Holloman Airmen first to crash scene

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Colin Cates
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Luis Castaneda and Tech. Sgt Ricardo Nieves, 44th Fighter Group aircraft ordinance weapon maintainers, were first to assist at the scene of a car accident near Alamogordo, N.M., March 2.

Knowing how to react comes from military and law enforcement training, said Castaneda.

"At approximately 8:20 p.m., Nieves and I were at a gas station on South White Sands Boulevard when suddenly we heard the sound of a vehicle impact," Castaneda said. "As we turned around we saw that two vehicles had just collided."

They responded and were first on scene.

"This accident happens right in front of us and we both just reacted by stopping to help," said Nieves.
"I ran to the vehicle that was still on White Sands Boulevard and told a bystander to call 911, then assisted the only occupant of the vehicle on the road, an elderly woman who seemed to be in shock, not realizing that she had just been in a vehicle accident. Castaneda immediately attended to the young woman and the three children in the vehicle that was on the gas station property."

To prevent any further accidents, hazard lights of the car in the street were turned on and both men proceeded to attend and to the vehicles occupants and evaluate them for injuries.

"One of the children suffered two minor scratches and the other child suffered a minor impact to the right side of her face. The youngest of the children was in a full child restraint seat and did not suffer any visual injury. Castaneda took the youngest child in his arms while we tried to calm the mother and prevent her from hyperventilating. The mother suffered minor laceration to her forearm and shoulder and redness to the face due to the airbag deployment. As we turned our attention to the elderly woman, she had blood on her right hand. As we removed her jacket we noticed a laceration above her wrist," Nieves said.

Everybody was was in the accident received proper medical attention and sustained minor injuries, besides the youngest child, said Castaneda.

"Alamogordo police arrived on scene with a first aid kit and one of the officers proceeded to bandage the wound of the elderly woman," Nieves said. "Several minutes later the emergency response unit arrived and took over the injured."

The Air Force's and other organization's training are helping me make a difference in people's lives, said Castaneda.

"Everything comes together at one point and when the situation comes, you know exactly what to do," Castaneda said.