7/15/00
On Friday, July 15th, WARS was toned out Trauma/Squad
for a head-on MVA on I-64 between mile markers 105 and 107. Trauma 504 responded
with Anne Marie Adler, Scott Currence, Becky Youkey, and Chris Martin-Gill and
Pegasus was placed on standby while en route. On arrival, the crew was met by
Bob Coleman, who arrived via personal vehicle. The accident involved two pickup
trucks that had collided head-on with a 400 offset after the vehicle
going westbound veered into the eastbound lane. Each vehicle was going about
60-70 mph at impact, with only a driver in each vehicle. After an initial
assessment, Chris Martin-Gill and Bob Coleman went to the priority 1 patient
(Pt. 1) that was pinned in the vehicle while Anne Marie Adler, Scott Currence,
and Becky Youkey attended the priority 2 patient (Pt. 2). Dr. George Lindbeck
was already on scene and was with Pt. 1, provided the initial assessment, and
requested Pegasus. At that time, units from Station 5, Roger Baldino in Squad
505, Gary Conley in 501, and Kostas Alibertis, Tammie Gough, and Todd Lucas
arrived on scene. Two IV’s were started and Pt 1 was extricated with the help
of Bob Knox and the Pegasus crew, as Pt. 2 was prepared for transport in 501.
Once immobilized, Pt. 1 was taken to Pegasus in 504 and then transported to UVA.
Once rescue workers thought it was all over, a series of honks were heard just as Bob Coleman began yelling for everyone to move out of the way. Turning several stomachs, an 18-wheeler truck was seen at high velocity heading straight for the blocked off accident scene, with waves of smoke coming from the tires, coming straight for Station 5’s brush truck and Squad 505. As rescue workers and bystanders scattered, a firefighter from Station 5 was able to get several cars to move from the inside lane onto the median. This provided just enough room for the still high-speed truck to veer at the last minute and fly through the scene on the inside lane, barely missing both rescue vehicles. A huge commendation goes to that firefighter (who’s name was unavailable).
5/13/00
On Saturday, May 13th, 2000, members of the WARS Friday Night Crew (Allison
Kern, Anne Marie Adler, Becky Youkey, Carol Araiza, & Bob Coleman) and two
of our line officers (Kostas Alibertis, Captain and Dan Shumard, then 2nd
Lieutenant) responded to a motor vehicle accident on I-64 at about the 105 mile
marker. There they found a single 4 door car with two passengers that had run
into the rear of an 18-wheel truck. Both passengers were unrestrained. The
driver, a 21 year-old female was able to get out of the car, but the other
passenger, her grandfather, had to be extricated by Kostas Alibetis and members
of Station 5. There was heavy damage to the vehicle and it took extricators
about an hour to safely remove the patient from the vehicle while the
granddaughter and truck driver were being transported to the hospital by a
trauma-level crew. Terry Ferguson, an ER nurse at UVA, had been driving home
from work, was on scene when rescue arrived, and was able to provide our EMTs
with a patient assessment on their arrival, as well as help with patient care.
State and county police were also on scene to assist rescue workers. The entire
call was a great example of team work. We’d like to extend a special thank you
to members of Station 5 (including Phil Coadle and our own Roger Baldino), Terry
Ferguson, state and county police, and all WARS members who were on that call.
9/19/1999
Members of the regional disaster task force from the TJEMS Council, including WARS members
Kostas Alibertis and Dan Shumard, joined rescue efforts in Franklin, Virginia after the
floods and damage of Hurricane Floyd. Three days were spent in the Tidewater area
providing assistance and relief to local rescue workers of Franklin.
9/13/1999
Car 507 has been put into service after the hard work of the Truck committee which
includes Motor Sergeant, Roger Baldino, Kostas Alibertis and Mike Shavis as well as help
from 2nd Lieutenant Tom Goodrich.
9/11/1999
WARS participated in a disaster drill at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport along with
many other EMS agencies from the surrounding area. The drill simulated a plane crash
with 57 victims. Rescue workers moved quickly to assess the number and condition of
the patients. Patients were simulated by volunteers from the community
painted with
injuries and wounds possible from such an accident. In less than two hours WARS
helped to treat and transport all victims from the crash site. WARS ambulance 504
was pressed into service.
8/8/1999
WARS received a request from ECC to assist in efforts to find at two year old boy lost
near his aunt's home in Scottsville. Members Allison Kern, Tina Baber, Roger
Baldino, Mike Grinnell and Dan Shumard responded with Ambulance 504 and Car 506 along with
members of many area agencies, including Crozet Volunteer Fire Dept. Members
participated in several search tasks until well after dark. Fortunately the young
boy was found the next day and reunited with his family.
August 1999
Please join us in warm Birthday Wishes to Honorary Life Member and Driver, Frances Henry
who has served WARS and our community for 10 years. Frances celebrated her 70th
birthday this year and continues to drive on many crews here at WARS.
Summer 1999
Congratulations to Mary Mesz, Heather Brookman, Alice Chang, Mary Lee who have
successfully completed the Shock Trauma course and received their certification!
Congratulations to Carolyn Virusky who has successfully completed her EMT-B to Cardiac
Tech bridge course. Carolyn has already been very busy running ALS calls and we are
pleased to have her excellent abilities.
Congratulations to Chris Martin-Gill who has completed his EMT-B to Paramedic course and
just recently passed his Mega-Code.
5/7/1998
WARS responded to yet another multiple vehicle accident on I-64. While minor in contrast
to the event detailed below, a total of 18 cars and trucks were involved in this accident
on a foggy, rainy evening on Afton Mountain. This accident occurred at the 101 mile marker,
which is slightly on the Albemarle County side of Afton Mountain. Surrounding agencies
once again responded to assist us, and their help is greatly appreciated.
4/19/1998
On the afternoon of Sunday, April 19, 1998, Western Rescue was dispatched to an MVA
Interstate 64 on Afton Mountain, which is notorious for bad driving conditions. Personnel
arriving on the scene found a multiple vehicle pile-up rapidly multiplying in size due to
foggy conditions on the mountain. Western Rescue First Lieutenant Todd Lucas assumed
incident command and requested that other area agencies be dispatched to assist with the
high number of patients. Members and apparatus from numerous surrounding agencies
responded to assist WARS with this incident.
In all, 65 cars were involved in the pile-up and many patients were triage to local hospitals. All told, 35 patients were transported to Augusta Medical Center in Fishersville, about 10 miles away, and 5 were transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, about 20 miles from the scene. A physician from Augusta Medical Center was brought to the scene to triage patients based on the severity of their injuries, and those who sustained only minor injuries were transported by bus to Augusta Medical Center.
Further notes: