First Responders Honored for Professionalism

HUNTINGDON (June 24) — First responders in Carroll County were honored for their professionalism and quick response to a two-vehicle wreck involving a van, transporting Hispanic males and a truck in Clarksburg.

Dr. Darrell Hunt, Trauma Med Director at Skyline/Tri-Star hospital in Nashville praised local medical personnel, first responders, who rendered aid, extrication teams that safely assisted by removing injured patients, emergency dispatchers, firefighters, and others who provided orderly and timely care for 10 patients.

Four ground ambulances from Carroll County and one from Henderson County, and 10 helicopters responded to the scene. Three Nashville area hospitals treated patients. Some of the patients had severe, life-threatening trauma. All lived and were released from medical centers. One died at the scene. Two patients were airlifted to Vanderbilt, two to Horizon and three to Skyline - a Level 1 trauma center. At Skyline, the helicopters were landing from 1:35 to 1:53 a.m. with trauma teams activated.

The Tri-Star team said it’s not unusual in metro areas to have that many medical resources and emergency responders available. But the rural areas rely on full-time professionals and many volunteers to fill the ranks of the emergency services. Carroll County proved that the emergency services are ready and capable to work a mass casualty event. Tri-Star said everyone worked together and even had four helicopters on the ground at a single time.

Some things worked in favor of the first responders and the patients. The weather was clear, allowing for medical flights. While the five ground ambulances only transported one patient, they served as an area to triage the patients and provide the initial care and securely package the patients for air transport. All the emergency medical people worked together - inside each other’s units as needed, to treat the patients.

During the Monday morning event at Baptist Hospital - Carroll County, directors of various emergency services spoke of what they witnessed and how their crews responded and cared for the patients. The situation was further complicated because the Hispanic patients only spoke Spanish.

Monday, each of the emergency personnel was gifted a challenge lapel pin for their professionalism.

Here is the original report of the accident.

CLARKSBURG (June 3, 2024) — One person is dead and seven are injured after a two-vehicle crash late Monday evening that required multiple aircraft and emergency personnel on scene to assist. 

Hayden Blankenship, 26, was traveling on Clarksburg Road around 11 p.m. on Monday when his 2013 Dodge Ram 3500 struck a 2006 Chevy Express Van with 10 total occupants driven by Antonio Guerrero, 49. 

In Antonio Guerrero’s vehicle: Angel Flores, 51, is deceased; Cirilo Guerrero, 55, was not injured; Cesar Garcia, 34, was not injured; Miguel Angel, 39, was injured; Danery Martinez, 24, was injured; Juan Guadalupe, 56, was injured; Antonio Enciso, 42, was injured; Iran Hurta, 30, was injured; Alfredo Campos, 35, was injured; and the driver, A. Guerrero, was also injured.

Blankenship was not injured.

Emergency personnel from Carroll County Sheriff’s Office deputies and dispatch, Clarksburg Fire Department, Westport Fire Department, Carroll County Rescue Squad, Carroll County Fire District 1 Huntingdon, Priority Ambulance, Vanderbilt Air Ambulance, Air Evac-Henry County, and Tennessee Highway Patrol worked into the early hours of Tuesday morning securing transport of seven injured occupants and one deceased.

Air Evac - Henry County and Vanderbilt LifeFlight assisted with a total of 10 air ambulances; Baptist-Priority Ambulance and one Henderson County Ambulance provided ground assistance with a total of five ambulances.

According to the preliminary report from Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), undisclosed charges are pending for A. Guerrero.

According to eyewitness reports, occupants of the van operated by A. Guerrero were working at the nearby poultry farm in the 1900 block of Clarksburg Road.