Area first responders saw a large volume of emergency service responses throughout the valley last week.
Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Lewis said crews were dispatched to the 1600 block of South Red Rock Drive for a motorcycle crash on May 2, just before 6 p.m.
“While crews were responding, they were notified of an injured rider laying in the street,” Lewis said. “Crews arrived on location, assessed the patient, and found that the injuries were consistent with requiring a trauma center. Mercy Air 21 was added to the assignment, and the patient was subsequently flown to UMC Trauma in Las Vegas.”
Two burn victims
Also on May 2nd, Lewis said fire crews were notified by Desert View Hospital of a burn victim, where the department’s assistance was requested by hospital staff.
“Upon arrival to the ER, we met with the father of approximately a nine-or-10-year-old male who had found an unknown type of box or device on the desert floor in Amargosa Valley. That device exploded, causing serious injuries to the patient’s upper extremities. We assigned one of our crews to transport that patient to UMC Pediatrics.”
Hours later, first responders were dispatched for a report of a second burn victim along the 600 block of Highway 160, just before 9 p.m.
“Upon arrival, crews found a burn victim who had come in contact with hot grease, where that person sustained serious burn injuries,” Lewis said. “The scene size-up and risk assessment revealed while there was no damage to the structure, Mercy Air 21 was added to the assignment and that patient was subsequently transported to Mercy Air Base 21 where patient care was transferred and that patient was transported to UMC Trauma.”
Suspicious fires, Nye County Sheriff’s vehicle involved in crash
On May 4, fire crews began receiving calls on a series of brush fires that which lasted throughout the next several days.
Lewis said the first reported fire occurred just before 6 p.m. in an open field just south of Terrible’s Roadhouse Casino.
“Crews found a grounds-cover fire with no immediate exposures, however, there were some structures in that area,” he said. “Crews quickly extinguished that fire without incident.”
Roughly 20 minutes later, fire crews were dispatched for a report of an injury motor vehicle accident involving a marked Nye County Sheriff’s vehicle along East Irene Street at Highway 160.
“Upon arrival, we found a two-vehicle accident,” Lewis said. “The scene size-up and risk assessment revealed that one of the persons in the other vehicle was mechanically entrapped inside that vehicle. Crews commenced an extrication via a door removal and that patient was subsequently removed and transported to Mercy Air 21 for flight to UMC Trauma in Las Vegas.”
Hours later, Lewis said crews were summoned to several brush fires on federal Bureau of Land Management property, just south of Gamebird Road.
“Upon arrival, crews found a fire within a mesquite grove approximately one mile off the roadway,” he said.
“They commenced suppression and extinguished that fire without incident. However, at the same time, between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. crews started receiving additional calls for brush fires in the area of BLM land in those same mesquite groves. There were several fires that occurred in that area. All were extinguished without incident, however, it appeared that they occurred simultaneously. Those fires are under investigation.”
Just after midnight on May 5, fire crews were dispatched for a report of another brush fire in the area of North Point Drive.
Crews arrived at the site where they saw a slow-moving ground-cover brush fire with no immediate exposures.
Fire crews quickly extinguished that fire without incident.
Motor vehicle collisions
Roughly 12 hours later, crews were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident along Oxbow Street at Highway 160.
“Upon arrival, crews found no entrapment, however, they assessed several patients,” Lewis said.
Up to two people may have been taken to the hospital, he said.
On May 6, crews were dispatched to a motorcycle accident along south Highway 160 just after 11 a.m.
“This occurred at approximately mile marker 22 in Clark County for a motorcyclist down,” Lewis said. “While crews were responding, they were notified that the rider was unconscious. Crews arrived on location and completed a quick scene size-up and risk assessment as well as a patient assessment. It was determined that the patient’s injuries were consistent with flight. Mercy Air 21 was landed at the scene where patient care was transferred to them and they flew that patient to UMC Trauma.”
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes