Difficult day for emergency crews, families in Bountiful

BOUNTIFUL — South Davis Metro Fire Capt. Richard Alley and his ambulance crew had just finished responding to a young boy who was critically injured when a power line fell on him while he was playing on his backyard swing set.

"We cleared from the first call, stopped to get a drink at a convenience store, got back (into the ambulance) and, sheez, here we go again. What's going on here?" Alley asked himself.

Tuesday afternoon and evening, Alley along with members of his ambulance crew, fire department and Bountiful police, were called to three incidents of children being critically injured — all within four hours of each other, and all in Bountiful.

Alley and his crew responded to all three incidents.

"The thoughts that go through your mind … 'Why? What is the deal with everyone being so young today? And back to back,' " he said.

Although emergency workers say it's their job to respond to any situation that comes their way, officials admit Tuesday was difficult and out of the ordinary, even for them.

The first accident happened just after 5 p.m. A 2-year-old boy, was playing on his swing set at his aunt's house near 3900 South and 700 West, when a tree branch broke off, hit the power line and knocked it onto the boy. Investigators believe the wire hit the boy's shoulder where there was an entry wound, and the jolt of electricity then exited his feet, said Bountiful Police Lt. Randy Pickett.

Rescue crews were able to negotiate around the power line and get to the boy before the power was turned off. He was flown by medical helicopter to Primary Children's Medical Center and then transferred to the burn unit at University Hospital.

About an hour later, Bountiful emergency crews were called to a home near 900 East and 1200 North where a 1-year-old boy was critically injured when he was accidently run over in his own driveway by a pickup truck driven by a relative.

The toddler was thought to be in the bathtub, but the boy had recently learned how to open doors and had gotten out without anyone noticing, Pickett said. The boy also had a fascination with the truck and its wheels and was standing next to it when the vehicle started to back out.

"Nobody saw the little boy," Pickett said.

The child suffered severe head injuries.