A vehicle lays on its side after being struck by a sedan near Travis Air Force Base, Calif., Feb. 24, 2016. Senior Airman Jeremy Derrick, 349th Aerospace Medicine Squadron aerospace medicine technician, and Bonnie Morrow, 60th Force Support Squadron work life consultant, responded to the scene using skills learned through Air Force training. (Courtesy Photo/Bonnie Morrow)
Story by Capt. Angela Martin
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — When Senior Airman Jeremy Derrick set off for work at Travis Air Force Base, California, Feb. 24, he expected an ordinary day performing his duties as an aerospace medicine technician in the 349th Aerospace Medicine Squadron.
He didn’t expect to use his skills as an emergency medical technician twice that day after he witnessed a motorcycle accident in the morning and a car crash that evening.
Derrick was at the right place at the right time when he saw a rider crash a motorcycle near the base safety course. Running to the scene, he sprang into action performing EMT duties on the rider until emergency responders arrived.
“This is what we do, this is what we train for,” Derrick said.
After Derrick provided his assessment to the emergency responders on scene, he went about his day, not expecting another incident to occur. But during his commute home to West Sacramento, California, he watched as a sedan hit a sport utility vehicle, causing the latter to fly into the air and flip onto its side.
“I immediately knew that I needed to help,” he said.
Derrick pulled over and responded to the scene, along with a half dozen other people. The group discovered two children in car seats and their mom stuck in the driver’s seat.
“We told her to unlock her car so that we could try opening the doors, but the doors wouldn’t open. After looking for a safe window to break, we picked a back window and climbed into the car to get the children out,” Derrick said.
One of the kids was handed over to Bonnie Morrow, 60th Force Support Squadron work life consultant, and U.S. Air Force veteran who worked in security forces for 14 years.
“All of the training I received in the Air Force came back,” Morrow said. “It was instinctual. I got on the phone with 911 and let them know where we were and who I was. I stayed on the phone while the others were getting the family out of their car.”
With the children safely out of the vehicle, Derrick conducted an assessment on them while waiting for emergency responders to arrive. With the exception of a large bump on one of the children’s head, they appeared to be without any major injuries, and were in good spirits.
“Out of all the people that could have responded, two people that stopped at the accident happened to be in the jobs that would respond to an accident,” Derrick said.
Derrick and Morrow remained on scene until California Highway Patrol arrived, and took care of the children while their mother spoke with the officers.
“If this unfortunate event happened to me with my daughter in the car, I would hope to have skilled Air Force members to assist,” Morrow said. “There was team work and sense of willingness to help quickly.”
