ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS HELP FIRST RESPONDERS AT MEGABUS CRASH

By Sgt. Michael Camacho, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

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SPRINGFIELD, IL (08/03/2012)(readMedia)-- SPRINGFIELD - Fire fighters and police officers throughout the Litchfield area came to aid the victims after a Megabus crash on Aug. 2 that killed one and injured three dozen.

Among those assisting the first-responders were two Illinois National Guard Soldiers, Cadet Casey Fay of Edwardsville, with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment in Litchfield and Pfc. Christopher Morris of Robinson, with 445th Chemical Company in Shiloh.

The two were driving from Camp Lincoln in Springfield, headed to their office at the Illinois National Guard's East St. Louis Readiness Center in East St. Louis when they came across the crash.

Morris said as they passed the wreck, they saw firefighters and EMTs assisting people at the scene.

"We both felt it in our gut that we should get out there and help these people," said Morris.

Fay, a combat medic and certified EMT, helped the first responders treat the victims. Morris, who just returned from a Search and Extraction class, assisted with litters and patient aid.

Fay said the first responders were happy to receive the additional help from the two Soldiers. They directed the two to help the walking wounded and get casualties on to stretchers to be transported for further treatment. They also assisted with gathering patient information.

After most of the walking wounded were triaged, they were loaded on to a bus to be transported to Litchfield community center for further medical treatment.

Fay was assigned as the primary medic on one of the buses transporting patients to the community center. Morris stayed on scene to help more casualties get on stretchers to be transported to area hospitals.

"We were glad we stopped and helped out," said Fay. "They definitely put our skills to good use."

Submitted photo/Illinois National Guard Soldier Cadet Casey Fay of Edwardsville, with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry in Litchfield, aided victims during the aftermath of the Megabus crash Aug. 2, that killed one person and injured three dozen.

Submitted photo/Illinois National Guard Soldier Pfc. Christopher Morris of Robinson, with 445th Chemical Company in Shiloh, aided victims during the aftermath of the Megabus crash Aug. 2, that killed one person and injured three dozen.