Last December 18th, Justin Overall was heading to work in his Ford F250 on US 59 in the evening traffic. It was then two vehicle basically changed lanes at the same time to go around an elderly male driver who was moving quite slow. Justin was clipped by the other vehicle and his truck sent to the middle concrete wall. As it hit the wall it flipped throwing it back onto the freeway. Overall was in his truck, however his left shoulder broken, his left arm out the window and under the truck as it slid down the freeway on it’s roof.
Porter Fire Department was first on the scene along with MCHD.
The crew immediately went to work to free him. Engine Operator Dylan Stevens who had military experience knew he was going to be dealing with an arterial bleed once the truck was raised. As crews put airbags under the truck to start raising it, Stevens was right the bleeding started. A tourniquet was put in place and failed. That didn’t stop Stevens, he took the artery in his hand and using his fingers pinched it off.
Life Flight was on the scene waiting and flew Overall to Herman Hospital in Houston with his arm described as looking like it had gone through a meat grinder (the photos were to gruesome to post) He was sure to loose his arm.
Four months later Overall and his wife Leah along with their children visited the firefighters and medics who saved Overall. All could not believe he kept his arm. But it wasn’t just keep, Justin is now able to do fifty push-ups a day using that arm. He told the crews how the doctors said if they had not done what they did he would have bled out in minutes which would have resulted in death.
FIREFIGHTERS AND RESCUE WORKERS INVOLVED
Captain Richard Mixx, Porter Fire Department
Lieutenant Howard Rinewalt, Porter Fire Department
Lieutenant Sidney Buik, Porter Fire Department
E/O Dylan Stevens, Porter Fire Department
Firefighter Ross Carrithers, Porter Fire Department
Firefighter Michael Conn, Porter Fire Department
Firefighter Michael Ramirez, Porter Fire Department
Firefighter James Nededog, Porter Fire Department
Firefighter Kenneth Joffrion, Porter Fire Department
Rachel Hicks, MCHD In-Charge
John Murphy, MCHD Attendant
Kevin Mifflin, MCHD Supervisor
Joseph Kirby, MCHD Call Taker
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