Keesler member uses buddy care in emergency

Published April 16, 2013
By Steve Pivnick
81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Self-aid and buddy care training proved useful for Senior Airman Paul Calica when he came upon a traffic accident April 4.

The 81st Aerospace Medicine Squadron bioenvironmental engineering technician was returning to Keesler around 9:30 a.m. after dropping off his wife at home following an appointment. He was on Cedar Lake Road near the I-10 on-ramp when he saw a multi-vehicle accident had occurred just yards away.

"I saw the accident about 15 feet in front of me and slammed on the brakes," said Calica. "I thought I was going to hit them."

A pickup truck had apparently hit a sedan and was just off the road. Two other vehicles appeared to have been involved as well.

"I ran up to the truck to check on the driver," said Calica. "He seemed traumatized. I asked if he was OK and he said he was fine. Then, I noticed gas leaking from the vehicle and told him he needed to get out immediately. I guided him to a grassy area and he seemed ready to fall."

Calica was the first person to come to the truck driver's aid, but soon a woman stopped to assist.

"He had said he was OK and I didn't notice immediately, but when the woman got there she saw blood on his feet," said Calica. "That's when I saw a laceration on his left leg - you could see bone. I told him to keep seated so I could put pressure on the leg. I tried to find a cloth to use but couldn't. The woman went back to her car and got one. She seemed nervous and stepped back while I wrapped the leg and applied pressure. I knew through self-aid and buddy care training I needed to elevate his leg.

"After a few minutes, someone came over and identified himself as a former Air Force medic," said Calica. "He lifted the driver's leg while I applied pressure."

Although there had been a multi-vehicle accident, only one ambulance was on scene at the outset. Calica believes at least one other person had been injured, but the other vehicles were some distance away. As the first responders awaited a second ambulance, an emergency medical technician asked Calica to assist and provided him with protective gloves.

Calica said he had reacted quickly when he saw what had happened and knew he had to assist the driver. He credits his SABC training for allowing him to react and provide care when it was needed.

His involvement in the incident took about 30 minutes. After providing information to a Biloxi police officer and receiving a "thank you" from the EMT, he went home to change - he had blood on his boots and uniform - and returned to his duty section. He still has a "souvenir" from the event: a couple of blood drops on his boot.