembers began resuscitative efforts including a Lucas Device. He was rapidly transported to Colleton Medical Center in Walterboro with two additional Firefighter-Paramedics assisting with care. While enroute, the patient regained a pulse and B/P. The ED staff at CMC stabilized the patient and transferred him by the LifeNet 4 medical helicopter to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston. He passed away later in the morning at MUSC.

It appeared the vehicle was traveling east bound on a straight portion of the highway, when it crossed over the west bound lane, over-corrected and slid sideways into the ditch back on the east bound side of the highway. The car flipped over multiple times before coming to rest on its roof. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Engine 7, Engine 18, Medic 18, Rescue 1, Rescue 18, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.