Citizen Airman provides critical aid following wreck

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Grady Epperly
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

An off-duty Reserve Citizen Airman with the 507th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here provided lifesaving assistance to a motorcyclist who suffered critical injuries following a vehicle accident in Norman, Oklahoma, Nov. 2, 2017.

 

Senior Master Sgt. Corey Still, 507th AMXS aircraft maintenance unit superintendent, witnessed a motorcycle collide with an SUV while driving with his family.

 

“We were headed to dinner after parent-teacher conferences when I saw a red SUV pull out in front of a motorcycle,” said Still. “Once I heard the bang of the collision, I slammed the car in park and ran to check on the vehicles involved in the accident.”

 

Still said he stopped traffic in the heavily-traveled area before responding to the scene.

 

“I was the first person to reach the motorcyclist who was completely unresponsive,” he said. “Another bystander wanted to take the motorcyclist’s helmet off, but I knew that was a bad idea from self-aid and buddy care training.”

 

Still said he then instructed a bystander to call 911.

 

“After I made sure the motorcyclist was in a stable position I checked on the SUV driver,” Still said. “She was trapped in the driver seat and was starting to panic, so I cut the side airbag out with my pocket knife and assisted her to the passenger side of the SUV.

 

According to Still, he performed a health check on the woman and four children then directed them to a safe area away from the road.

 

Still said he returned to check on the motorcyclist who had started to regain consciousness, so Still and another helper held him in place and assured him that paramedics were on the way.

 

“The paramedics were there within five to seven minutes, but it felt like an hour,” he said.

 

The motorcyclist suffered major injuries while the driver of the SUV was treated for minor injuries. The four children in the vehicle were not injured.

 

“I do think my military training played a big role in first aid,” said Still. “Thanks to the training I have received, I was able to take control of the scene until the first responders arrived.”

 

507th ARW command chief, Chief Master Sgt. David Dickson, lauded Still’s actions in responding to an emergency situation.

 

“Senior Master Sgt. Still did everything right,” said Dickson, who was a security forces defender for more than 17 years. “These simple but critical actions very well could have saved the motorcyclist’s life and prevented further injury.”