Copyright 2006 DR Partners d/b/a Las Vegas Review-Journal
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By KEN WHITE
Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nevada)
Lynn Mayers and Gerard Burkin didn’t know what hit them.
On a rainy night last October, paramedic Mayers and Emergency Medical Technician Burkin of American Medical Response, along with an intern, were heading out on a call when the ambulance broke down and they were forced to park it in the inside emergency lane on Interstate 15 near Tropicana Avenue.
After checking the engine and finding it had lost oil, Mayers and Burkin went to the back of the ambulance to put down emergency cones. Burkin took a look at the asphalt and turned to Mayers. “Lynn, look at all this oil,” he said.
“All of a sudden, wham, I’m down on the pavement,” says Mayers.
A car had hit the oil and slid on the wet surface into the back of the ambulance, ramming into Mayers and Burkin.
Just before the car hit them, Burkin shoved the intern out of harm’s way.
Mayers and Burkin were not so lucky. Both suffered bad leg injuries that have kept them from being able to work since the accident.
But their heroism was acknowledged May 9 when Mayers and Burkin received the American Ambulance Association’s Star of Life Award in Washington, D.C. The Stars of Life celebration is a national program to observe National Emergency Medical Services Week. The award is given on an annual basis to medics, dispatchers or other emergency medical services personnel who have been nominated for service above and beyond the call of duty, years of service, on-duty heroism or are honored as employees of the year.
“I don’t remember specifically doing anything,” says Burkin, who’s been on the job 12 years. “The intern was in front of us, and I may have pushed her out of the way.”
According to the intern’s account, that’s exactly what happened.
Even though Mayers, a paramedic for 13 years, and Burkin were down and bleeding on the pavement, Mayers had the presence of mind to get on her cell phone and call dispatch to report the accident.
She stayed on the phone until help arrived.
“It was a really weird, surreal feeling,” Mayers says. “I was losing blood.”
When the ambulance arrived to take them to the hospital “I was telling them what to do,” Mayers says.
“It’s opened my eyes a lot in terms of safety,” Burkin says. “Even with your own family. I’d be tempted to say that unless your car is on fire, stay in the car” if it breaks down on the freeway. “It’s dangerous no matter when we’re out there. It’s just one of those dangerous situations.”
“It’s nobody’s fault,” Mayers says of the accident. “It was just terrible circumstances and you just go on and make the best of it. It’s been an experience that opened up my eyes to things that are important in my life.”
They continue to have medical problems associated with the accident and are in physical therapy.
“I can walk,” Mayers says. “I should be thankful.”