Last Friday, my small town saw two bad tractor accidents. First was my high school chemistry teacher (mid-fifties), was baling squares, somehow fell off tractor while in motion, tractor ran him over in the pelvic region, crushed his pelvis and damaged some internal organs as well. He is in stable condition in local hospital, but is not out of the woods yet. Second, an ex-classmate (31 or so)of mine (I graduated in a class of 36 people, so we knew each other pretty well) was riding on a tractor fender, driver hit a dead furrow and the rider fell off, was run over by tractor. Both were large, diesel tractors, the first a JD 4020, other I don't know make/model.
It serves as a reminder that you only have to lapse in concentration for a second and your life could be either over or changed forever.In addition to these two accidents, there was also a young logger killed by a falling tree in my town. I am on the volunteer fire/rescue squad, and we had to run about a mile back into the woods to get to this young fella (probably early 20s), he was conscious but in an awful lot of pain. I held his hand as we carried him out, assuring him that he would be allright if he just hangs on. It's not the first fatality I have been a part of, but him being so young and the physical challenge of getting to him and getting him out of the woods to the helicopter...it really made an impression on me. I was also one of the first responders on the scene for my history teacher's accident, loaded him onto another helicopter, so that added to the stress of the day. My ex-classmate's accident actually happened just south of here, not in our department territory. Seems like a lot of bad things happening all in one day...especially in a town of about 500 people. Would appreciate your prayers for the families of my friends. Thanks
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