Roll over car crash!

[Elhuero]

So on Monday I drove to Utah for a college scouting mission (complete failure, can't find an apt and out of state tuition has skyrocketed.)

Around noon I was westbound on I-80 a few miles west of Rawlins. A poof of dust caught my eye up ahead and I look over to see an even larger dust cloud with the wheels of an eastbound car popping out of the top. It rolled over a couple of times and came to a rest on the roof in the center of the median.

I pulled over and headed for the car, me and the guy behind me were the first ones there.

Passenger door was open, and a barefooted woman was on her knees halfway in the car. Right when I got there schooched back and stood up with a small child in her arms. They were ok but had faces of absolute fright.

There ended up being two women and two small kids in the car, a boy and a girl very close in age, around four or five. I believe the women were sisters and the driver was the mother of the two kids. All in bare feet.

Several cars stopped and at one point there was a dozen or so people standing around. The guy that was there first with me left after a few minutes, I think he was a trucker.

A WY trooper showed up really quick, only about 10 minutes. By that time the crowed had thinned and I was the only one left there that had seen it happen. He pulled me aside and I told him what I saw. He said fire dept was on the way.

One family gave the mom a couple of blankets and she just sat there bundled up, holding her kids and talking on the phone with someone. (I think she was on the phone when she crashed)

The women both had cuts on their legs and knees from crawling out on the glass. They wtere bleeding bu not badly. I went back to the car and checked my toolbox. I have all kinds of stuff in there, but the first aid kit was pretty much just band aids and wet naps. So I didn't bother.

Car was a later model nissan altima. Couldn't get the driver side door open. Airbags deployed.

After a few more minutes I asked the trooper if he needed me to stick around, he said no I was free to go.

A few miles down the road I had an adrenaline dump. Didn't shake just got very tired all of a sudden. Took a deep breath and a chug of water and felt immediately better.

I hadn't felt like that in a long time, not since a night where I thought I was about to be in a gunfight.

The kids had both been in car seats. When I ran up they had been trying to unbuckle the kids hanging upside down. The women were wearing seat belts as well.

I am certain had anyone not been belted it would have been a deadly crash.

This will go on my "Damnedest things I've ever seen" list, and my first project when I get back is to get a better first aid kit.

[BigBear]

Cool story bra.... (I have to say it) Barefooted women? Was there a stove on top of the car?! HA.


Seriously good for you for stopping and trying to help. You wouldn't believe how many people I see that keep on driving after a wreck... late for their appointment at the bar or something. Thank God they were buckled up.

Maybe someone can shed some light on this: I am not a medic, but last I heard that civies giving first aid after a major car wreck is a no-no as you could be sued for all kinds of crap if something happens and someone DOA's or whatever. Is that true? Does the Good Samaritan rule not go into effect?

Elhuero, what all are you going to put in your first aid kit?

[StagLefty]

Good Samaritan goes into effect-as long as your trying to help with best intentions. Good for you Elhuero-Like Bear said too many folks just keep going.
I keep my BOB stocked with 1st Aid supplies in case of need-especially Israeli Bandages in case of severe bleeding.I've taken several Basic Emergency 1st Aid courses over the years so I'm comfortable in offering Basic help such as stopping bleeding etc.

[Byte Stryke]

Good Intentions and Level of Training.

Ie: Someone is Bleeding from an open wound and you apply a bandage and Direct pressure and they Kick it anyways. You are not liable. No one expects you to do Vascular surgery on the roadside to save a life, Well, unless you are a vascular surgeon and then there are a ton of other issues, Anyways.

I think you get the idea

[BPTactical]

I used to chase wrecks in Denver back in the days in a tow truck. What an experience, saw some wild stuff and some funny stuff and damn near got killed a few times, we saw this kinda stuff all day. There was a driver with another company that tried to pull a guy out through a window and ended up causing further injury. Result-he got sued and lost. He didnt have training in extracation. After that the norm was to toss somebody a towel and tell them: "Hey your bleeding, heres a towel".
That was before HIV was a mainstream issue.
Working for the State now we are first responders often at accident scenes and the general rule is to provide aid and comfort within reasonable means. ByteStryke has the correct scenario.

[StagLefty]

BP any special training needed ?

[BPTactical]

BP any special training needed ?

All we get is basic first aid and cpr cards.

[sniper7]

glad you stopped and tried to help!

[Byte Stryke]

Extrication is tricky. Unless you are trained and hold current extrication Certifications, ie, your day-job is rescue you need to Look REALLY hard at the situation.

Is the person Alert and REQUESTING ASSISTANCE? "Hey, I am OK, But the seat-belt in jammed."
Is the person in IMMEDIATE Danger? (Fire, water immersion, Impending Collision)
Is the Person in a position wherein you would be unable to treat a potentially LIFE THREATENING injury? ( IE: CPR (assumes you are trained) in inverted or severely damaged vehicle)

If you cannot Answer Yes to one or more of those LEAVE THEM IN PLACE!
You may offer aid in place (direct pressure to bleeding wounds, etc) But Encourage them to Stay in Place!

Keeping in Mind this is a Guideline and worth as much as you have paid for it.
I urge anyone with further questions to contact the red cross or their local EMS for further guidance

[StagLefty]

Just being there with an injured person until the pros arrive is huge !!! I've been on both sides of that.