Call of the Quarter
Spring 2001

    On Thursday, February 22, 2001, the Glasgow Life Saving and First Aid Crew, along with the Glasgow Fire Department responded to Interstate I-81, mile marker 184, at the Buffalo Creek Bridge, southbound lane for a multi-vehicle collision. EMT-ST’s Doug Grant and Lisa Rogers along with EMT’s John Ellington, Roger Funkhouser, Larry Mayo, Barrett McFaddin, Justin Strowbridge, and Shane Watts responded to the scene. Enroute, we discovered that several vehicles were on fire and that hazardous materials were involved. The extent of the damage was not apparent until we arrived on the scene. Several tractor-trailers had slid on the ice-slicked highway, causing them to collide with passenger vehicles. We had several patients, all in need of transport. Fortunately, none of the injuries was life threatening.

 
    On arrival, we found the scene to be unsafe. Several of the vehicles were actively burning and we learned that seventy-one barrels of toxic waste were on the manifest of one of the trucks involved. Another truck contained a full shipment of Canadian Whiskey. The Glasgow Fire Department set to extinguishing the fires that were threatening the rescue effort. Until the fires were under control, we could not approach the scene. However, the patients were ambulatory and we were able to treat the patients at a safe distance away from the fire scene. 

    Patient One was the driver of a mail truck. His chief complaint was that of some sore ribs. In the collision, he struck the steering wheel. 

    Patient Two was a passenger in the mail truck. Her chief complaint was that of some dizziness. We placed both of these patients in Unit 50 and transported them to Stonewall Jackson Hospital. 

    Patient Three was the driver of the truck that was carrying the whiskey. His chief complaint was that of cuts on his right arm and leg. He had no other physical complaints. 

    Patient Four was a passenger in the whiskey truck. He was in the sleeper compartment when the collision occurred.  His chief complaint was that of left wrist pain and lower back pain. He was placed on a backboard and fully packaged. This patient was transported to Stonewall Jackson Hospital in unit 47. 

    Patient Five was the driver of another tractor-trailer. He had a complaint of a stiff neck. However, he refused any treatment and transport. All patients were transported to the hospital without any incident. 

    After transporting all of the patients, a unit was needed to return to the scene to standby during the cleanup efforts. Unit 50 with EMT’s Shane Watts and John Ellington returned to the scene. A HazMat team arrived from Roanoke to contain the spill. A shipping manifest identified the chemicals and quantities involved as the following: 

    The Hazmat team cut a hole in the transport truck to gain access to the barrels inside. They then unloaded each barrel and loaded them into a transport vehicle for disposal at another site. The cleanup was hazardous as some of these chemicals are flammable and others are caustic.

    Contamination suits were required in transporting these chemicals. The HazMat team completed the cleanup without any injuries and without further incident. They completed the cleanup by 2am. Following the cleanup, Unit 50 returned to quarters.

    This scene was similar to that of the January 3, 1999 accident that claimed four lives. The steep incline of the Buffalo Creek Bridge, the ice and snow on the highway, and the reckless manner in which the operators drove their vehicles in poor weather. Interstate 81 has claimed many lives in several accidents in the past. We were fortunate that no one has lost theirs in this one.

--  Written By:    William Wheeler

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