Arkansas Bus Crash Puts Training into Perspective for Rescuers

Experience handling some of the nation's most horrendous interstate wrecks put local paramedics and emergency personnel in good stead when called on to respond to the crash that killed three people Sunday night in East Arkansas.

Ambulances from every available agency in East Arkansas and Memphis converged on the scene 10 miles east of Forrest City when a charter bus loaded with 47 people crashed into a pickup, then was hit by an 18-wheeler.

"We have done training for this often, and have started different drills," said Insp. Chris Brogdon, director of Emergency Medical Services for the West Memphis Fire Department.

"In situations like that, this area works together," he said.

As many as 40 people were taken to hospitals, the most seriously injured to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, where four people remained in critical condition Tuesday, and to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, where two juveniles were in critical condition.

Three people were killed: Danny Okurily, 30, who had an address in Cordova, was driving the pickup. Raul Lopez, 58, of West Chicago, Ill., and Ana Contreras, 41, of Woodlands, Texas, were on the Tornado Bus Co. vehicle on its way from Chicago to Dallas.

Some were residents from Mexico who were returning from the Chicago area after visiting relatives; others were on their way to visit relatives in Mexico.

The bus driver, Felix Tapia, 28, of Brownsville, Texas, suffered minor injuries. He has been questioned by Arkansas State Police troopers, but the agency has not yet released details of what caused the crash.

Memphis Fire Department sent six ambulances to take 13 people, some of the most seriously injured, to Memphis hospitals.

"We called for whoever could get out there," Brogdon said. Local hospitals were ready when victims started arriving.

When his units got there, Brogdon said, the victims were organized at a triage area into the critically injured, the noncritically injured, and those who couldn't be helped.

When his unit got there, Crittenden County Ambulance Service paramedic Brad Pendergraft said "ambulances were lined up on both sides" of the interstate.

Paramedics set about cutting into the damaged bus to pull out the injured.

"They were cutting up the bus, trying to get to patients," he said. "There was a lot of twisted metal."

Pendergraft transported two victims. One who spoke some English helped translate for the other. One patient, who lives in Mexico, was coming from Wisconsin after visiting a brother-in-law.

In such massively traumatic crashes, he said, head wounds, internal bleeding and spinal injuries are of utmost concern.

Pendergraft was in the second ambulance that made the scene of a bus crash near Marion on Oct. 9, 2004, that killed 15 people on their way from Chicago to the Tunica casinos.

- Chris Conley: 529-2595

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In aid of victims

Hispanic groups, churches respond

The work of local churches and Hispanic groups to help victims of Sunday's crash near Forrest City "was like an orchestra that comes together," said Latino Memphis head Pablo J. Davis.

Details

Emergency meetings were called Monday by local leaders to set up a bank account for donations and arrange housing and emergency funds for the victims.

Members of the Hispanic community have signed up to accompany out-of-town families of the victims around town and for hospital visits. Others are making room in their homes for affected families.

Donations can be made to the Fund to Benefit Amigos Unidos (Friends United) at any Bank of Bartlett.

Members of the Church Developers Network, which includes hundreds of clergy and laity from area congregations, is also accepting donations . Checks should be designated "Latino Ministry" and be made payable to one of the following churches, where they can be sent or dropped off:

Christ the Rock Metro Church

8800 Winchester

Memphis, TN 38125

(901) 751-3333

Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church