Tragedy on the Highway

On Tuesday this week, there was an ambulance crash on I-76. The crash claimed the lives of two people. The patient they were transporting, a pregnant woman in need of critical obstetric care, was helicoptered to Denver. In Denver, she delivered her baby. Both mother and baby are in serious condition.

Details of the crash are still a little sketchy. The crash happened as the ambulance attempted to pass a semi truck. Both were in the right lane.

As you can see by the pictures, the ambulance was pretty mangled and it was a miracle that anyone survived at all.

This wreck hits pretty close to home. I travel I-76 often. Our company probably would have done the transfer had we had an isolette and the necessary equipment to deal with the delivery of a very premature infant.

I had met both the patient in the ambulance and one of the victims who was killed. The woman killed worked at my local hospital as an Ultrsound Tech. Her death is a pretty big blow to the many people who were her friends and co-workers.

The ambulance was a Rural/Metro unit and crew out of Denver, Colorado. This was the second fatal ambulance crash in Colorado this month.

The whole situation should be a reminder to those of you who travel the interstates and highways to practice safety and caution. If you approach or are being approached an ambulance, please move to the right of the roadway. It may be necessary for you to slow down or even stop. Please do so carefully and be aware of drivers ahead of you and behind you.

I take my job very seriously and try and be the most cautious driver I can. I ask you all to do the same.