Tragedy Strikes EMS Agencies in KY & MI

     This January saw two traffic-related EMS responder deaths: one to an EMS supervisor and mother in Kentucky, and one to a promising young EMT in Michigan. Both women were killed by passing vehicles while working the scenes of prior motor vehicle accidents.

     Christa Burchett, 33, was the director of EMS at Paintsville (KY) Fire-Rescue-EMS. Just after 9 a.m. on January 22, her department received a call to a minor MVA for a young pregnant patient named Erica Brown.

     "There was not much damage to the vehicle but she was concerned about her baby and wanted a paramedic to check her out," says Chief Bob Dixon.

     Burchett wanted to respond to the call personally. She and her partner, Brian Moore, parked behind the patient's vehicle, and a sheriff's deputy parked behind them with warning lights flashing. Road conditions were icy and wet.

     As the responders walked Brown to their ambulance, a passing coal truck braked and jackknifed, Dixon said. It struck the sheriff's vehicle, pinning Burchett and the patient between it and the ambulance, and then struck the patient's vehicle. The deputy was able to pull Moore out of the way, and Moore tried to grab Burchett but couldn't reach her, Dixon said.

     Burchett was still breathing when additional units arrived. She was transported to Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. Brown and her unborn baby were deceased.

     "It was terrible," Dixon says. "I've seen a lot of things in my many years in the field, but it was really, really tough."

     Burchett leaves behind a 14-year-old daughter. She was the embodiment of 'dedication to people and public service,' Dixon says: "If you had the opportunity to look that up, you'd see a picture of her."

     Cheryl Kiefer, 23, was an EMT with Jackson Community Ambulance (MI). At 6:10 a.m. on January 26, she and her partner were returning from a call when they observed an accident and turned around to assist. As Kiefer assisted the victim, another car lost control and struck her. She was critically injured and trapped in the wreckage until extricated by the Chelsea Area Fire Authority.

     JCA and Huron Valley Ambulance paramedics transported her to the University of Michigan Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 8:45 a.m.

     Kiefer is survived by her parents and sister.

     "All of her friends and co-workers loved her spirit," says HVA spokeswoman Joyce Williams. "She was just a vibrant and energetic person. She loved to help people and she had done a tremendous amount of things in her short life."

     Kiefer saved the life of the initial crash victim.

     "The woman was getting out of the car as Cheryl arrived," Williams says. "Cheryl told her to get back in, and that was right when she got hit. It's a comfort to the family knowing that she died doing what she loved and saving a life."

Staying Safe on the Road
     Secondary accidents at MVAs are unfortunately common. In an informal poll on EMSResponder.com, the majority of respondents say they've had close calls on scene, and more than a quarter say they've experienced secondary accidents.

     Officials at ResponderSafety.com, who track responder injuries and deaths along the nation's highways, agree that 2008 is off to a bad start. Their group was part of the coalition that worked to establish the new National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management (NUG), which aims to increase the public's awareness for highway safety.

     "A lot of people out there are simply not paying attention," says website editor Dr. Harry Carter.

     Carter's top tips to responders are to wear a reflective garment for visibility, use emergency vehicles as shields and remain constantly aware of the traffic.

     For more safe staging advice, listen to our podcasts with safety experts Dave Long and Rick Patrick at EMSResponder.com/interactive, and look for Dave Long's handout at EMSResponder.com/safety.