MVC with Patient Trapped
 
By Vice President Steven King
January 20, 2017
 

The Thursday night duty crew responded to an early morning motor vehicle collision (MVC) shortly before the end of their shift. A pickup truck collided with a sedan leaving one person seriously injured and trapped inside the crumpled vehicle.

An off-duty Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue fire officer was the first firefighter to arrive on scene. He quickly assessed the accident scene, including the number and severity of patients involved, and the need for additional resources. He communicated his scene size-up to the officer on Engine 511, which was the first arriving fire unit.

Engine 511 immediately called for a medevac helicopter and redirected a pumper to manage the nearby helicopter landing zone. Truck 511 arrived and began vehicle stabilization, and patient extrication through the passenger side door using the latest high pressure hydraulic extrication tools. Moments later, Rescue Squad 504 arrived with additional specialized tools to complete the extrication.

Medic 525 transported the patient to the awaiting helicopter crew. The patient was flown to a regional level one trauma center. Specially trained Prince William County police officers completed their accident reconstruction documentation before clearing the roadway. This incident exemplifies outstanding teamwork by responding paid and volunteer crews from multiple fire stations, including Nokesville, Gainesville, and Stonewall Jackson (Manassas).

 
Units: E511, T511
 
Mutual Aid: A525, M525, RS504, E504, BC501, HAC1