Unpredictable events make SABC knowledge crucial Published Jan. 15, 2014 By Tech. Sgt. Hillary Stonemetz Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- A driver travelling north on Interstate Highway 35 near Selma, Texas, Dec. 3 is lucky to be alive thanks to Self-Aid Buddy Care and a quick thinking Air Force Recruiting Service senior NCO. Chief Master Sgt. Wade Trahan, AFRS Information Systems Division superintendent, was driving when he witnessed the accident. "This truck hit a van exiting a nearby gas station, became airborne, then flipped upside down on top of several all-terrain vehicles in a nearby motorcycle dealership parking lot," Trahan said. Drawing from his SABC training, Trahan was armed with the knowledge he needed to help the injured driver. He immediately secured the scene, and despite the chaos, immediately started basic lifesaving techniques. "The driver was having convulsions and lying on his side vomiting," Trahan said. "I was concerned with the signs of a known head injury and possible neck injury and didn't want to move him unless absolutely necessary. He was kicking his feet and hands as if he was reaching for something. That's when I noticed his seatbelt was preventing him from breathing." Trahan cut the driver free and ensured he had a clear airway. After he controlled the bleeding, Trahan called 911. By this point, the driver had passed out, but was still breathing. "Eventually he began to wake up and he sat up in the vehicle," Trahan said. "He went into shock and tried to put the airbag back in the steering wheel." Concerned about a possible neck injury, Trahan spoke with the victim to help him remain still and calm. He stabilized the victim's neck until the emergency crews arrived. "The SABC training I received gave me the knowledge and confidence to remain calm in a chaotic scene," Trahan said. "Anyone would have done the same thing." The victim's condition has not been released.