Called out and have one DOA.

[Gary D.]

After doing a 20 yesterday I was exhausted and hit the rack at around 10pm. I don’t remember my head hitting the pillow.

At 0637 the little evil box does the wake up thing. I grab it and read “MVA V” and that was it. So I call dispatch and they tell me that we have a vehicle in the water only about 2 miles from my house as well as two of the other members.

All but two on the team make it to the scene. I’m third on scene because of the lousy page. The first two hit the water and I’m safety.

While the dive is going on I learn that the accident could have happened over 12 hours earlier. It was a very violent crash. The initial thoughts are the vehicle was possibly traveling at 70-100 mph.

We had one victim who was DOA and as yet we have not found anyone else.

Here is a sat pic of the area. The vehicle was traveling southbound and was attempting to cross the bridge. He didn’t make it. Straighten out the turn on the roadway and go directly to the water. That will be where he landed.

http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=11&X=2519&Y=26417&W=1

Look at the intersection on the left lower corner of the pic.. On the east side of the northsouth street is a row of housed. My 5 acres runs behind those homes and my house is on the east west street. If you click "-" on the scale you can see just how close we are. Lots of calls to the dam area.

http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=11&X=2529&Y=26427&W=1

Gary D.

 

[Gary D.]

I forgot to mention we did have a causality. One of the two guys that dove snagged his butt on something and has a nice “L” shaped 2” cut in his suit. Needless to say, he will be around 3 octaves higher for a while.

He’s only a two-year diver and team member and didn’t even bat an eye at the problem. When he surfaced he said he was ok but was going to need help exiting up the steep bank.

When he got out onto solid ground he had a stream of water shooting out the hole in his butt.

Guys like that, make me one happy camper. I’m very proud of them. It’s not a macho thing, just a very high comfort level with their ability.

If everyone would get to that comfort level I would have an easier time leaving. I have three starting training early next month so it will still be a while.

I did get wet but all I did was do the tow hook-up and search the shallow weeds.

Gary D.