Photo By Pfc. Alyxandra McCheseney | Maj. Lakei Evans, executive officer, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Advise and...... read more read more
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KIRKUK, Iraq - Three combat medics assigned to 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division gave emergency medical attention to a local Iraqi resident injured in a three-vehicle accident occurred in Kirkuk, Iraq, April 19.
Sgt. Lionel Semon and Spc. Nathan McChristy, both combat medics serving with 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 1st AATF, were en route to Contingency Operating Site Warrior when three Iraqi civilian vehicles collided in front of their convoy.
“Our platoon was returning from Fire Base Manila when the vehicle in the lead of our convoy radioed to myself and Sgt. Semon to grab our gear and assess an accident,” said McChristy, a native of Los Angeles.
When the medics arrived at the location of the accident, they first checked a vehicle that was rolled on its side to see if there were personnel inside. They then cleared the vehicle and moved through a group of bystanders crowded around the other two vehicles involved in the crash, explained McChristy.
“When we started moving closer to the vehicle I realized there was a man trapped inside,” said McChristy.
As McChristy and Semon directed people to step back from the scene, Spc. Nestor Gomez, a combat medic from Company C, 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st AATF, 1st Inf. Div., who was on another mission just across the street from where the incident occurred, joined in the effort to assist the injured man.
“When I heard the crash, I went and grabbed my aid bag and ran out to where the accident was,” said Gomez, a Sacramento, Calif. native.
Gomez then joined Semon and McChristy as the three medics worked to provide aid to the injured driver.
Gomez assessed that there was a danger to the life of the injured Iraqi driver and helped provide aid while waiting for Iraqi medical personnel to arrive on scene.
Working together, Semon and Gomez attempted to pull the victim out, but quickly realized he was trapped.
“Once we realized he was stuck in between the dashboard and the seat, together we pushed the dashboard up just enough to be able to get the man out,” said Gomez.
Semon said he took an advisory role during the incident and allowed the junior medics to take the lead in treating the patient.
“While McChristy and Gomez worked on the patient, I stepped back to give them space and assisted them in handing them the supplies they needed to get the job done,” said Semon, who hails from New York City.
“An ambulance from Kirkuk hospital arrived within 10 to 15 minutes of rendering first aid, and took the patient to the nearest hospital for further treatment,” McChristy said.
The three medics ensured the scene was safe and continued with their missions after Iraqi medical personnel took control of the incident.
Gomez said a medic’s job is to help people, regardless of the situation or mission.
“A medic is a medic, and our primary mission is to do everything we can to aid the patient,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2011 10:35 |
| Story ID: | 71758 |
| Location: | KIRKUK, IQ |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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