Airman saves lives, receives medal

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alessandra N. Hurley
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. (ACCNS) --  Senior Airman Zachary Yoakam, 28th Operations Support Squadron survival evasion resistance escape instructor, received an Air Force Achievement Medal, Feb. 15, for actions that helped save the lives of six teenagers Dec. 6, 2010.

Airman Yoakam was attending SERE upgrade medical training in Washington state when he came across a car accident on the highway involving six passengers, ranging in age from 15 to 18. They were members of the same high school basketball team, on their way back home from a movie.

"The accident happened the first night I got into town," Airman Yoakam said. "I was driving back to billeting at about 10 p.m., after a good friend and I had dinner. I saw a car by the side of the road that was smashed into a telephone pole. The pole was hanging by its wires and I saw several people standing around."

Airman Yoakam said when he passed by the accident, he thought, at the very least, he could offer the people he saw standing outside a warm place in his car while they waited for the authorities.

"When I turned my car around, I realized there was some black ice on the road which must have led to the accident," he said. "As soon as I arrived at the scene, I immediately sized it up and set up a triage. I directed a middle-aged woman who had also stopped to help to call 911, and asked her if she had any blankets in her car. When she told me she did, I took the blankets and used them to help treat the injured passengers for shock."

Airman Yoakam described the weather that Friday night as being cold and windy with freezing rain and temperatures in the 20s. After helping the passengers warm up in the blanket, he checked them over for signs of further injuries.

"They had giant pupils and were extremely energetic - I knew their adrenaline was high and they were in shock," he said. "I told the three passengers who were outside of the vehicle to stay still to avoid further injury and invited them to warm up in my car. I learned there were three other passengers, including the driver, who were still trapped inside the crashed vehicle."

The car's frame was bent and it was half-buried in snow. One of the passengers inside had a large cut on her face and was at risk for serious back injury.

"I instructed the driver and two passengers inside the car to stay put, and told one of them to help keep the girl's head still by placing his hands on either side of her face to provide stability for her back. I also told them that help was on its way," he said. "I told the three outside in my car who were worried for their friends inside the car that they were okay and that the ambulance was coming for them."

Airman Yoakam said his SERE training helped him to remain calm and think clearly, adding that he dealt with the situation by first reacting with a prepared mindset and dealing with what was most important first.

"When I realized some of them were badly hurt, it just became a matter of organizing what had to be done into a checklist and taking action," he said. "If I had panicked and given into the situation, I would have been part of the problem instead of the solution."

In approximately 25 minutes, parents and emergency medical personnel took hold of the situation and transported the young basketball players to the hospital or to their homes.

Airman Yoakam summarized his role in the rescue, and said the event really hit home for him since he works closely with teens as a Young Life program volunteer.

"I was a concerned citizen who stopped to help," he said. "Seeing those injured teenagers made me think of young adults I know from the time I've spent volunteering with a youth group. I told the teens I know to drive carefully because I never want to see them in a car accident like the one I saw while I was TDY."

Airman Yoakam said he didn't expect to make such a big impact in the young lives of the injured teens in Washington, and he also had a few words of advice for his fellow Airmen.

"I only stopped to see if they were all right," he said. "When you see something that isn't right or someone who is in trouble, don't be afraid to stop and help. You could save someone's life."

Capt. Bob Stinson, 28th OSS assistant director of operations, said Airman's Yoakam's willingness to help is a reflection of what it means to have the Air Force mentality.

"Seeing a young Airman like Airman Yoakam step up in an emergency situation the way he did is a tribute not only to him, but also to those he trains with," Captain Stinson said.

Master Sgt. Marty Joyce, 28th Operations Group first sergeant, said the experience of seeing Airmen actively doing the right thing puts a smile on his face.

"I'm proud that Airman Yoakam is receiving the credit he deserves for his outstanding act of achievement," he said. "Anyone could have kept going when they passed by the accident scene. It takes the right kind of mentality to be a first responder. Airman Yoakam demonstrated the Air Force core value, 'excellence in all we do,' when he took care of those people. If he hadn't acted upon the life-saving strategies he learned from his training, the injuries of the hurt passengers could have become much more severe and the injured teens could have been a lot worse off."