| On Saturday, November 11, 2006, E503 responded to two separate calls requiring medical evacuations via helicopter.
The first call was punched out at 0055 in Quantico Town for an "Assault in progress", with a patient reported as having a seizure. Quantico Fire and Rescue (Company 31) were first on scene providing mutual aid on Potomac Avenue. Engine 503 arrived promptly thereafter and began to assist with patient care. Medic 31 advised that due to the mechanism of injury (MOI) and the patient's decreased level of consciousness (LOC); a helicopter would be needed. E503 was then dispatched to handle the nearby landing zone (LZ) near the Marine Forces Systems Command building. MedStar-2 was dispatched to the LZ with a 10 minute ETA. The patient was loaded and flown to Fairfax INOVA Trauma Center with a diagnosed depressed skull fracture and possible brain injury.
The second call rang out at 0300 for an auto accident on Interstate 95 Northbound, just south of the Triangle exit. E503 and T503 were first on-scene, followed by BC507 ( Hoffman). Upon arrival, E503 found an overturned vehicle approximately 50 feet off the roadway, upside-down in a cluster of trees. Bystanders had already pulled the patient from the vehicle. E503's crew began patient care and cleared the scene of potential hazards. Ambulance 510A arrived and began packaging the patient and conducted a more detailed assessment. A helicopter was then requested due to the MOI and the patient's chief complaints of a head injury, possible broken ribs (internal injuries) and an altered LOC. E503 proceeded to set-up the LZ and BC507 established I-95 command. M552 arrived and began ALS care and subsequently an advanced airway (intubation) as the patient lost consciousness and had difficulty breathing. MedStar-2 landed on the interstate, received the patient, and transported the patient to Fairfax INOVA Trauma Center in critical condition. Traffic was reportedly delayed on Northbound 95 for approximately 35-40 minutes. |
