OnLy DeAd FiSh SwIm WiTh ThE CuRrEnT

8 August 2008, 3:45pm

Me, my sister, mom, two nieces and two yayas are on our way to Tanauan, Batangas. We just entered star tollway. Just a few kilometers after crossing the first bridge, my sister saw on the opposite lane a white pajero fieldmaster that began steering wildly and tumbled and rolled a few times and fell on a ditch upside down. I only saw a cloud of dust. My sister then told me to stop and do something, which I did.

I safely steered our vehicle out of harm's way and into the dirt road in the center between the lanes. There were other motorists on the opposite lane who stopped also. I grabbed my cellphone and camera. I was planning to call the star tollway emergency numbers and take photos. I went to the other lane, crossed and took a better look at the overturned vehicle on the deep ditch that serves as a floodway whenever there's a heavy downpour. 

I took out my cellphone and dialled the star tollway numbers (I always store emergency numbers just in case something like this happens) but it didn't work. I saw another motorist already on his cellphone asking for help. Then I heard the engine roar and saw the tires roll. Smoke and oil was coming out of the exhaust pipe. I think the driver came to her senses but didn't realize that they're upside down so she stepped on the gas thinking that the vehicle would nudge. Because of the danger of the  vehicle's situation and the continous engine reving, we kept a safe distance thinking that it might explode. Another motorist bravely approached the driver's side window and told her to turn of the engine, which she did. Then she crawled out of the window, she seems to be in good condition until she went histerical!

Now that the engine was off, we went down the ditch. Viewing the left side of the vehicle, I saw heads, with trickles of blood through the windows. The tempered glass were shattered. Both left side doors can be opened. The rear top end which is now the rear bottom has collapsed. The rear glass is shattered and I saw a bloodied face of a man, breathing and caughing blood.

The only accessible door from the left side is the rear passenger door, the left front door was a wreck. I heard moaning, crying, screaming for help. The driver then shouted that there is a child inside but looking at the wreck... everything is cramped. I began opening the doors on the left side then motorists went in to help and prioritzed to find the kid inside. Then I went to the other side and opened the right rear door. Then another group went in and took out a lady who seems unable to move. I went back to the right side and went inside the rear left door. I saw an old lady lying on her stomach with her lower back pinned between the headrest of the backseat and the roof (which is now the floor). Then I thought of retracting the backseat so she can freely move. So I told her to move her hip a little bit so I could retract the seat. The mechanism is familiar because I'm driving the same pajero model. The old lady crawled a bit and I pulled the release latch and the seat retracted.

Thank God, we pulled out the old lady whose face was so bloody and swollen. I tried to retract the other backseat but it was stuck. All five passengers have been safely pulled out from the wreck except for a man sitting at the back, face bloodied, in a daze. I asked where does it hurt? and he said "my whole body hurts." He asked where is his baby? Is his baby ok? What happened? I told him that his baby was ok, his baby was the first to be pulled out and was the first to be taken to the hospital. After assuring him of that fact, he took out his cellphone and tried texting or calling. I asked him if he can get out, he said that he's dizzy but he can get out. So he started to go out feet first and I assisted him. I was about to hold the top of his head to prevent it from hitting the ceiling (which was the floor) but the moment he stooped to get out of the door, I saw a large opening on the top of his head among the bloodied hair. His skull is broken, like a piece of his skull is missing which left an inch gap that stretched about 5 inches. I think I saw what seems to be the thin layer that protects the brain. A motorist assisted us and covered the crack with a towel or something. The other motorists assisted the man go up the ditch.

The vehicle was now empty, except for scattered belongings, broken glass, and splatters of blood. I then called the attention of the star toll patrol to secure the vehicle and its belongings. Then I went up the ditch and felt the wind from the open highway and its in that moment that I felt the shock of the horror of reality that I just experienced.

I went back to our vehicle accross the opposite lane. Confused, figuring out what can cause such a horrific accident. That I'm driving the same vehicle that I just saw in wreckage. As I reached the vehicle my mom and sister handed out water bottles and a wet towel. Then as I opened the bottle and began to wash my hands. I saw my hands, arms, my poloshirt and jeans with gashes of blood stains and dirt.  As the water hit my right hand, it began to shake involuntarily. Washed off the blood and dirt in my fingernails, my hands and arms. Wiped it off with the wet towel. Then my sister decided to take the wheel, which was a wise decision because my knees began to shake too.

Silence fill the vehicle as we headed to our destination. Then I slowly came to my senses, I began to realize that I just got into a real life rescue. A situation that I only experienced in EFR training. Everything worked, I kept calm when everyone else was in confusion. Although I forgot the first thing to ask before doing anything "Hey are you ok!? I'm an qualified emergency responder, may I help you?" It felt good to help those strangers but my life wouldn't be the same after that experience.

DRIVE SAFE EVERYONE!