August 19, 2019 – Allenton, WI – It was an emotional Sunday afternoon at Veterans Park in Allenton as rescue crews from Allenton, Kohlsville, West Bend and Kewaskum gathered to accept an award for saving the lives of two young women involved in a horrific car accident July 14, 2018.
The event was made extra special as one of the people injured in the accident, Elizabeth Carroll, walked onto the field to thank everyone as well.
“I just want to say ‘thank you’ to everyone,” said Carroll. “Everybody keeps saying how strong I was but it really started with you guys. If you guys hadn’t gotten me out and been strong for me that day, I wouldn’t be standing here or playing tennis or running.”
Carroll and her friend Emma Sievers were involved in a multiple vehicle accident July 14, 2018 on I-41 near Kewaskum.
Carroll said the actions of firefighters and first responders has inspired her. “I’m going to become an EMT basic; I actually passed my psychomotor exam yesterday and then I take my written exam later this month and then I will work for Hartford Fire and Rescue,” she said. “Thanks again and keep doing what you’re doing because winning this award just shows me you guys do the exact right things you need to for training and you’ve done such an incredible job.”
It took one hour to remove Carroll from the vehicle. First responders said she suffered numerous injuries including two broken arms, a broken femur, a broken and dislocated ankle, torn patellar tendon, radius and ulna fractures in both arms and a severe concussion.
“Instead of putting casts on me the doctors put in 48 screws, six plates, a rod and a wire,” said Carroll.
One year later Carroll took second place with Sievers in the same tennis tournament they were headed to when the accident occurred.
West Bend paramedic Don Peil praised Carroll for her strength and unselfish attitude, even while she was at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee nursing numerous injuries. “She laid in that bed and all she talked about was her friend Emma,” said Peil. “I’ve told that story countless times since then and I thought that was truly amazing you weren’t concerned about yourself; I thought that was incredible.”
The Allenton Fire Department and Kohlsville Fire Department were jointly awarded the 2018 Flight for Life Scene Call of the Year Award for their roles in patient care.
Assisting Allenton at the scene of the accident were the Kohlsville Fire Department First Responders along with West Bend Fire-Rescue Paramedic Intercept and Kewaskum Fire Department Rescue.
Below are details of the accident from Allenton Deputy Chief of EMS Operations Susan M. Wolf.
Allenton Fire Department responded with mutual aid to Kewaskum Fire Department with an ambulance for a multi-vehicle crash on I-41. Upon our arrival Kewaskum had left with one patient and when extrication was finished, Allenton FD worked with Flight for Life crew, West Bend Fire paramedics were on scene with Kohlsville Emergency Responders to treat a patient who was transferred to Flight for Life and flown to Froedtert Hospital. This occurred on Saturday, July 14, 2018. The patient Allenton FD cared for suffered multiple orthopedic injuries.
Allenton Fire Department and Kohlsville Fire Department will jointly be awarded the 2018 Flight for Life Scene Call of the Year Award for their roles in patient care. Both patients have had full recoveries and went back this year to play at the tennis tournament they were headed when the crash occurred.