Illinois National Guard Soldiers help first responders at Megabus crash

By Army National Guard Sgt. Michael Camacho,

Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (8/7/12) - Fire fighters and police officers throughout the central Illinois town of Litchfield came to aid the victims after a Megabus crash on Aug. 2 that killed one and injured three dozen - among those assisting the first-responders were two Illinois National Guard Soldiers.

Cadet Casey Fay, with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment in Litchfield and Pfc. Christopher Morris of Robinson, with 445th Chemical Company, were driving from Camp Lincoln in Springfield, headed to their office at the Illinois National Guard’s East St. Louis Readiness Center when they came across the crash.

Morris said as they passed the wreck, they saw firefighters and emergency management technicians assisting people at the scene.

“We both felt it in our gut that we should get out there and help these people,” Morris said.

Fay, a combat medic and certified EMT, helped the first responders treat the victims. Morris, who just returned from a search and extraction class, assisted with litters and patient aid.

According to Fay, the first responders were happy to receive the additional help from the two Soldiers. They directed the two to help the walking wounded and get casualties on to stretchers to be transported for further treatment. They also assisted with gathering patient information.

After most of the walking wounded was triaged, they were loaded on to a bus to be transported to Litchfield community center for further medical treatment.

Fay was assigned as the primary medic on one of the buses transporting patients to the community center. Morris stayed on scene to help more casualties get on stretchers to be transported to area hospitals.

“We were glad we stopped and helped out,” Fay said. “They definitely put our skills to good use.”