CHAMPION, BAZETTA Medics will be lauded for helping save lives

The awards ceremony will be May 16 in Columbus.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CHAMPION -- It was one of those calls that emergency medical technicians dread -- car crash, possible serious injury.
It was around 3 a.m. Aug. 2 when Champion and Bazetta emergency medical units got the call. They were dispatched to the rollover car crash on North Park Avenue in Champion.
"You just never know what you will find when you get there," said Lt. Brian Taylor, a Bazetta medic.
"When I got there, I found two people, a 20-year-old male and an 18-year-old female, who had been ejected from the car. Both were in very bad shape."
Ronald C. Thompson, Champion fire chief, said it appeared that the two young adults, who were both from Farmdale, were going to die.
"The female, Renee Bush, was semiconscious and unstable and her boyfriend, Eric White, was unconscious and covered in mud," Thompson said.
It appeared their car had hit a ditch and lost control, rolling several times, Thompson said.
To the amazement of members of both rescue crews, the two young victims survived.
The Ohio Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians says their recovery is partially the result of the care they received from the emergency crews at the scene.
Recognition
Medics from both townships will receive an award May 16 during the "EMS Star of Life" award ceremony in Columbus.
"This event is designed to honor the accomplishments of EMS personnel from all over the state during EMS week," said Barb Cooper, executive director of OCACOEP.
Emergency personnel and the people they helped are invited to the dinner.
Neither White nor Bush could be reached to comment.
Taylor said the award is gratifying, but knowing that the two young adults are now able to live normal lives is even better.
"By rights, they both should have died. It was a horrible crash," Taylor said. "They were both unresponsive and very serious patients.
"It's wonderful to know that we did our job right."
sinkovich@vindy.com