American Eagle Flight 3379 - December 13, 1994
Testimonials #2
Last updated: May 30, 2018
David Ferrell
I was at my residence at the time of the dispatch. I
responded P.O.V. [personal-owned vehicle] to the scene. Upon
arrival to the general area, I had difficulty locating the exact
location of the site. A neighbor contacted me, personally, and
led me [in my vehicle] to an area with close proximity to the
site.
I then located the site, contacted command [via radio],
and tried to lead them to the site. I then left my P.O.V. on
foot and worked my way through the woods to the actual site of
the plane crash. Upon arrival, the following is what I saw and
the duties that I carried out:
- A large area of fire located SE of the main fuselage.
About this time, I was contacted by command that I would be
operations officer on the scene.
- I made visual and verbal contact with two neighbors.
At this time they were trying to extinguish the fire with small
saplings [by beating the fires] and trying to remove victims
from the fire and fuselage area.
- I made visual and verbal contact with one 18-year old
female [Lauren Anderson] wearing dark clothing. At that time she
was mobile and era wing away from the rear of the fuselage area.
I aided her the best I could and tried to comfort her. Then I
proceeded to aid other victims.
- I made visual and verbal contact with another victim,
a male approximately 40 years old [Ron Lewis] wearing dark
clothing as well. He was inside the rear of the main fuselage
area. [He was hanging upside down, still strapped to his seat.]
He was conscious and waving his arm. I aided him the best I
could and tried to comfort him.
- I made visual contact with another victim, a male
approximately 40 to 50 years old, lying party on the ground and
partially inside the fuselage. I do not recall what he was
wearing. He was in serious condition, not conscious. His arm was
flexing probably from nerves.
- During and prior to these incidents, I was trying to
give location of the crash site to command and incoming units.
I was also trying to get manpower and equipment to the
scene. [I requested commend contact the National Guard or a news
chopper, to hover and shine lights on the scene. Command tried
for both, but neither could fly due to fog.]
- Several neighbors tried to help the best they could with
aiding the victims and beating the fire out with what they
could find. The fire area approximately 40 feet by 40 feet.
At this time were several explosions. I tried to keep the
neighbors and able victims away from the fire site. About
this time Morrisville 105 arrived with several dry chemical
fire extinguishers and 105 was totally exhausted due to
accessing the crash site on foot.
- Made visual and verbal contact with Apex [Rescue] 461
and tried to stay together at the scene to coordinate rescue and
fire department operations. During this time, one victim was
being removed from the interior by firefighters and rescue
personnel. I stayed in contact relaying messages from Apex 461
to the command [post] for materials, manpower, supplies, rescue
equipment, four-wheel drive trucks, fire and extrication
equipment.
- I put 105 in charge of fire suppression and he was
relieved when Yrac 100 arrived shortly there after. Apex fire
department assisted Yrac for fire suppression. After all live
victims had been removed, a total of seven, Apex 461 had a
record of evacuation times for each victim.
- After a final body search with Apex 461, Wake County
Sheriff’s Department, myself, and the EMS representative, we had
located approximately 11 souls. Apex 461 also had a record of
the area and location that each body was located. After this, I
was relieved by Wake County FM 102, Dewey Poole, and returned to
command and moved equipment back to Station 1.
Questions and Answers
Q: Do you recall the initial dispatch for Morrisville
FD? What incident type? Plane crash? Aircraft down? Etc.
A:
Yes, possible twin-engine aircraft down. On the way to the call,
Raleigh said twenty souls on board.
Q: What MFD units responded, as you recall?
Initially, my records list Engine 3 and Squad 8. Was Squad 8 a
brush truck? A pick-up truck?
A: Squad 8 was our brush truck.
Q: Do you recall if Apex Rescue was dispatched at the
same time? Or were they requested, after MFD was either en route
or on scene?
A: Apex Rescue Squad was dispatched initially.
Copyright 2023 by Michael J. Legeros
|