CALL OF THE QUARTER

FALL 1999

    At 09:28 on the morning of October 23, 1999, the Glasgow Life Saving and First Aid Crew received a call to respond to the Natural Bridge Inn and Conference Center. At the same time, Company 11 Natural Bridge First Responders were also toned for assistance. The call came across the radios as, "All Glasgow Rescue Squad members and Company 11 First Responders, respond to the Natural Bridge Inn and conference Center, under the bridge for a rock slide. Numerous injuries, unknown number of patients, unknown entrapment."

    Squad members had been called to this location before for small emergencies and to standby on Easter Sundays for Sunrise Services, where hundreds of visitors walk under the bridge arch too see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

    Knowing in our minds what we could be facing with numerous injuries, you move a little faster and hope your fellow members respond just as quickly. Everyone’s assistance would be needed if what was being dispatched were true.

    The first unit, Glasgow 50, checked out at 09:32, four minutes after the call was dispatched. Two minutes later, we heard the second unit, Glasgow 48, which we knew we would need if we had to go under the bridge. Because of it being a smaller van unit, 48 was the only unit that would fit through the walkway under the bridge. We were preparing for the worse and hoping for the best.

    Cardiac Technician Danny Smith responded on his radio that he was available for assistance and was asked to respond to the scene with our ALS truck. Our third unit, ALS equipped, responded at 09:41. It was great to hear everyone responding. You knew more help would be close. This was a call where you needed everyone’s help.

    It took around eight minutes to get to the scene, but it seemed like eternity. We were all eagerly waiting for additional information from dispatch, letting us know what we were facing.

    Finally, one of our members arrived on the scene. We were all quiet, holding our breath. "Glasgow 358", Robert Hickman stated over the radio, "to all units, we have one patient down, unresponsive, not breathing, CPR is in progress. Please advise your ETA.

    "Glasgow 48, ETA will be in two minutes.", Lisa Rogers said, "How many other patients do we have?" Robert replied, "358 to Unit 48: We have only one patient at this time. Patient is located under the bridge. First Responders are on the scene."

    As we arrived at the scene, we had to move bystanders from the walkway in order to back the ambulance down the narrow pathway. The pathway is lined by a rock wall on both sides, with only a few inches of space in between the ambulance and the rock walls. This was about 500 feet down into the canyon. As we got closer, we could see the pathway covered by boulders and rocks. Two of our members, Larry Mayo and Robert Hickman, along with members from Company 11, were doing CPR on an elderly female that they had placed on a backboard. We knew this was a "load ‘n’ go." Smaller rocks were still falling from the cliff.

    Our ALS ambulance was advised as to what we had and asked to set up for a transfer at the bridge entrance. A quick look was all the time we had to assess the scene. An 8 foot x 10 foot slab of slate rock had broken free from above the bridge wall and had fell approximately 300 feet down onto the walkway, demolishing a stone plaque affixed to the walkway.

    Bystanders stated that several people with a tour group had been walking back to the entrance and had stopped for a moment to read the plaque under the bridge. The others from the group had just walked away when the rocks began to fall. They had no warning. The patient was the only one still reading the plaque when she was struck from behind by the rocks. She was partly buried by the rockslide.

    The first members on the scene stated that she had no pulse upon arrival. It was estimated that the patient had been down for about 10 minutes before our arrival. As they reached the patient they realized they had to first remove her from the scene for everyone’s safety because of smaller rocks that were still falling around them. They quickly removed the larger rocks from on top of the patient and placed her on a backboard. They then moved the patient to a safer location several feet down the pathway. CPR was started and the Defibrillator was used.

    When Unit 48 arrived at the scene, the patient was quickly transferred onto the cot and placed into the truck where CPR continued.

    Glasgow Unit 49, our ALS truck, along with Cardiac Tech Danny Smith had arrived at the entrance and was waiting for our transfer. The patient was quickly transferred to Unit 49 and was en route to Stonewall Jackson Hospital in Lexington.

    Bystanders had stated that the patient was by herself with a tour bus group that had stopped to see The Natural Bridge. The bus driver at the scene had a list of medical and personal information about the patient and was asked to ride with the driver to continue to relay information that was needed about the patient.

    CPR was continued en route and Cardiac Tech Smith continued to provide Advance Life Support Care.

    Stonewall Jackson Hospital staff was informed about the trauma patient we were in route with and they were standing by upon our arrival.

    The patient was turned over to Stonewall Jackson Hospital staff, but because of the amount of trauma the patient had sustained to her head and body she was later pronounced deceased.

    When you work on a patient like this lady, it makes you wonder. Just an hour ago she was enjoying herself with her friends and in only a matter of minutes, a freak accident happens that took her life. You look at her and think to yourself, this is someone’s mother or grandmother. You feel for the family that now has to be notified. You want to take away this pain. You hope they know that everything was done to bring her back. You have to know in your heart that you did everything your trained to do. That’s the only way you can continue to respond. You know that you can not change what is meant to be, you sometime question it, but you learn to accept it and you continue to wait for the next call.

    After this tragic accident, Natural Bridge of Virginia closed the bridge to visitors. They contracted a specialized crew, one of only several in the Country, to check the bridge formation and the stability of the rocks. The road above the bridge was also closed while this was being done.

    After several weeks of inspections, the bridge was again opened. Visitors continue to walk down the pathway and through the tunnel to admire one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Natural Bridge of Virginia.

--  Written By:    Lisa Rogers