BEAUMONT — First responders are praising young Acadian paramedic Dane Trahan for keeping his composure during a tragic scene in Orange County on Monday.
According to a release from the Texas Department of Public safety, 46-year-old Pedro Jose Soza-Orozco of Groves was struck by a Ford F-250 truck driven by 31-year-old Stevan Shonn Smith of Orange, Monday.
The accident occurred after Soza-Orozco stopped to help out 26-year-old Steafan Horne Jr. of Lousiana who was stranded in his Saturn off of IH-10. As Soza-Orozco was attaching a chain to the car, the Saturn was rear-ended. He and a two-year-old child were pronounced deceased on the scene by Justice of the Peace Rodney Price.
Trahan was the first medical responder to arrive on the scene that afternoon.
"It's different when you're the first arriving on scene in the event, so this was probably the most complex and serious accident I've been first on scene," said Trahan.
When he arrived, he assessed the situation and found three victims with critical injuries and one with un-specified injuries. That's when Trahan requested air-med transportation for back-up, but unfortunately, none of the helicopters could get to them due to poor weather conditions.
Trahan quickly had to come up with another plan to get the injured victims safely to the hospital.
"In our words, we ground them and pound them, as in we're going to load them up and go and get them to the closest appropriate facility," said Trahan.
Luckily, Trahan was able to safely transport the victims to the hospital, but he didn't stop there. After his shift, Dane went straight to the hospital to check on the victims.
"I like to at least know if there's something I need to change or what I can learn from the event," said Trahan.
Trahan said he was glad to see the victims were recovering, but he doesn't consider himself a hero.
"I really don't save lives, in a religious standpoint that's up to God. I just feel as though my training and my knowledge base that I've learned, the people that taught me, those skills come in hand, and as long as I do my job proficiently and the patient gets the definitive care," said Trahan
Trahan sends his condolences to the families that lost a loved one that day, and wishes a fast recovery for the ones still in the hospital.