TRAINING! Training! Training!  We train so we don't have to think "WHAT DO I DO?????" in a SHTF situation. Then after it is over we evaluate what we did so we do it better next time.

Why am I harping on this?

We were coming home from a family reunion this afternoon. South of Chrisman I saw a car along the road up ahead and thought "Odd place to put a car for sale" But I had seen several along the road for sale today so another was not a surprise. Then the pickup ahead of us slammed on his brakes, the driver jumped out and ran toward the car I had seen. As we got closer I could see what appeared to be smoke above it. Then I realized it was dust from the car running of the road and flipping a time or two before landing on 3 wheels. The 4th wheel was broken off and laying closer to the field.

I stopped and went toward the car. I yelled to the pickup driver and asked if it had been called in yet? He said no, so I called 911. I told dispatch we had a single vehicle accident, the car had run of the road and rolled. We had two people involved and needed ambulance and police. She got every one in motion.

The driver and passenger both conscious and alert and getting themselves out of the car. The driver (late teens girls) was slightly hysterical. The passenger (her dad) was calm and collected. I asked if either were hurt? Both said they were OK.

I guided the driver toward the road and sat her down. The Dad came over beside her. I gave both a quick look over and saw only scratches and a bump on her head.

By now an off duty corrections officer and the folks from the house down the road arrived. Then an off duty Chrisman police officer arrived. He got on his phone to his dispatch and gave them more info. He then started evaluating the driver and I told him it was now his incident. I looked the car over for evidence of a fire, then went to the road to direct traffic.

Just a few minutes later Chrisman Fire and North Edgar Ambulance arrived on scene. I was very impressed with how they responded. They put C-collars on both and loaded them on backboards.

A second ambulance arrived and it became apparent I was not needed and not doing anyone any good. So I gave my info to the officer in charge and left.

Looking back at the incident I only see a couple things I should have done better. I should have made sure both patient's C-spine was stabilized. The other things were mostly minor, not getting a blanket from the car to set them on, getting name and other info from them. That was my biggest omission. And of course I was not in my vehicle with my trauma kit.

Why am I telling you all this? Not to make me look good, because I see definite areas I could have done better. I'm telling you this so you can think through what you should do in a case like this.

Train yourself. Learn what to do before it needs done