SeaCat
Hey, my Halo is smoking
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2003
- Posts
- 15,378
Last night I got up at 0200 to use the Litter Box. That happens from time to time and is no big deal. As I snuggle back down next to my wife to get a couple more hours of sleep I hear one of those sounds you never want to hear. The first part of the sound was one car hitting another at a high rate of speed. This turned into the sound of tires squeeling on tar which was followed by another crash and the sound of metal sliding on tar.
I didn't hesitate, I was out of bed and pulling on a pair of jeans before I was even thinking about it. I kicked into a pair of unlaced boots and headed out the door grabbing my Jump Kit and Flashlight from the closet as I went past with my wife following a bit behind me. (She took time to pull on a shirt, I didn't.)
When I pushed through the hedge seperating my lawn from the main road I took it all in. One car, an SUV on it's side in the middle of the road. Another car pointing the wrong way in the road with it's drivers side door open and no-one around.
Because I had to pass the car I stopped for a second to look inside. The airbag had deployed and the driver was gone. (There was no signs of injury inside the car, ie no blood on the Air Bag.) From the damage to the front of the car it had hit the other car.
Turning from the car I ran to the SUV and looked in through the crazed windshield. I could see the driver laying against the door with their seatblet still in place. She wasn't moving at first but when the light from my flashlight hit her she opened her eyes. Above her the passneger was hanging sideways, suspended by their seatbelt as well. He was out. Both of their Airbags had also deployed, as had the side airbags. I could see no obvious signs of injury from outside the car but that doesn't mean a whole lot. I yelled at the driver to hold still, not to move. Turning to my wife I saw she had her Cell phone out and was calling 911. I told her they needed to roll rescue for two injured as well as crew for an extraction.
Turning back to the SUV I did a quick site check. No leaking gas or smoke. This was a good thing. Grabbing the vehicle I checked it's stability and found it was fairly solid, another good thing.
Opening my bag I pulled on the leather gloves on the top and grabbed what I call a cut bar. This is a long handled blunt tip blade with a slightly serated edge. (I got it from the department I used to belong to.) I inserted this into a opening in the edge of the windshield and opened the windshield further. This gave me access to the two people in the car without me having to climb onto the car.
I checked the driver first, she being awake and aware and scared as hell. I talked with her both to asses her mental status as much as to keep her calm and still. Not finidng obvious injuries I told her to sit tight while I checked the passenger. In the distance I could hear sirens heading our way and knew help was coming.
The passenger had a slight head injury, a cut over one eye that was bleeding slightly. His one pupil was dialated and unresponsive while the other was reactive. With no other obvious injuries I left him there for the minute. I know better than to try and cut him down.
By the time I talk with the driver for a second to tell her more help is on the way, then back out of the SUV the first rescue is on scene. I give the officer in charge of the rescue a quick report and he gets his guys busy.
Two guys are placing cribbing around the SUV to stabalise it more as he's handing me Collars for the driver and the passenger. One of his guys goes up on the top of the SUV and pops the window as we immobilise the dirver. When she is ready we cut the seatblet and ease her out of the vehicle. By this time another Rescue is on scene as are several Police Cruisers and an engine.
Doors are popped on the SUV and more people work their way inside. We immobilise the passenger and support him so we can cut his belts. He too is eased out and re-evaluated.
Both people from the SUV are transported as I give a report to the police. (Not much we can say as we didn't see the accident happen.) By the time we're finished with this the wreckers are there for the cars and the driver of the car has been found and apprehended. The cop I'm talking to lets us know the score.
The car was hot, it had been stolen that evening. The driver was all of 14. The thing that pissed me off about the whole thing was I recognised the kids last name. His parents are, shall we say, well off.
The Cop and the Fire Department Captain thanked us for our help. (The Fire Captain did ask me about the gear and I explained about my history.)
By the time we got back home and crawled back into bed in the vain attempt to get a little more sleep before we had to get up for work at 0500 it was 0330. We gave up on going back to sleep around 0400 and slowly got ready for the day with plenty of coffee and some breakfast.
It made for a long day in work for both of us but it was worth it. I'll be in bed soon and can only hope I don't get woken again tonight.
Cat
I didn't hesitate, I was out of bed and pulling on a pair of jeans before I was even thinking about it. I kicked into a pair of unlaced boots and headed out the door grabbing my Jump Kit and Flashlight from the closet as I went past with my wife following a bit behind me. (She took time to pull on a shirt, I didn't.)
When I pushed through the hedge seperating my lawn from the main road I took it all in. One car, an SUV on it's side in the middle of the road. Another car pointing the wrong way in the road with it's drivers side door open and no-one around.
Because I had to pass the car I stopped for a second to look inside. The airbag had deployed and the driver was gone. (There was no signs of injury inside the car, ie no blood on the Air Bag.) From the damage to the front of the car it had hit the other car.
Turning from the car I ran to the SUV and looked in through the crazed windshield. I could see the driver laying against the door with their seatblet still in place. She wasn't moving at first but when the light from my flashlight hit her she opened her eyes. Above her the passneger was hanging sideways, suspended by their seatbelt as well. He was out. Both of their Airbags had also deployed, as had the side airbags. I could see no obvious signs of injury from outside the car but that doesn't mean a whole lot. I yelled at the driver to hold still, not to move. Turning to my wife I saw she had her Cell phone out and was calling 911. I told her they needed to roll rescue for two injured as well as crew for an extraction.
Turning back to the SUV I did a quick site check. No leaking gas or smoke. This was a good thing. Grabbing the vehicle I checked it's stability and found it was fairly solid, another good thing.
Opening my bag I pulled on the leather gloves on the top and grabbed what I call a cut bar. This is a long handled blunt tip blade with a slightly serated edge. (I got it from the department I used to belong to.) I inserted this into a opening in the edge of the windshield and opened the windshield further. This gave me access to the two people in the car without me having to climb onto the car.
I checked the driver first, she being awake and aware and scared as hell. I talked with her both to asses her mental status as much as to keep her calm and still. Not finidng obvious injuries I told her to sit tight while I checked the passenger. In the distance I could hear sirens heading our way and knew help was coming.
The passenger had a slight head injury, a cut over one eye that was bleeding slightly. His one pupil was dialated and unresponsive while the other was reactive. With no other obvious injuries I left him there for the minute. I know better than to try and cut him down.
By the time I talk with the driver for a second to tell her more help is on the way, then back out of the SUV the first rescue is on scene. I give the officer in charge of the rescue a quick report and he gets his guys busy.
Two guys are placing cribbing around the SUV to stabalise it more as he's handing me Collars for the driver and the passenger. One of his guys goes up on the top of the SUV and pops the window as we immobilise the dirver. When she is ready we cut the seatblet and ease her out of the vehicle. By this time another Rescue is on scene as are several Police Cruisers and an engine.
Doors are popped on the SUV and more people work their way inside. We immobilise the passenger and support him so we can cut his belts. He too is eased out and re-evaluated.
Both people from the SUV are transported as I give a report to the police. (Not much we can say as we didn't see the accident happen.) By the time we're finished with this the wreckers are there for the cars and the driver of the car has been found and apprehended. The cop I'm talking to lets us know the score.
The car was hot, it had been stolen that evening. The driver was all of 14. The thing that pissed me off about the whole thing was I recognised the kids last name. His parents are, shall we say, well off.
The Cop and the Fire Department Captain thanked us for our help. (The Fire Captain did ask me about the gear and I explained about my history.)
By the time we got back home and crawled back into bed in the vain attempt to get a little more sleep before we had to get up for work at 0500 it was 0330. We gave up on going back to sleep around 0400 and slowly got ready for the day with plenty of coffee and some breakfast.
It made for a long day in work for both of us but it was worth it. I'll be in bed soon and can only hope I don't get woken again tonight.
Cat
