Photos/Story By: DFC Pete Mellits
On Saturday, September 23, 2000, at 0724 hrs., units from Companies 43 and 39, of the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department, responded to a reported "personal injury accident with a van overturned, one pinned and three others trapped."
Being the first dispatched fire department unit on the scene, Volunteer Deputy Chief Pete Mellits (C19A) arrived to find an extended full size work van on its roof with all of the occupants out of the overturned vehicle, with the exception of the driver, who was trapped in the overturned van with a collapsed roof.
Soon thereafter; Engine 433, Ambulance 439 from Company 43 (Bowie's Mitchellville Station) and Volunteer Assistant Chief Jason Bloom (C43B) arrived on the scene. Additionally, Engine 391 and Ambulance 399 from Company 39 (Bowie's Belair Station) arrived while initial triage had begun. Subsequently, Volunteer Assistant Chief J.T. Williams of Bowie Company 19 arrived on the scene, who was in the area when the call was dispatched.
Immediately, its was determined that nine (9) people were in the van, when it overturned after the driver apparently had lost control over the vehicle. Aside from the nine (9) occupants, the van was loaded with construction equipment, air compressors and assorted power tools.
To make things more challenging, given the number of occupants in the single van, none of the occupants spoke English. They all spoke Spanish and were from Mexican decent. Assistance was then requested to overcome the language barrier and a Prince George's County police officer was dispatched to the scene. In addition to the Spanish speaking police officer, a full complement of County police officers were of hand due to the time of morning - a shift change. Thus, traffic control was not a problem.
The driver was extricated from the van by Rescue Squad 18 (Glenn Dale Vol. Fire Assoc.), which neighbors Bowie. All the while during the extrication, the patient was being attended to by a County Paramedic unit from the Glenn Dale Station.
Given the number of patients, two additional basic ambulances were requested and dispatched, bringing Ambulance 199 from Company 19 (Bowie's Huntington Station) and Ambulance 188 from the Glenn Dale Station.
During the extrication, a request was made for a helicopter, however, due to the weather no helicopters were available. Once freed from the wreckage, the driver was transported by land to a nearby trauma center. Six (6) of the remaining eight (8) occupants were transported to other local hospitals.
Deputy Chief Mellits (C19A) was the incident commander with Assistant Chief Bloom (C43B) being assigned triage oversight and extrication operations. Assistant Chief Williams coordinated all of the patient transport information with County communications and their destinations.
In addition to the units listed, a County Fire Department Career shift supervisor (a Battalion Chief) and a County EMS shift supervisor (a Captain). did arrive on the scene.
