Paramedics Respond Instantly to Plane Crash
OKLAHOMA CITY --
Two Emergency Medical Services Authority paramedics who witnessed the crash of a small plane in Northwest Oklahoma City may have saved four lives with their quick response.
Rick Hogsett and Holly Westin were on the Northwest Expressway when they saw the plane at about 9 a.m. Saturday.
"I was driving down the expressway and I commented to Rick, I said, 'Do you see that airplane? There is an airplane over there, and it's flying awfully low,'" Westin said.
Moments later, it made a hard left turn and nose-dived into the ground just off the highway.
The plane's owner, Enid businessman Ron Meyer, died of his injuries after the crash. Meyer's wife, Nam, and three other people survived and are being treated at hospitals.
Nam Mayer was listed in fair condition on Sunday. Greg Compton was listed in critical condition and Vaughn Compton's condition was listed as fair. A fourth survivor's name has not been released.
Hogsett and Westin arrived at the crash site 30 seconds after the crash and rushed into action to rescue the people on the plane. Hogsett said his years as a paramedic made the response second nature.
"With the training that we've had here and the experience to go along with it, it's just kind of like, wow. It kicks in like a robot," he said.
It took 19 minutes to get all five patients to hospitals.
"It was a total right place at the right time (situation), and I'm just glad we were there so we could help the people as soon as we could," said Westin.
One of them wasn't even supposed to be working on Saturday but wound up taking an extra shift for overtime.
