16/August/2014 – MVC with entrapment & Air Evac – “A” Shift

Incident # 14-04827 – A 26 year old man received severe multi-traumatic injuries in a high speed single car MVC in the 600 block of Chestnut Drive Saturday, 16-August. At 11:47, 9-1-1 Operators received several calls reporting a small in the ditch at this location, with a man trapped inside. Engine 19 and Medic 19 arrived  four minutes later to discover the Honda Prelude with heavy damage. The driver of the car was trapped inside. The east bound car left the roadway and struck the bridge abutment, shifting a portion of the bridge approximately eight inches. The vehicle received heavy front end damage, which buckled the roof and caused interior damage as well. Firefighter-Paramedics stabilized the car, then used Holmatro Rescue tools to force open the driver’s door to gain access to the man. A medical helicopter was placed on standby. The patient was extricated with full spinal precautions and transported by Medic 19 to the helipad at Colleton Medical Center to meet with the LifeNet 4 medical helicopter stationed there. The patient was transferred to the Flight Crew without incident, then flown to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston. SCDOT was contacted to inspect the bridge and SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Engine 19, Medic 19, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Firefighter-EMT-I James Varnadoe served as incident Commander.