Missing out on many years of memories

Chief Chris Head

My name is Chris Head and I am the Deputy Chief with the Liberal Police Department in Liberal. I have been an officer for 24 years, but I didn’t start my career off in Liberal. 

I started off in a small town in Oklahoma. The town was small enough that it didn’t have much crime to speak of, but we would get the occasional drunk fight or drug arrest just to keep things interesting. Due to the town being in a rural area, we would also get called to help the Oklahoma Highway Patrol with accidents on the highways that led into town.

One early morning, around 0500 hours, I got a call from our dispatch asking me to travel a few miles into the county to assist in a roll-over accident with unknown injuries. I was informed the vehicle was in the ditch, but not much more information was given as I can recall. I was also told that there were no Troopers in the area, and I could be alone for some time. As I mentioned earlier our town was small and didn’t warrant 24-hour coverage, so I jumped out of bed and headed out the door within a few minutes.

Police officers go on calls all the time where the questions can’t be answered until they arrive on the scene to assess the situation. This is especially true on calls such as this one. Questions like, “How many people are in the vehicle?” “How many of them are hurt?” or “How long will it take an ambulance to arrive to help me if needed?” Since I was a very inexperienced officer at this time, I’m sure all these questions and more were going through my mind.

When I got to the location of the accident, I noticed the ditches were overgrown with trees, briers and all sorts of undergrowth. After only a few minutes I noticed a vehicle stopped on the road, and I could see the taillights from the damaged vehicle near the bottom of the ditch. I also saw an unknown pedestrian frantically waving me over and pointing to the accident location. I got out of my patrol car and ran to the vehicle. It was at that time I noticed the driver, a young man, was laying on the ground several feet away from the crumpled-up pickup.

As I got closer to him, I saw he was unconscious and not breathing. I recently attended a first responder class and started CPR. While working on the young man I could tell that things were not looking good. He was unresponsive but from time to time would sit up and exhale deeply before laying back down only to stop breathing again. While this was happening, I never felt his pulse come back, and I continued on with the CPR.

While working on him I could smell the odor from the mixture of the gas from his vehicle along with the dirt that was scattered all around. I can still remember how tiring it was to give CPR for what seemed like 30 minutes before an ambulance arrived. I also remember my legs and arms cramping and being out of breath. I was relieved when I saw the ambulance pulling up, knowing I finally had some help.

Almost as soon as the paramedics got to us, I saw another person running down the embankment toward us. It was the driver’s father. As you can imagine he was extremely emotional after seeing his son and tried to get to him. In doing so he was interfering with the paramedics. This caused me to have to physically pull him away from his son in order to give the paramedics room to work. His dad threatened to hit me and even tried to punch me at one point, understandably so. It took me and a couple bystanders a few minutes to calm him down so he could think clearly.

While dealing with the dad, the paramedics were able to get the driver into the ambulance to transport him to the hospital in a neighboring town. After the ambulance left, the scene cleared out quickly and I remember looking at the pickup and thinking the damage was not that bad, and I believe he would have walked away if he had his seat belt on.

Due to the area being so small, word gets around, and it wasn’t long before I found out who the driver was. I also found out that his wife had just had a baby girl, and that he was on his way to work that morning. As far as why his father showed up, I found out they worked for the same company and one of their coworkers saw the accident and called him. He came there with the intention of checking on his son, but found that he was fighting for his life.

A few years ago, I was back in my hometown and discovered that the driver’s baby girl had grown into a beautiful young lady and recently had gone to prom. I was shown her prom photos and I couldn’t help but think about her dad, and how proud he would have been of his little girl. There was absolutely a void in those photos where he should have been.

Just about any officer who has been working the road long enough will have a similar story. These memories may fade and some of the details lost, but they don’t go away fully. From time to time something may trigger them, and you’re put right back there, in the moment surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells. Some officers may be reminded of a tragic accident after smelling the scent of a deployed airbag. For me, it’s the combination of the smell of gas and freshly disturbed dirt.

People get behind the wheel and don’t buckle up for one reason or another. But there is little doubt about it, if you ask that little girl who lost her dad early that morning, she would tell you there is no excuse not to wear it. 

If you don’t want to wear it for yourself, wear it for your family members who love you, and who want you to be with them as they make memories. Memories like playing in their first baseball game, catching their first fish, graduating high school, or even going to their first prom. 

 

Chris Head is the Deputy Chief with the Liberal Police Department

 

Prescription drugs contributing to roadway deaths

By Sheriff David M. Groves

Sheriff David Groves

Returning from a meeting a few years ago, I decided to take the scenic route to enjoy a leisurely drive back to the office on some of our back roads. The only vehicle I encountered was a motorcycle, which I noticed wobbling as it approached me. 

Moments later, the motorcycle left the pavement and crossed a grassy ditch, throwing the operator to the side of the road. I immediately requested dispatch send emergency medical and rescue personnel to the scene as I assessed the rider, who ultimately died there on the side of the road. 

It was later determined prescription drugs contributed to the crash and death of the rider, who was someone I had known for years.

Although the situation I experienced involved an impaired operator leaving the road and entering a ditch, the operator could have just as easily crossed the center line striking an oncoming vehicle, having a life-long impact on an innocent driver.

Driving under the influence of prescription drugs continues to pose a significant threat to those traveling our roadways. The American Automobile Association (AAA) reports prescription drugs are the most prevalent of all drugs found in drugged drivers involved in fatal crashes at 46.5%, and that percentage has continually increased since 2005.

Alarmingly, but not surprisingly, teens new to driving are also getting behind the wheel impaired by prescription drugs, which they often obtain from family or friends, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

As community safety leaders, it’s not only critical to recognize the issue of prescription impaired driving for the seriousness it is, but to also take steps to keep our roadways and citizens safe.

When given the opportunity to visit with high school students about the dangers of drugs, it’s important not to solely focus on street drugs like meth and heroin, but because of the ease in obtaining prescription drugs, to also stress the dangers of abusing them and sharing with friends.

Additionally, because this life altering public safety issue significantly impacts those in our community, law enforcement leaders can take advantage of the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Training Program coordinated by the Kansas Highway Patrol.  Although the training requires a commitment on the part of both the administration and the officer seeking certification, the benefits to the citizenry and motoring public are worth the investment. 

If staff shortages create a hurdle in having a DRE on your agency’s team, hosting Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) Training will significantly boost the ability for officers to recognize and handle drug impaired drivers when they encounter them on the side of the road.

Finally, because in most parts of the state DRE’s are scarce - especially for small and rural agencies - I encourage law enforcement administrators with DRE’s on their team to capitalize on already existing partnerships with neighboring jurisdictions and offer up their DRE’s assistance when able to do so.

David Groves is the Sheriff in Cherokee County

 

Lifechanging decision that changed everyone’s future

By Patty Schalk

You have probably all heard that wearing your seat belt could save your life in a vehicle accident. From personal experience, I would say many people have developed a good habit of buckling up every time they are in a vehicle. Some are just the opposite and rarely, if ever, buckle up.

January 1997 - my family had a life-changing vehicle accident that forever affected each and every one of us. No, we were not all in the vehicle that rolled over on the turnpike leaving Topeka. It was just one of us, my brother.

I’m not exactly sure of all the details as it happened 25 years ago. I do remember my parents, his wife and myself rushing to the hospital upon hearing my brother had been in a single car accident. He and his passengers were all thrown from the vehicle. I don’t remember if the passengers were wearing seat belts, but unfortunately, I know my brother wasn’t for sure. All the passengers survived and were able to walk away with minimal injuries. But my brother’s head was injured when he was thrown from the car, causing a traumatic brain injury. 

He was in a coma where he stayed for two weeks until my parents made the decision to remove his life support. We were prepared to say good-bye, but when the machines that helped him breath were turned off, he started breathing on his own. Since he had been in the Army, he was able to be transferred to a VA traumatic brain injury facility in Iowa where he spent the next four months recovering. His wife had not been to see him since the first few days in the hospital. Shortly after the accident when she learned of the extent of his injuries, she filed for divorce. When he was able to leave the hospital, my parents brought him home to live with them.

His life and ours had forever been changed. My parents’ lives had changed from being empty nesters for a few years with a new home and looking forward to new adventures, to being primary care givers to their son. He had to learn how to do the very basic tasks of independent living again. His brain injury affected his vision, speech, left arm movement and his left leg.

I can safely say that my parents have earned lots of feathers for their angel wings in heaven. They gave up their lives to take care of my brother. Not only did it affect them, but it affected me, my children and every family activity we have done for the last 25 years. We have to worry - is where we are going handicap accessible? Can he get in and out when stairs are involved? How do we get the wheelchair in and out of the car? Who is going to push him or help him?  Is handicap parking available?  I can tell you that quite often the handicap parking is full, so we have to get him out and situated, then go park somewhere else while he waits on us.

It's not all been difficult, because we have learned that you either laugh or cry, and often, we do both. Humor came to our family as a way of coping. Often my brother, who is fairly independent in spite of his disabilities, will get into situations where he will need rescued. One year while camping he tipped his scooter over in a ditch and was yelling “man down!” until some other campers came to his rescue. We still use that phrase liberally. There is never a dull moment with him as he is very determined to get where he wants to go one way or another, regardless of the impact to anyone else. Another common phrase we often say is, “gravity is on your side,” because he seems to fall quite often. Many times, these falls require outside assistance from the local fire department to get him up.

Dad passed away last year, and Mom continues to be his primary caregiver. It is getting difficult for her to meet his daily needs, of entertaining him, getting him to appointments, taking him shopping, etc. We are now trying to figure out how alternative care and support for him will look in the future.

The point of my story is that your decision to not wear a seat belt may or may not cost you your life. Something you may not have considered is that it could cause you to have severe life-altering injuries that change not only your future, but those of your friends and family – forever.

I hope you will choose to buckle up.

 

Patty Schalk is an Applications Developer Supervisor at KDOT in Topeka.

 

 

Why I remind myself to stay alert while driving

 By Tim Potter

Tim Potter

It was a good thing I noticed that the vehicle several car lengths in front of me was starting to slow down.

That was my first cue to stay alert.

I was on a straight four-lane divided highway in Reno County on a recent afternoon cruising at the speed limit, 65 mph. Right after I spotted the car slowing down ahead, I noticed a motorcycle closing in behind me.

The motorcycle was going noticeably faster than my car and the car directly in front of me and a third car to the left and ahead of me.

I was in the outside lane, already slowing to keep distance from the car directly in front of me. The motorcycle shot around me, then suddenly veered in between me and the decelerating car ahead. That car was now flashing a right turn signal as it approached a side road.

I realized the motorcyclist was not going to slow enough in time.

I heard the sudden concussion of the motorcycle crunching into the car bumper.

In my mind’s snapshot, the motorcyclist bounced and rolled in a churning swirl of hair, jacket and jeans -- but no helmet. Right in front of me.

I don’t consciously remember commanding myself: “OK! Avoid hitting the fallen motorcyclist by pulling to the left right now!” But that’s how I reacted.

I realized afterward that if I hadn’t been alert to what was ahead, then behind, then in front, I might have run over the motorcyclist after he fell and plowed into the car he hit.

I veered away to the inside lane in time to avoid striking them, then pulled back right, slowing down onto the shoulder. I stopped on the grass, pressed the emergency flashers, grabbed my cell phone and race-walked back 100 yards to the crash scene. As I strode, I called 911 and gave the few details to the operator. She said she was already talking to someone else and could let me go.

I immediately felt relief when I noticed the motorcyclist was sitting up and off the highway. I had been mentally prepared to give, or help with, CPR -- thinking he might have been knocked unconscious and might not be breathing.

He appeared maybe a little dazed. He was bleeding, but not profusely, from his scalp, his hair partly matted in blood. I seem to recall gashes around his eyebrow, on his hand. He was trying to punch in a number on his cell phone. His motorcycle, which didn’t look all that smashed considering the impact, was on its side and pouring a stream of gasoline onto the highway pavement.

He stood up, saying he needed to tend to his motorcycle. But I quietly urged him to sit down, telling him that he might be in shock. It was wickedly hot, the sun searing.

I filled out a witness statement for a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper as emergency medical workers treated the motorcyclist and placed him on a stretcher.

Later, I confirmed from the trooper’s crash report that the motorcyclist wasn’t wearing a helmet and that, as the report stated, he was “following too closely to slow down.”

For me, it was a sobering reminder: the importance of staying alert, watching the speed and everything in front and behind, not following too closely and being ready to take an evasive move in a flash.

As the troopers say: Things happen fast.

 

Tim Potter is a Public Affairs Manager for KDOT in Hutchinson

 

Never more thankful for child safety seats

Kristen's two little girls were in their child safety seats in the back seat when the car was hit.

 

By Kirsten Byrd

 It was a normal, beautiful day in August 2015. We had just gone shopping in Winfield and were on our way home to Udall. My husband was driving, and I was in the passenger seat. Our two little girls, aged 2 and 5 months, were in the back seat.

My husband noticed a sheriff’s car sitting on the side of the highway, so he slowed down to pass by. As we did, a truck that had been following us going an estimated 75 mph ran smack into the rear end of our 4-door car.

We were in shock, but the first thing we did was check to see if each other and our daughters were ok. Our 2-year-old exclaimed, “there is ice everywhere!” It was the rear windshield all over her and our 5-month-old baby.

As scary as it was, everyone, including the driver of the truck, was ok, other than some bruises and whiplash. I have never been more thankful for the rear-facing infant seat my baby was in, and the forward-facing convertible seat my toddler was in.

We had several people stop to see if we were ok and to help comfort us and the girls. Thankfully the police officer was there to witness the whole thing and get emergency services on the scene quickly. We now have three girls, and the younger two are in child restraints. It will stay that way until they can safely ride without a booster or car seat.

 

Kirsten Byrd now resides in Independence where she works as a Management Information Systems Clerk for the Tri-County Special Education Interlocal 607.

Three seconds and Move Over Law

Lt. Tanner Blakesley's car was struck at full highway speed, which was propelled into
another vehicle that struck Lt. Blakesley and seriously injured him. 

Lt. Tanner Blakesley

By Lt. Tanner Blakesley, K28

I was a road trooper in the Topeka area for two years when I woke up in a ditch. The driver of the vehicle we had stopped was standing over me, asking me if I was okay. I realized I had been hit by my patrol car after a passing vehicle struck the rear of my car at full highway speed. Since that day, I have become a strong enforcer of the "Move Over Law."

That January was the first day I was training a new trooper. We had stopped a vehicle on I-470 in Topeka, and it became necessary to have the occupants exit their vehicle. I exited the patrol vehicle to help the new trooper with this task. I approached the driver's side of the vehicle, got the driver out of his car, searched him, and escorted him into the ditch.

During this time, several cars had not moved over. I diverted my attention from traffic and towards the new trooper while he had the passenger exit the vehicle. The next thing I remember is waking up in the ditch. I did not know what had happened. I was able to put the parts of my broken memory together after seeing the video from my patrol car cameras and talking to individuals at the scene. There’s nothing like seeing video of yourself launched off your vehicle's windshield into the air.

Three seconds after walking between the stopped vehicle and my patrol car, another vehicle hit the rear of my patrol car. The impact of my patrol car being hit propelled it into the vehicle I had stopped. Unfortunately, I was hit by the corner of the patrol car and thrown into the ditch. Three seconds later and my life, along with the driver of the stopped vehicle, could have been very different. Most likely, we both would have died that day because of a careless driver not moving over for emergency workers on the side of the road.

After waking up, I didn’t know just how bad I had been hurt. The new trooper checked on me first and told me not to move. I could see the new trooper was taking control of the crash scene. Luckily, he had managed to dive over the guard rail and escape serious injury.

Even though I knew I was hurt, I had adrenaline pumping through my body and got myself up and went up the ditch to help. I quickly realized my injuries were serious; I had to sit down and wait for more help. It would be four months before I returned to work, but I know I was lucky to be alive and lucky to be able to even go back to work.

Vehicles must Move Over or Slow Down for emergency vehicles and work crews not just because it is what the law requires, but because when a vehicle does not, it doesn't allow time for those in the way to react and try to get out of harm’s way. It's easy to become complacent when every day you see many cars not moving over.

Three seconds on one cold January day could have ended differently for several people because of one individual's carelessness and disregard of the Move Over Law. 

Lt. Tanner Blakesley is with the Kansas Highway Patrol

 

The night that changed our lives forever

Braden Woodson and his truck.

By Debbie Lee

It was a typical Monday evening in October. My son, Braden Woodson, had gone to his club wrestling practice at Lawrence Elite. He loved wrestling and over there he says the coaches and teammates were like family. Braden was 16 and a few months earlier, his grandpa gave him the Chevy S-10 he (grandpa) shouldn’t drive due to medical concerns.

Braden’s practice usually got done around 8 p.m. and he was home (in Perry) by 8:15-8:20 p.m. as it was just a quick trip across Highway 24.  When my phone rang at 8:30 p.m., I instantly knew something was wrong.  The voice on the other end was Braden, telling me he was hit by a semi.

Braden was traveling west on highway 24 and as he approached the intersection of highway 24/59, he realized too late that the semi driving south on highway 59 wasn’t going to stop at the stop sign. The two vehicles collided, and the collision spun my son’s truck around, so it was now facing east in the cornfield. 

He was able to get out of his truck and went for help. Had Braden been driving the Toyota Corolla he had before the truck, the outcome would have been more devastating. The impact would have decapitated him. Fortunately, he was able to get out of his truck and went for help at the church in Williamstown. The semi driver fled the scene.

I share our story for several reasons but mostly because Braden was wearing his seat belt and I believe the seat belt saved him from being thrown from the vehicle. 

Braden was a state qualifying wrestler and had intentions of wrestling in college.  These few seconds and the truck driver’s inattentive driving stripped Braden of the one thing that brought him joy.  He loved to wrestle, yet his back muscles are messed up for life.  After a year and a half of physical therapy, including dry needling (needles inserted into the back muscles and hooked up to electricity), he is still unable to enjoy wrestling. He was never able to be a returning state wrestling qualifier.

This was the night that changed his (and my) life forever.

 

Debbie Lee is the mother of Braden Woodson

 

Cyclists, motorists: Sharing the road is a two-way street

 By Max Dirks

Max and Irene Dirks on their tandem bike.

My wife, Irene and I are tandem bike riders and have done several organized bike rides through the years. The biggest thing we have learned in our bike riding experience is to be seen. When we ride, we have a small, but bright flashing light on the front of the bike, a red flashing light on the rear and Irene has another red flashing light on her bike helmet. We try to wear clothing that will help us stand out, and a lot of the time we wear high-visibility vests.

To prepare for these organized bike rides, we ride 10 to 25 miles at a time around our small community of WaKeeney on the city streets and highways. We feel we are doing something right when we have people from the community tell us, “When you are biking, we can see you a half mile away.”

While biking, we have learned 99% of the traveling public is very courteous to cyclists, but you always need to be on the lookout for that other 1%. Being courteous is a two-way street. My mindset as a cyclist is to ride on the edge of the road or the paved shoulder to allow cars and trucks as much room to safely to pass - a courtesy to the traveling public. 

A few years ago, we were on a organized bike ride on a highway in southwest Kansas. The road was hilly (Yes, hilly! For all of you who think Kansas is flat, get on a bike and start riding!). There was one cyclist who was riding in the middle of the lane and at times on the center line. We all had just topped a hill and then saw a semi come over the hill right behind us. The one cyclist was still riding in the middle of the lane. We were all very lucky that the truck driver was able to lock up his brakes and avoid the cyclist riding in the middle of the lane.

I have thought several times what went through the trucker’s mind when this all took place. Do I go left and have a head on collision with another truck, or take the shoulder and take out 40 to 60 other cyclists? Or hit my brakes and hope for the best?

We were ALL very lucky NO one was hurt. As I said before, sharing the road is a two-way street. Both cyclists and motorists should look out for each other and show mutual respect for everyone’s safety.

 

Max Dirks is the KDOT Area Superintendent in Hays

 

911 dispatchers: Always on call, handling chaos in crashes - part 3

 Part three of a three-part series -

Karen Ridgway

The dispatchers who take 911 calls about crashes on Kansas roadways are the crucial links in emergency responses. Without them, help wouldn’t arrive in time. How do they do it?

Three dispatchers with Hutchinson-Reno County Emergency Communications are sharing their stories in the series. This third article focuses on Karen Ridgway, part-time call taker, previous 911 dispatch supervisor:

A motorist might suddenly find themselves overturned in a ditch on an isolated stretch, maybe in the darkness, not sure which highway they were traveling on, which town they were approaching after they’ve called 911 on their cell phone.

So, Ridgway wants motorists to understand that it’s always good to have some understanding of the route they’re traveling on. A dispatcher can use technology to locate a person calling on a cell phone. But the location application on the phone might be disabled. Once a dispatcher knows the location, they can immediately send emergency responders.

Dispatchers use a scripted set of questions designed to get the key information they need. So besides the location, they’re asking for the person’s name, medical information – and about any injuries. Other questions: Are you blocking traffic? Because if you are, that can cause another crash. Are there hazards, like gas spilling from the vehicle? If a semi is involved, what is the load? Because that can determine if the emergency crew needs to be prepared for hazardous materials.

If it’s an accident at night that’s not easily visible, the lone call to 911 might be from the victim. If it’s during the day, 911 dispatchers can get 20 calls all at once on the same accident. Ridgway prefers that witnesses not assume that someone else has called 911. It’s better to call.

Should you try to help an injured person?  “If you can do so safely,” Ridgway advises. If the crashed vehicle is in the middle of a highway, she might ask the witness calling to park their vehicle on the crest of the hill, with flashers on so approaching motorists can slow down and avoid colliding with the wreckage. She wants people to stay off the roadway so they don’t become another victim.

Even with their script, dispatchers must be able to improvise. “No two situations are exactly the same, so you have to have that critical thinking,” Ridgway said. “There’s a lot of gray.” Factors like weather can weigh heavily on the dispatcher’s mental calculations. If it’s 10-degree cold, an injured person in an isolated area also faces the risk of hypothermia.

And human factors weigh in: The dispatcher sometimes encounters callers who are distraught or angry. There’s a method for handling that, Ridgway explained: “You don’t raise your anxiety to reach theirs. If they’re screaming, you don’t yell back. You actually lower your voice.” And it takes a calm persistence: “I need you to tell me where you’re at,” she might have to keep asking.

“You say the same words over and over until they listen,” she explained. “Eventually that repetitive calmness gets to them. They may be screaming, ‘My husband is trapped! My husband is trapped!’”

“You bring them down to your level … voice and tone.” Sometimes she might redirect the person away from the thing “that’s got them terrorized.” She might ask them to stand safely to the side of the road and wave for help.

“It’s surprising how much anger there is out there on the road,” Ridgway said. “We have accidents that turn into disturbances.”

Certain things a dispatcher asks will grab the attention of all the other dispatchers hearing the call. One is: “Can you tell me if they’re breathing?” And if the answer is no, the other dispatchers immediately recognize the stakes. “When they hear that, they know it’s a hot call,” Ridgway said.

Dispatchers get certified in talking people through how to handle medical emergencies before help arrives. “I personally have delivered two babies” – over the phone -- by directing someone at the scene on how to do it, she said. “You have to be able to give the directions.”

A person not breathing is a dire situation. “The minute they say someone is not breathing, you just tell them – ‘We need to do CPR.’ “If you tell me he’s not breathing, I don’t care what his injuries are.” And she guides them through what could be the most stressful moments in their lives. “I’m going to tell you exactly what to do,” Ridgway will tell the person.

She will direct them to get the patient onto a flat surface where they can begin CPR. That might require having to drag someone out of a vehicle onto the grass. The person might argue that they can’t do it, but Ridgway said that’s when she turns into a “drill sergeant” and firmly prods them to do what must be done. “And then we walk them through it.”

If a semi driver is unresponsive, slumped over up in the cab of the truck, she said, he needs to be pulled down onto a spot where he can be revived. “He’s got to have that CPR, or he’s not going to survive.”

 

Article written by Tim Potter, KDOT Public Affairs Managers

Photo courtesy of Hutchinson-Reno County Emergency Communications

 

911 dispatchers: Always on call, handling chaos in crashes

 Part two of a three-part series -

Sabrina Henry

The dispatchers who take 911 calls about crashes on Kansas roadways are the crucial links in emergency responses. Without them, help wouldn’t arrive in time. How do they do it?

Three dispatchers with Hutchinson-Reno County Emergency Communications are sharing their stories in the series. This second article focuses on Sabrina Henry, dispatch supervisor:

Henry remembers getting a series of calls from panicked witnesses who encountered a crash. A vehicle had gone off the road, leaving multiple victims. She managed to calm the witnesses enough to find out where they were and how many victims. It took a few moments “to get everybody to settle down,” Henry said.

As she gathered key information, another dispatcher was sending ambulance and fire department units. The dispatchers try to have two sets of ears on a call, to assist with handling other calls and to help get units dispatched at the same time they are gathering information. They want each caller to stay on the line so they can get the information they need.

A caller who is right there with a victim is a priority. They are the one who can provide direct information about the patient’s condition. And they are the one in the best position to begin first aid before rescue crews arrive. The dispatcher will direct them, step by step, in how to give first aid.

There are built-in challenges for the Reno County dispatchers. Besides the remote spots, far from rescuers, weather often is a factor -- either a risk to the patient or a hindrance for crews rushing to get there.

Henry remembers an instance where before crews could arrive, she had to direct someone to start first aid by checking for an open airway on a person who had been ejected from a vehicle and was unconscious. Checking for breathing is always a priority, no matter the other injuries. Finding an airway is a first step before someone can do CPR. In this instance, once EMS and fire crews arrived, they determined the patient was “code blue,” meaning they were in cardiac arrest. The patient didn’t survive.

Henry understands what’s involved in rescues partly because she was a paramedic for 20 years before she became a 911 dispatcher.

She understands that for many people suddenly caught in the chaos of a crash, it might be difficult to stay calm enough to provide a dispatcher the crucial details. Henry has a trick for communicating with them. When talking to a caller, she uses their name. “Jane, calm down,” she might say. “If we can use their first name, they’re listening to us maybe a little more.”

Just because she is dealing with one big crisis doesn’t mean 911 calls from other emergencies stop. So the dispatchers have to be able prioritize – or triage -- the emergencies as they come in. Each dispatcher must make a quick calculation: “Is this (new call) something that can wait?”

Although the dispatchers try to take a break, “get some fresh air,” Henry said, they must be good at dealing with the stress. “We’re able to work through the chaos.”

Dispatchers continue dealing with rescue crews and law enforcement after they get to the scene. A dispatcher might continue to deal with radio traffic from first responders for several hours while they are working at the scene. 

The dispatcher is a crucial link between the different agencies. A rescue crew at the scene might ask a dispatcher to call the hospital and alert them that they will be receiving a critically injured patient. A dispatcher might be the one to call a helicopter crew to transport and treat the patient on the way to a larger hospital. As part of that helicopter intervention, the dispatcher might need to make sure the ground crew and the helicopter crew are communicating on the same radio frequency. Throughout, the dispatcher also coordinates with law enforcement who close roads.

 

Article written by Tim Potter, KDOT Public Affairs Managers

Photo courtesy of Hutchinson-Reno County Emergency Communications

 

911 dispatchers: Always on call, handling chaos in crashes

 

Part one of a three-part series -

Megan Miller

The dispatchers who take 911 calls about crashes on Kansas roadways are the crucial links in emergency responses. Without them, help wouldn’t arrive in time. How do they do it?

Three dispatchers with Hutchinson-Reno County Emergency Communications are sharing their stories in the series. This first article focuses on Megan Miller, Reno County 911 dispatcher and interim supervisor:

For Miller, a worst-case situation is getting a 911 call about a crash with critical injuries in a remote spot -- far from the nearest sheriff’s deputy.

When that happens, it’s “all hands on deck,” she said. A call like that requires her and other dispatchers assisting her to direct every needed emergency unit as quickly as possible by the most direct route.

In that situation, she reminds herself, “Take a deep breath.”

“We all work really well together,” she said of the dispatch team. While she’s taking that call from a victim or witness, typing the information, she has a partner who will “get my guys headed there. If I didn’t catch something, then my partner can type it in.” Through the dispatchers’ shared experiences, she said, “A lot of times, we can read each other’s minds.”

When the initial call about the crash comes to her, she clicks a button to start the call; as each first-responder unit gets assigned to the call, it gets recorded. Time stamps keep a timeline of how the call gets handled.

With lives at stake, Miller said, "It’s hard not to get emotionally attached." But she’s been doing the job for almost five years. She knows that after a tough call, "I can take a breather. When it comes to kids, that’s a rough one.” Her son is 16, starting to drive, so she understands a parent’s fears, a parent’s heartbreak.

She knows: “If you get hyped up in the call, the caller gets hyped up in the call. You have to keep them calm and have that calming voice. You just tell them you’re going to be there with them until my help gets there. Afterwards, you can go scream and cry -- and then process it.”

Even though Miller isn’t at the scene, she can see it play out in her mind from the dispatchers’ room. “You can hear it in the responder’s voice when they’re on scene. We may not get to see it, but it’s hard enough.”

She’s heard a mortally injured person cry out for help. And then -- “not hear them anymore.”

“When I first started,” Miller said, “I didn’t even know if I could do it because I’m such a kind-hearted person.” But she realized she could use her empathy to calm people in bad situations.

No one knows when they might find themselves in a traffic emergency. Three things that Miller would want people to remember:

1. The first question the dispatcher asks is “Where is your emergency?” So pay attention to where you’re traveling. Try to take a mental note of that last exit you passed.

2. Make sure your children are in properly installed car seats, or if they are older, that they are buckled up – on every single trip.

3. Before you start blurting out details when the 911 dispatcher answers your call, she said, “Let us ask the questions,” in the order the dispatcher asks them. That helps the dispatcher sort information in way to get help there sooner. Realize that the dispatchers are not being rude when they keep asking certain questions until they hear the answers they need – to help you.

If you’re having a hard time calming down, Miller said, the dispatcher might say, “Take a deep breath. And we’re going to do this together. I’ll be able to help you answer these questions if you listen. I will ask you the questions, the most important questions, so you don’t have to think so hard, to steer you the correct way.”

 

Article written by Tim Potter, KDOT Public Affairs Managers

Photo courtesy of Hutchinson-Reno County Emergency Communications

 

Driving while drowsy can be a dangerous combination

 By Steve Locke

Steve and Kathy Locke

 In mid-September of 2012, my wife, Kathy, and I had activities in different directions. My son and I were going to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to see the Oklahoma State football game. She was headed to Hays as part of class she had been taking through Fort Hays State University. It was a graduate level class, and there was a quite a bit of work involved. Kathy had been staying up late for about a week or two prior to making the trip to Hays.

We both made it to our respective destinations safely. While she was there, Kathy also met up with a long-time friend living in the area and stayed up late for yet another night.  Midway through the game, I got one of those calls that no one wants to receive - Kathy had been in a wreck.

Here's what happened - as she was headed back to Topeka, all the late nights and the ‘exciting’ scenery of western Kansas got the better of her. She dozed off. The car drifted over the rumble strips on the right side of the road and woke her up. She was awake long enough to get the car back on the highway, but she dozed off again. This time the car drifted toward the left side of the highway (toward the median) and the rumble strips on that side of the road woke her up again. This time she wasn’t so fortunate.

She over corrected and sent the car into a spin. According to the police report, she left the roadway on the right side of the road. We think this caused the car to roll and possibly flip. By this time Kathy knew she was having a wreck. Instead of panicking and trying to regain control of the car, she had the wisdom to know there was nothing she could do and just waited it out.

The car ended up against a billboard about 10 yards off the highway, right side up, but facing west (the direction she came from).

The car was totaled, but Kathy only suffered minor injuries because she was wearing her seat belt.

The picture posted here is of Kathy and me celebrating our 36^th wedding anniversary this year in Hawaii. I am so thankful she buckled up that day. Otherwise, it might have been a completely different story.

There are two morals to this story: First, although you have heard it before, it certainly bears repeating - ALWAYS buckle up when you are driving! Second, be aware of your body clock - if you have not been getting enough sleep, don’t get behind the wheel. If you do get drowsy while driving, stop and rest!

I hope my story illustrates that the consequences of drowsy driving can be as impactful as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

 

Steve Locke is a Project Manager at KDOT in Topeka

Crashes can have many lasting effects

By Mia Kingsley

 

Mia Kingsley

In July of 2012, my mother and I were in a serious car accident due to someone running a stop sign on Highway 99. This accident had many lasting effects on me, my mother, and the driver that struck us. I would like to share how this accident has affected me as a driver and a passenger, and how it has transformed my perspective on traffic safety.

I was 7 years old, going into 2nd grade. At the time, we were living in the town of Madison. Since my mom worked in Emporia, it was about a 25-minute drive to her work. The night before the accident, my mom had asked me if I wanted to go to work with her the next day. I was ecstatic, to say the least. 

The next morning, I put on my white robe that was printed with blue and pink stars and grabbed my favorite stuffed animal, trying to really capture the “sleepy head” look. Shortly after, my mom and I headed outside and got into our brand new, gold, Dodge Charger. We then headed to her work, driving on Highway 99.

After about 15 minutes, we had driven through Olpe, and were about 10 minutes away from my mom's work. I had closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. Suddenly, we were struck on the driver's side of our car. I remember spinning and spinning and running into a barbed wire fence, almost flipping. I opened my eyes, and I asked my mom what had happened. She told me she didn't know but that I needed to get out of the car. As I tried to open the door, it was jammed. I then proceeded to climb over the front console and then outside. 

I remember someone stopping and telling us that they had called an ambulance. 

Once the ambulance arrived, I remember my mom repeatedly telling the workers that she could not breath. It took numerous attempts of her telling them this for them to treat her. They eventually gave me a stuffed animal to keep me calm, and we headed to the hospital.

I suffered only minor injuries, with a few bruises. However, my mom and the driver that hit us would have a different story to tell. My mom's knee had rammed into the dash of the car, and she has had permanent nerve damage ever since. This damage has spread throughout her body ever since the accident, giving her the condition known as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). The other driver suffered a major concussion, due to not wearing a seat belt. The doctors had considered life flighting him, but thankfully they didn't have too. He was unable to recall what happened and was not able to tell us why he had run the stop sign. Speculations have been texting, or drowsy driving.

Although I didn't suffer physical effects, I have had extreme mental effects from this accident. I get nervous when someone is distracted and not aware of their surroundings. I have also become a very cautious driver; some would may be say too cautious. I have been called the “grandma” driver in my friend group because I always drive the speed limit. 

This accident has shown me how crucial it is to follow and obey traffic laws. They are in place for a reason, and that reason is to prevent things like this from happening. Traffic safety is something I have become very passionate about because of the accident, and I hope that by sharing my story that I am able to push others to do the same. 

 

Mia Kingsley is a senior at Olpe High School

A police officer and father shares why seat belts save lives

 

An officer with the Butler County Sheriff’s department looks
looks at the overturned vehicle.

By Braden Moore

It was February 10, 2022. The day started like any other, another workday at the Benton Police Department. I had gotten a call from my son, Blake (16 years old), asking if he could cruise some backroads with his friend. We had a discussion of this just a few days prior and the answer was no. But thinking back to my times as a teenager and backroads cruising, having fun with my friends, I caved and told him yes.

 As I wrapped up my day, I was pulling into my driveway at home. I got a call from a number I did not recognize, but this time I answered it. It was a woman I did not know telling me my son had been in a wreck and the vehicle had rolled. I instantly went into “work mode” as an overwhelming calm came across me. I knew I needed an exact location so I could get medical help heading that way. I was told SW 50^th and SW Prairie Creek Road.

I put the police truck in drive and switched radio frequencies to “Sheriff” to notify them, as well as EMS, to start to that location. As I am running lights and sirens to the scene of my own sons’ wreck, my mind is racing. Panic and fear are trying to take over, but training and experience was standing fast, because I knew I had to remain calm. If I can’t control my own emotions, I can’t control anything else, and chaos will set in.

I turn down SW 50^th and continue into the scene. When I pulled up, I see my son standing in the ditch and he collapses to his knees. There is a red GMC Canyon on its roof in a drainage culvert, but my focus is on my son at this point. I bailed out of the truck and ran to him, still on the ground. He was sobbing and scared. His friend was with him in the truck and was still in shock as to what happened. After a quick assessment, both boys were ok, just scared and shaken.

I was the first on scene and did not have time to take in the full picture of what had happened. As emergency crews came in, I was able to step back for a moment and really assess the scene. It was at this time I realized; I have seen lesser wrecks take lives. I had to slip away, out of sight, and just let my emotions out. The thought - I nearly lost my son today - ran through my mind as I sat on running boards of my patrol truck, my head in my hands, tears of thankfulness running from my eyes.

This was a moment where inexperience and poor decisions turned catastrophic. Blake had been traveling too fast for the road conditions, which had deteriorated due to melting snow. The truck hit a wash out and went out of control, striking a concrete barrier on a drainage culvert. This caused the truck to flip to its roof. The saving grace here was that both boys were seat belted in, and the airbags deployed.

If I can deliver one message as a seasoned officer but more importantly as a father, it is to slow down and wear your seat belt.

Braden Moore is the Chief of Police for the City of Benton

Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day blog series to begin

 

KDOT and other transportation organizations are participating in Put the Brakes on Fatalities
Day, a nationwide safety campaign. As part of those efforts, KDOT is hosting an annual traffic safety blog series where people share personal stories about significant moments in their lives, and some moments that changed their lives forever. 

As this series begins tomorrow, we have people from across Kansas sharing stories about their experiences or traffic-related events that have affected their lives. Some stories share triumph about a life saved. Some stories tell about the tragedy of a life being taken. And all the stories illustrate why safety is so important on our roadways.

The purpose of these stories is to raise traffic safety awareness about the the real-life consequences when crashes occur. We hope you will read stories that you never forget and that remind you of the importance to always practice safe driving habits. Together we can help put the brakes on fatalities.