Photo By Staff Sgt. Armando Limon | A helicopter-based emergency medical service (EMS) lifts an injured 19-year-old female at Lanikai Pillbox Trail on Kaiwa Ridge, Kailua, Hawaii, on June 4, 2016. Sgt. Bruce Bea, a senior line medic assigned to 2-35th Inf. Regt., 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, provided lifesaving aid to the female. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Bruce Bae, 2-35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division)
07.01.2016
Story by Staff Sgt. Armando Limon
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
KAILUA, Hawaii — Sgt. Bruce Bea walked to the top of Lanikai Pillbox Trail on Kaiwa Ridge to view the morning sunrise on the windward side of Oahu, June 4. Instead, he found himself rendering lifesaving aid to an unidentified 19-year-old female.
Bea, a senior line medic assigned to 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Inf. Division, took immediate charge of the situation and climbed down the rocky slope to provide emergency medical assistance.
He came upon the scene on his descent after trekking more than 500 feet on the unimproved, rocky trail to the pre-World War II fire control stations (mistakenly referred to as military pillboxes) that overlook the windward town of Kailua, to a see a female lying about five feet from slope.
“She was on the ground unconscious and convulsing a little bit,” he said. “I was holding head stabilization just in case she had a spinal injury.”
He recognized the woman had a severe injury and was in an awkward position, and did his best to keep her steady while emergency medical services were contacted.
“I was talking to her while still holding the cervical spine, making sure she could hear even though she’s unconscious,” he said. “I was asking, ‘Can you hear me? Can you squeeze my finger?’”
She regained consciousness, allowing Bea to continue asking questions if she could wiggle or feel her toes to check if she had a spinal injury.
Ten minutes after his arrival, a physician rendered his services, asking questions to the female and ordered those who were nearby to stand above her to provide shade to keep her from overheating.
Paramedics later arrived to the scene to provide care, relieving Bea and the physician.
A helicopter-based emergency medical service was called to hoist the female from the slopes to be brought down on the adjacent Lanikai Park where she was then delivered to a trauma center.
Bea attributed his ability to provide aid from his military training as a medic and the training given to combat life savers (CLS).
“The basic things we even teach to our CLS guys is there wasn’t any bleeding,” he said. “I didn’t see any bleeding to control. Also, I was concerned on keeping her breathing and to ensure she wasn’t moved to prevent spinal injury.”
Demonstrating the best of Army Values, Bea expressed unquestioning certainty to render emergency medical aid to anyone in need.
“I saw her on the ground,” he said. “I was like, I got to help. It’s an obligation to do so as a Soldier.”
Sgt. Bruce Bea, a senior line medic assigned to 2-35th Inf. Regt., 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, provided lifesaving aid to an unidentified 19-year-old female at Lanikai Pillbox Trail on Kaiwa Ridge, Kailua, Hawaii, on June 4, 2016. Bea climbed down five feet from the unimproved, rocky slope where the female had fallen to render medical assistance by keep her body stable and safe until emergency medical teams arrived. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Armando R Limon, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division)
