Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Nancy Ausland | U.S. Army Sgt. Sgt. Jameson Bartscher, a Multiple Launch Rocket System crewmember in...... read more read more
Nearly one year ago, a Soldier with the South Dakota Army National Guard used a fire extinguisher to break his way into a vehicle engulfed in flames to remove three passengers trapped inside.
As a result of his actions, Sgt. Jameson Bartscher, a Multiple Launch Rocket System crewmember in the Aberdeen-based Battery A, 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery, was presented the Soldier’s Medal - the military’s highest non-combat valor award, presented to members of the Armed Forces that distinguish themselves by heroism not involving conflict with an enemy.
It’s the afternoon of June 9, Bartscher is returning to Aberdeen from Sioux Falls after delivering a pump for his employer, the City of Aberdeen. While traveling northbound on Interstate 29, near Summit, a southbound slow-moving car catches his attention.
As Bartscher gets closer to the car, he sees flames from the underside of the back of the vehicle and decides to turn around.
“I asked myself if I could actually help these people,” he says. “Having a fire extinguisher in my work truck made this an easy decision.”
Bartscher puts on his hazard lights, turns around, cuts through the median and puts the fire extinguisher in his lap.
“My plan was just help them out in any way possible and buy them some time to get stuff out of their vehicle,” he says. “Nothing too serious.”
Now stopped behind the car, the fire is quickly growing and more concerning to Bartscher is why no one has gotten out of the car. He knows before he even steps out of his vehicle that his plan needs to change and it needs to change now.
“My plan now is all about time and speed,” he says.
He opens his door and starts running towards the car while pulling the pin from the fire extinguisher on the way. Flames are consuming the car as Bartscher races through the ditch.
“The car is parked on the shoulder of the road so I approach from the ditch because of the traffic still driving by the whole time,” he says. “It was really my only option.”
The car’s fuel line was on fire and once the car came to a stop, fuel began to pool under the car. The ditch that Bartscher is running through is now burning as well.
“When I get to the car it’s engulfed in flames,” he says. “I couldn’t see inside - the windows were blackened. At this point, I’m hoping it’s not nearly as severe on the inside as it is on the outside.”
The fire in the ditch is preventing Bartscher from getting to the doors, so he works his way towards the vehicle with the fire extinguisher.
“I start with the fire extinguisher four to five feet from the back passenger door and work my way to the fuel tank,” says Bartscher “As soon as I get to the fuel tank, my fire extinguisher is running out.”
While the flames are not put out, Bartscher is able to push them to the other side of the vehicle.
“Since there’s no wind at this time, I think it helps in buying me some time,” Bartscher says.
At the exact same time the fire extinguisher is running out, he hears pounding on the rear window.
“I immediately turn the fire extinguisher around and hit the window,” says Bartscher. “The bottom of the fire extinguisher is rounded, so the first two strikes glance off. This is when I’m feeling the most panic because I’m not sure if the window is going to break.”
Bartscher swings the extinguisher a third time, breaking the back passenger window.
“As soon as the widow broke and the smoke clears a little, I see a baby carrier,” Bartscher says. “I couldn’t see the baby, but i grabbed the carrier and pull it through the window. The seat belt is still on the carrier, but I’m able to pull it all the way out of the car.”
A car passing by has stopped and Todd Clausen from Sioux City, Iowa, is now helping Bartscher.
“He tells me ‘I will get the baby out of here, you get the rest’ and as he’s moving the baby, I get the door open and that’s when I see two ladies in the front seats,” Bartscher says.
He enters the vehicle far enough to help the driver out and then comes back for the passenger.
He sees the passenger’s arms have severe burns and she has oxygen tubing that’s preventing her from exiting the car. Bartscher removes the tubing and once she’s outside of the car and sitting on the ground, he and Clausen are able to move her about 10 feet away from the car.
Bartscher grabs his phone to call 911 and sees a woman on her cell phone about 100 yards from the burning car. She’s parked about 100 yards from the car, so he runs far enough to find out if she’s called 911. She tells him she’s on the phone with them now. Bartscher confirms that an ambulance needs to be sent and runs backs to the victims.
“When I get back, I realize the fire is getting too big and hot to be this close, so we talk the passenger into moving another 10 feet away,” says Bartscher. “We move one or two more times, but eventually she doesn’t want to move any farther. From 30 feet away from the fire, we just stand with her while the car burns.”
Once paramedics arrive, Bartscher gets his first indication that everyone is finally safe.
The three passengers, Gabrielle Wanna, 23, of Peever, Rebecca Stoughton, 53, of Veblen, and Cassidy Wanna, an infant, of Sisseton, were transported to the Hennepin County Burn Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Gabrielle and Cassidy were treated for injuries and released.
On June 22, Stoughton, the front passenger, died as a result of injuries suffered in the vehicle fire.
Bartscher and Clausen were presented Life Saving Awards from the South Dakota State Highway Patrol at a ceremony in Sisseton three days later. Members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribe, of which all the occupants of the vehicle are members, presented both men with traditional star quilts for their actions.
Bartscher has since attended a family gathering and said he still talks to Gabrielle’s father and Rebecca’s brother.
The Aberdeen City Council recognized Bartscher in August where he was presented the Soldiers Medal by Brig. Gen. Thomas Croymans, SDNG’s director of the joint staff and Aberdeen resident.
“Being presented with the Soldiers Medal is a great honor and to be honest I would’ve been happy with a pat on the back,” Bartscher says. “It makes Guard members feel that they’re part of a special group people - who are willing to risk it for others, so I was happy to accept it.”
Bartcher, served in the U.S. Army from 2004-2008 as an M1 armor crewman. He deployed in 2005-2006 to Camp Rustamiyah, Iraq, with 3rd Battlaion, 67th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. In 2010 he was recalled to go back overseas and deployed to Camp Buehring, Kuwait.
In 2011, he joined the SDARNG as a Multiple Launch Rocket System crewmember in the Aberdeen-based Battery A, 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery.
| Date Taken: | 05.02.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.17.2016 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 207439 |
| Location: | RAPID CITY, SD, US |
| Web Views: | 249 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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