Charlotte Fire Department

On Wednesday April 29 at 10:07 a.m. the Charlotte Fire Department Communications Center dispatched an assignment for a traffic collision involving a school bus on Interstate 77 southbound @ the Brookshire Freeway. This assignment consisted of BC01, Engines 5, 4, 2, Ladders 4, 18, & Rescue 3. Battalion was first to arrive at 10:10 a.m. and gave an initial report of a bus on its side with numerous patients in the median.

Shortly thereafter command advised Alarm to notify Medic (Mecklenburg County EMS) that this would be a MCI (Mass Casualty Incident). Primary assignments included the establishment of a Triage group headed by E-5. This group was tasked with determining priority ratings for those involved in the accident. Due to the preliminary occupant numbers given by the adult chaperones of (33) students and 11 adults a second alarm was transmitted.

Rescue 3 arrived simultaneously with Battalion 1 and E-5 and was assigned to conduct a primary of the bus to determine if any victims were entrapped or still on the bus. Within minutes they advised command that the bus was clear and were subsequently reassigned under the triage group. The remainder of the first alarm companies was assigned to the Triage group and began assisting Medic personnel. Once the primary of the bus was complete CFD operations began playing a support role to Medic in their operations aimed at triage and transport of the patients.

Once a triage system was operational the incident had begun to stabilize and it was apparent that further CFD resources would not be needed. Upon his arrival Battalion 3 assumed the role of triage group leader. CFD members assisted Medic with the triage of 58 children and 2 adults resulting in the transport of over 40 patients to local hospitals, none of which were deemed as life-threatening injuries. At 11:04 a.m. (less than 1 hour from the time of dispatch) all 60 patients had been transported to their destination and the incident was placed under control.