Photo By Sgt. Brandon Aultman | U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Ethan Merrill, right, crash fire rescue firefighter, Aircraft...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - It was a clear June night and Cpl. Ethan Merrill, a crash fire rescue firefighter stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and native of Grantsville, Maryland, felt the wind in his face as he cruised down Kalanianaole Highway on his Kawasaki Ninja 636 motorcycle. Riding with friends, and fellow service members, was always a carefree adventure to him. Suddenly, tragedy struck.
“One of my friends I was riding with went around a turn and hit the guardrail and flew down a 40-foot cliff,” said Merrill, recalling the incident. “My body will take over before my brain does. Every time we do drills or training, it helps me picture what could happen, and help be better prepared for it.”
Seeing his friend in need, Merrill didn’t give a second thought. With his first-aid kit in hand, he trusted his instincts in rushing to the aid of his friend.
“I immediately jumped into action, pulled out my first-aid kit, and went down the cliff after him,” said Merrill, “I got down to him and started assessing him, muscle memory kicked in and I just did my job.”
With a swift assessment of the situation, Merrill quickly put his training to use, delivering first-aid he learned during TCCC training. Tactical Combat Casualty Care is required training for all Marines and was developed during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to maximize the chance of survival after a combat injury. As a Marine Corps firefighter, Merrill had been ingrained with trauma care skills from day one. Merrill credits his intensive first-aid training for how he remained calm and collected in a life-or-death scenario, ensuring that nothing stood in the way of saving a life.
“Fight or flight kicked in,” said Merrill, “and I was fighting to save his life.”
Once he saw the scene where his fellow rider lay, Merrill instantly knew he had to take action.
“From his left hip down to his ankle everything was dislocated.” said Merrill. Further assessing the injury, it was evident that his friend’s leg was severely mangled.
“Immediately I put a tourniquet on his leg and cut his sweatshirt open to assess for any abdominal injuries,” said Merrill.
The tourniquet controlled the severe bleeding from his friend’s leg. Considering the seriousness of the situation, Merrill’s quick thinking and unwavering courage in a high stress situation allowed his friend to survive.
First responders arrived at the scene and Merrill’s lifesaving actions allowed for them to safely get his friend to the hospital for follow on treatment. Merrill adds that his friend is doing great and improving faster than expected.
Across the globe, Marines undergo rigorous training to act at a moment’s notice in diverse and challenging environments. This chance event vividly exemplifies unwavering courage and underscores the relevance of training that Marines undergo to be ready, even when circumstances generally find them the least.
Merrill earned him the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in recognition of his heroic actions. Merrill's quick thinking, steadfast resolve, and life-saving skills saved a friend’s life.
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| Date Taken: | 10.16.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2023 17:41 |
| Story ID: | 455904 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | GRANTSVILLE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 126 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Band of Brothers: Grantsville, Maryland Native Saves Fellow Service Member, by Cpl Chandler Stacy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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