MED Flight out of Elkhart, Ind., is pictured about to transport a man who was extricated from a pickup truck on Mercury Drive, to Borgess Hospital.
By Bruce Rolfe
A local fire chief feels teamwork and training turned a challenging situation into a better outcome after a Scotts man was extricated from his vehicle in a one-vehicle accident on Mercury Drive near the corner of East MN Avenue in Charleston Township January 2 at approximately 7:39 a.m.
Galesburg-Charleston Township Fire Chief Kevin Roomsberg said black ice was still on rural roads in the area when the man was traveling to work and slid off the road and struck a tree.
According to a preliminary investigation report from the Michigan State Police, the driver of a Nissan pickup truck was traveling Northeast on Mercury Drive near East MN Avenue when he lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree. The driver, a 56-year-old man from Scotts, was the only occupant in the vehicle. Due to life-threatening injuries, the driver was transported by MED Flight air care to Borgess Hospital for advanced medical care.
The identity of the man was not released.
Roomsberg said there was major damage to the pickup truck requiring extrication, he estimated took 30 minutes to free the man. He said Galesburg-Charleston Township and Climax Township Fire Departments used extrication equipment and Comstock Township was requested to assist with extrication equipment as well.
According to the Michigan State Police, drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor. A seatbelt was worn by the driver.
The local fire chief adds the State Medical Control doctor and MSU 1 and MSU 2 doctors that work in the Emergency Room, along with two medics from Life EMS were all on the scene to offer quick medical help.
Roomsberg said a quick and accurate assessment of the situation that included extrication would be needed called in to 9-1-1 by a Climax Township firefighter who was going to work and discovered the accident, was helpful.
Roomsberg emphasized training and having a good working relationship with neighboring fire departments was very beneficial.
“Everything went well. There was a lot of extrication work. Everybody worked great together. We had the medics inside doing I.V.’s, getting him meds and pain relief while the extrication was going on. Great teamwork by everybody involved,” said Roomsberg.
“It was just great teamwork all the way around. The medics were doing what they had to do, we were doing what we had to do, the Sheriff Department shut down the road. And the doctors got there to assess, and if needed, there’s things that they carry, they could have used,” adds Roomsberg.
While the Michigan State Police preliminary investigation report notes is it unknown of the driver’s current medical condition, Roomsberg said he believes there was non life-threatening injuries. He did add the man appeared to have lower extremity injuries in his legs however the man was semi alert, had good pulse in his feet and was moving his toes despite trauma to the legs.
There were no other injuries during the incident.
The crash remains open pending further investigation.
Michigan State Police was also assisted at the scene by the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department.
A local fire chief feels teamwork and training turned a challenging situation into a better outcome after a Scotts man was extricated from his vehicle in a one-vehicle accident on Mercury Drive near the corner of East MN Avenue in Charleston Township January 2 at approximately 7:39 a.m.
Galesburg-Charleston Township Fire Chief Kevin Roomsberg said black ice was still on rural roads in the area when the man was traveling to work and slid off the road and struck a tree.
According to a preliminary investigation report from the Michigan State Police, the driver of a Nissan pickup truck was traveling Northeast on Mercury Drive near East MN Avenue when he lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree. The driver, a 56-year-old man from Scotts, was the only occupant in the vehicle. Due to life-threatening injuries, the driver was transported by MED Flight air care to Borgess Hospital for advanced medical care.
The identity of the man was not released.
Roomsberg said there was major damage to the pickup truck requiring extrication, he estimated took 30 minutes to free the man. He said Galesburg-Charleston Township and Climax Township Fire Departments used extrication equipment and Comstock Township was requested to assist with extrication equipment as well.
According to the Michigan State Police, drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor. A seatbelt was worn by the driver.
The local fire chief adds the State Medical Control doctor and MSU 1 and MSU 2 doctors that work in the Emergency Room, along with two medics from Life EMS were all on the scene to offer quick medical help.
Roomsberg said a quick and accurate assessment of the situation that included extrication would be needed called in to 9-1-1 by a Climax Township firefighter who was going to work and discovered the accident, was helpful.
Roomsberg emphasized training and having a good working relationship with neighboring fire departments was very beneficial.
“Everything went well. There was a lot of extrication work. Everybody worked great together. We had the medics inside doing I.V.’s, getting him meds and pain relief while the extrication was going on. Great teamwork by everybody involved,” said Roomsberg.
“It was just great teamwork all the way around. The medics were doing what they had to do, we were doing what we had to do, the Sheriff Department shut down the road. And the doctors got there to assess, and if needed, there’s things that they carry, they could have used,” adds Roomsberg.
While the Michigan State Police preliminary investigation report notes is it unknown of the driver’s current medical condition, Roomsberg said he believes there was non life-threatening injuries. He did add the man appeared to have lower extremity injuries in his legs however the man was semi alert, had good pulse in his feet and was moving his toes despite trauma to the legs.
There were no other injuries during the incident.
The crash remains open pending further investigation.
Michigan State Police was also assisted at the scene by the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department.
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