Difficult day for emergency crews, families in Bountiful
They respond to 3 calls within 4 hours involving hurt kids
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.
Just after 9 p.m., crews were called to a third incident in Bountiful at a backyard pool near 1000 East and 250 South. A 3-year-old girl was spotted at the bottom of the pool unconscious and not breathing. Officials estimate she had been there at least a minute.
Recent comments
To Curious:
The kid was not in the bathtub. I looked up this...
Sarah | July 3, 2009 at 5:41 p.m.
Amen Curious!!
Anonymous | July 1, 2009 at 10:19 p.m.
I hope your department believes in critical incident...
Anonymous | July 1, 2009 at 8:57 p.m.
- Tough road ahead in Senate for bill 11:05 a.m.
- Afghan vows to keep out corruption 10:35 a.m.
- Anti-Taliban mayor killed in Pakistan 10:27 a.m.
- Dalai Lama visits town near Tibet 10:26 a.m.
- Some saw trouble ahead for Hasan 10:21 a.m.
- China pledges funds, aid to Africa 10:20 a.m.
- 40 dead in El Salvador flooding 10:19 a.m.
- Dixie campus briefs 1:10 a.m.
- Westminster campus briefs 1:09 a.m.
- UVU campus briefs 1:07 a.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
207 - Dirk does dirty work in Dallas
190 - Lobo suspended
173 - House passes health care bill
139 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
138 - Speed has never been BYU's game
136 - RSL rallies to advance
102 - Thousands protest health bill
100 - Provo company innovating engines
98 - BYU cuts Women's Research Institute
87
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
Fred, ones health comes from the lottery of DNA. Not to long ago options to...
Thank you Darrel Ross. I have long said that people talk about the...
Good job PG. Congrats. We love you Lone Peak. LP Seniors thanks for the...
I'm a real Canadian. Which STATE do you live in? In my home PROVINCE we...
Tough loss for the birds. They can still salvage a winning season with two...
Look at the roster you have created for 85 million$$$!
Seemed to take off running like a scared rabbit on every play. Hopefully...
I wanted to see it but it was not playing in any of the Utah County,...
Sloan gets way too much credit. He had two of the top 10 players of all time...
This was our BYU win. You know BYU - the team that kicks the lowly teams...

