EMERGENCY RESPONDERS SCRAMBLE to save a man trapped in a delivery truck after a traffic accident over the North Fork of the Lewis River Monday morning.
WOODLAND - Traffic over the North Fork of the Lewis River experienced significant delays Monday morning as emergency responders worked to extricate a man trapped in a delivery truck after an accident on Interstate 5 near Woodland, Clark County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Tim Dawdy said.
Authorities received the first report of the accident about 8 a.m. Monday, Dawdy said. A box-style delivery truck rear-ended a flatbed vehicle-hauler on the I-5 bridge over the river, pushing engine components into the cab against the drivers legs. At the same time, the force of the impact caused the truck's load to shift forward, pushing against the driver from behind and trapping him in place.
"When we arrived we found the patient had severe trauma and was badly pinned in the vehicle," Dawdy said. "It was one of the worst pinnings I've ever seen in my life."
Numerous responders from multiple local and state agencies converged on the scene to help. Washington State Patrol officers secured the crash scene while Washington Department of Transportation workers plugged drains on the bridge to prevent hazardous fluids from leaking into the river. Woodland Police Department officers rushed to a local airport while responders called for a medical flight to start their way.
“Our strategy is, when we know we will have long and complex extrication like that; we like to get life flight there on the ground (so) we can get them to the trauma center as quickly as possible," Dawdy said. "We take advantage of the time we have to cut the person out of the car to get the helicopter there, giving the person the maximum advantage in that time span.”
The plan paid off, Dawdy said. By the time fire fighters had removed the driver from the truck, Woodland Police had picked up the helicopter crew and brought them directly to the crash site. Helicopter crews carry blood products and other special equipment responders used to try and stabilize the patient.
"This was really a critical advantage for the patient," Dawdy said.
Paramedics airlifted the man to Emanuel Legacy Medical Center in Portland for treatment of serious injuries.
Authorities warned traffic on the bridge could remain disrupted into the afternoon.
