Florence County Emergency Medical Services Photo Gallery of Calls

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This gallery of pictures is for education and information. While injuries are shown, there are no deaths to be seen, and we maintain a level beyond which we feel it is not appropriate to show here. Most of the pictures here could be seen on the tv news, or in the newspaper. Explicit pictures will not be shown, since we want this site to inform, and do not want younger viewers to be turned away.

June 19, 2002 This van struck
several guardrail posts, and then
hit the post on the start of the
bridge, throwing it off the interstate.
FCEMS Medic 3, 7, 1, Shift Supervisor, Asst
Director, Logistics Officer, Florence Rescue
Squad, West Florence Fire Department
You can see the severe damage
to the front and engine area.
3 children and their grandparents
surprisingly escaped with minor
injuries, though one child had a
mild head injury.
June 5, 2002 This wreck shows
an unusual ending position, basically
making a box. Strange vehicle
positions like this result in problems
getting to and moving patients from
the cars easily.

April 2002 Severe vehicle damage
almost to the point of total
destruction of the car and driver.
Is there ever a reason to drive this
fast and damage yourself this
badly? This car wrecked only with
itself, how badly could others have
been hurt if they had been near?
December 30, 2001 This SUV
was pulling a full-size camper on
the Interstate when it went out of
control and rolled. The airbags
did not inflate due to no impact
with the front or rear of the vehicle.
Damage was to the sides as it
rolled. FCEMS Medic 7, Shift Supervisor,
Florence Rescue Squad, Windy Hill Fire
Department, and a Georgetown County
EMS employee passing by helped
December 29, 2001 This wreck
was seen by a FCEMS employee
on her way to work. It is still not
known how long it happened
before it was found. Vehicle left
the roadway at an extremely high
rate of speed, and went into this
ditch, striking trees and coming
apart.

A closer view shows some of the
extreme damage to the vehicle. No
one had been found in the path
the vehicle took along the ditch, so
it was assumed there was still a
person inside or under the vehicle.
As hydraulic tools are being brought
from the rescue truck, personnel
discuss the best way to try and get
quick access to this mangled mess.
Here a FCEMS crewmember
works with Howe Springs Fire
Department personnel to attempt
to get some access to the interior
of the vehicle to at least find out
where the patients are.
FCEMS Medic 2 12, Shift Supervisor,
Howe Springs Fire and Rescue

At this point, enough entry had
been made to determine that the
limited access to the patient that
was found indicated that he was
deceased. Only upon his removal
from the vehicle was another
victim found under him, under
the car covered up in the mud.
High speed for no apparent reason.

December 8, 2001 Single vehicle
traveling at estimated speed of 100
mph left the road, went airborne
then landed and rolled approximately
150 feet before striking a concrete
block pillar. Male driver < 20 years
old died at local hospital from
massive head injuries.
45 minute extrication time. Vehicle
was actually cut in two pieces upon
impact with pillar.
FCEMS Medic 2, City of Florence Fire
Department, SC Highway Patrol, Florence
County Sheriffs Dept, Florence Police Dept

November 2001 On the Interstate
2 cars missed each other during a
lane change, but the effort to avoid
impact caused both to loose control.
The front seat passenger in each was
killed, and 8 others were injured.
Timmonsville Rescue Squad first on scene
FCEMS Medic 3 and 7, Shift Supervisor and
FCEMS Director, Sardis-Timmonsville Fire
Department, Florence Rescue Squad

October 2001 This vehicle was
struck in an intersection by a small
truck. The airbag kept the patient
from severe injuries from the front
of the vehicle, though she was still
injured by the side impact.
August 2001 Tractor trailer and
freight train disagree at an inter-
section. Tractor trailer flips over
and is bent during the flip.
FCEMS Medic 3 Florence Rescue Squad
Windy Hill Fire Department
There was a lot of diesel fuel that
ran off, and fire department had
to put down dirt dikes until it
could be contained. No one was
injured, though there was a lot
of potential for it.

August 2001 As you can see, this
is a severe accident. The car went
partially under the tractor trailer
during the wreck, and then spun
as it impacted under the trailer.
FCEMS Medic 1 7 Florence Rescue Squad
Windy Hill Fire Department
But, here is the rest of the story.
On the other side of the trailer there
was also a van, that was crushed
under the trailer and up against the
guardrail. Severe injuries in both
of the vehicles, this one requiring
extensive extrication.
August 2001 This wreck involved
a school bus and a van. The van
received just enough damage that
the passengers could not get out.
The extrication was on a slope,
with slick weeds, which made it
difficult to maintain footing. No
children on the bus were injured.
FCEMS Medic 2 Florence Rescue Squad
Windy Hill Fire Department

July 2001 Busy highway crossing.
A Blazer and and a truck collide
in a high speed impact. Both of
them turn over and roll after the
impact. Heavy items from the
truck, including a front-end
loader, fly through the air.
FCEMS Medic 1 Medic 2 Florence Rescue
Squad Windy Hill Fire Department
Here you can see past the truck
to where the Blazer ended up.
An adult and 2 children were
severely entrapped and injured
in it. The truck driver was in a
much more massive vehicle, but
he was also significantly hurt.
It required extensive cutting and
spreading of the parts of this
vehicle to allow the driver to be
removed. Her door was pushed
in over 2 feet, along with the roof,
pinning her in a much decreased
space inside the drivers area. She
received severe arm, chest and
head injuries.

July 2001 Busy highway crossing
A T-Bone collision between a van
and a car results in the car hitting
a truck in a secondary impact.
Severe damage to the first side
hit, the passenger side, and lesser
damage to the driver side.
FCEMS Medic 3 Medic 1 Florence Rescue
Squad West Florence Fire Department

The driver suffered head and chest
injuries and required extensive
extrication due to the severe
damage done to the car. The
roof had to be removed to be
able to get the patient out. Here
you can see how far over the seat
was pushed against the driver.
Here is another view. You can
get some idea of the confined
amount of space the paramedic
has to work in, from the back
seat, to try and stabilize the
patient as extrication was being
performed by the rescue squad.
The impacts almost pressed this
car in half.

Photo Gallery Page 1 Photo Gallery Page 2 Photo Gallery Page 3 Photo Gallery Page 4

Photo Gallery Page 5 Photo Gallery Page 6

June 19, 2002 This van struck several guardrail posts, and then hit the post on the start of the bridge, throwing it off the interstate. FCEMS Medic 3, 7, 1, Shift Supervisor, Asst Director, Logistics Officer, Florence Rescue Squad, West Florence Fire Department	You can see the severe damage to the front and engine area. 3 children and their grandparents surprisingly escaped with minor injuries, though one child had a mild head injury.	June 5, 2002 This wreck shows an unusual ending position, basically making a box. Strange vehicle positions like this result in problems getting to and moving patients from the cars easily.
April 2002 Severe vehicle damage almost to the point of total destruction of the car and driver. Is there ever a reason to drive this fast and damage yourself this badly? This car wrecked only with itself, how badly could others have been hurt if they had been near?	December 30, 2001 This SUV was pulling a full-size camper on the Interstate when it went out of control and rolled. The airbags did not inflate due to no impact with the front or rear of the vehicle. Damage was to the sides as it rolled. FCEMS Medic 7, Shift Supervisor, Florence Rescue Squad, Windy Hill Fire Department, and a Georgetown County EMS employee passing by helped	December 29, 2001 This wreck was seen by a FCEMS employee on her way to work. It is still not known how long it happened before it was found. Vehicle left the roadway at an extremely high rate of speed, and went into this ditch, striking trees and coming apart.
A closer view shows some of the extreme damage to the vehicle. No one had been found in the path the vehicle took along the ditch, so it was assumed there was still a person inside or under the vehicle. As hydraulic tools are being brought from the rescue truck, personnel discuss the best way to try and get quick access to this mangled mess.	Here a FCEMS crewmember works with Howe Springs Fire Department personnel to attempt to get some access to the interior of the vehicle to at least find out where the patients are. FCEMS Medic 2 12, Shift Supervisor, Howe Springs Fire and Rescue	At this point, enough entry had been made to determine that the limited access to the patient that was found indicated that he was deceased. Only upon his removal from the vehicle was another victim found under him, under the car covered up in the mud. High speed for no apparent reason.
December 8, 2001 Single vehicle traveling at estimated speed of 100 mph left the road, went airborne then landed and rolled approximately 150 feet before striking a concrete block pillar. Male driver < 20 years old died at local hospital from massive head injuries.	45 minute extrication time. Vehicle was actually cut in two pieces upon impact with pillar. FCEMS Medic 2, City of Florence Fire Department, SC Highway Patrol, Florence County Sheriffs Dept, Florence Police Dept	November 2001 On the Interstate 2 cars missed each other during a lane change, but the effort to avoid impact caused both to loose control. The front seat passenger in each was killed, and 8 others were injured. Timmonsville Rescue Squad first on scene FCEMS Medic 3 and 7, Shift Supervisor and FCEMS Director, Sardis-Timmonsville Fire Department, Florence Rescue Squad
October 2001 This vehicle was struck in an intersection by a small truck. The airbag kept the patient from severe injuries from the front of the vehicle, though she was still injured by the side impact.	August 2001 Tractor trailer and freight train disagree at an inter- section. Tractor trailer flips over and is bent during the flip. FCEMS Medic 3 Florence Rescue Squad Windy Hill Fire Department	There was a lot of diesel fuel that ran off, and fire department had to put down dirt dikes until it could be contained. No one was injured, though there was a lot of potential for it.
August 2001 As you can see, this is a severe accident. The car went partially under the tractor trailer during the wreck, and then spun as it impacted under the trailer. FCEMS Medic 1 7 Florence Rescue Squad Windy Hill Fire Department	But, here is the rest of the story. On the other side of the trailer there was also a van, that was crushed under the trailer and up against the guardrail. Severe injuries in both of the vehicles, this one requiring extensive extrication.	August 2001 This wreck involved a school bus and a van. The van received just enough damage that the passengers could not get out. The extrication was on a slope, with slick weeds, which made it difficult to maintain footing. No children on the bus were injured. FCEMS Medic 2 Florence Rescue Squad Windy Hill Fire Department
July 2001 Busy highway crossing. A Blazer and and a truck collide in a high speed impact. Both of them turn over and roll after the impact. Heavy items from the truck, including a front-end loader, fly through the air. FCEMS Medic 1 Medic 2 Florence Rescue Squad Windy Hill Fire Department	Here you can see past the truck to where the Blazer ended up. An adult and 2 children were severely entrapped and injured in it. The truck driver was in a much more massive vehicle, but he was also significantly hurt.	It required extensive cutting and spreading of the parts of this vehicle to allow the driver to be removed. Her door was pushed in over 2 feet, along with the roof, pinning her in a much decreased space inside the drivers area. She received severe arm, chest and head injuries.
July 2001 Busy highway crossing A T-Bone collision between a van and a car results in the car hitting a truck in a secondary impact. Severe damage to the first side hit, the passenger side, and lesser damage to the driver side. FCEMS Medic 3 Medic 1 Florence Rescue Squad West Florence Fire Department	The driver suffered head and chest injuries and required extensive extrication due to the severe damage done to the car. The roof had to be removed to be able to get the patient out. Here you can see how far over the seat was pushed against the driver.	Here is another view. You can get some idea of the confined amount of space the paramedic has to work in, from the back seat, to try and stabilize the patient as extrication was being performed by the rescue squad. The impacts almost pressed this car in half.