Posted on 01/02/2008 8:02:20 PM PST by trumandogz
The 911 call Wednesday morning started simply enough.
The caller, a 52-year-old employee of Alamo Concrete, gave the address of the company east of Manor. Gasping, he struggled to give the phone number. Then, he blurted out what was wrong: "I have my arm cut off, ma'am. I have my arm cut off."
The man's arm was amputated at the elbow after it became stuck in a conveyor belt of a machine at Alamo Concrete, said Warren Hassinger, spokesman for Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Officials released a recording of the 911 call later Wednesday.
The man, whose name was not released by authorities, was at work to warm up some equipment about 4:30 a.m. when his coat sleeve got stuck in the machine, Hassinger said.
The man typically went to the company, at 13101 Ballerstedt Road near Manor, early in the morning to start the machines for the day, Hassinger said.
He extricated himself from the machine in 15 minutes and called 911, Hassinger said.
The operator kept the man on the phone as paramedics went to the scene.
"Is there anyone else there with you?" she asked.
"No, no, no, Just me, ma'am, just me," the man said.
He said he had gone to the office once he untangled himself from the conveyer belt.
"Is there any serious bleeding?"
"I took my arm off, ma'am," the man said.
"What part of your arm?"
"I think at the elbow," he said, adding that parts of it were still caught in his jacket.
Hassinger said he was not sure whether the man cut off his limb or whether it was severed by the machine.
The 911 operator told him to stay still and apply pressure to the wound. The man said he was sitting in a chair and couldn't move.
Paramedics took him to Brackenridge Hospital at 4:57 a.m. The man almost died at the scene and was in critical but stable condition Wednesday, Hassinger said.
Elizabeth Todd, a spokeswoman for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said the accident is under investigation.
According to the administration's records, the Alamo Concrete plant where the accident happened has not been investigated for safety hazards in the past five years.
Employees at Alamo Concrete did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
The man sound like a cool customer for someone that had just chopped off hi arm.
Dumb question of the year ...
“Is there any serious bleeding?”
‘Tis but a scratch!
Texans. Polite to the end...
It does look like a “here’s your sign” moment but some amputations that are crush injuries don’t bleed as much.
Wow. I pray he makes a full recovery. He sounds like one tough guy.
susie
He was by himself? Was no one around to give him a hand?
No kidding, jeez.
“Is there any serious bleeding?”
Actually, it's not a dumb question. Following amputation by a sharp instrument, blood vessels may constrict and reduce bleeding. A crushing type amputation, however, will result in much more bleeding.
Yes, he certainly needs our prayers after that. What a horrific thing to go through, and to be stuck in the machine for 15 minutes!
I got the impression that it was ripped off
Ewwww...
Same here. I dislocated a finger. It felt just strange until I looked at it and then the pain was terrible.
“Was no one around to give him a hand?”
Bad taste. I like it!
Of course these rules are broken all the time, I had a supervisor tell to climb up on the bucket of a huge CAT earthmover while the loading paddles were turning in order to check the drive gear oil. I told him "no way" and I got layed off soon after. Thats OK, the guy was an idiot, it was totally stupid. It could have been done safely from a ladder over the side.
in the construction industry, senseless risk taking is often a requirement and it becomes established protocal. If you speak up about safety the boss rolls his eyes and you are considered a trouble maker and whiner.
This is one of the worst pieces of writing I’ve seen in a while.
Hope the poor guy makes it - what an ordeal.
If a man’s arm is ripped off there will be serious bleeding .. thus a stupid question for trained professional to ask.
The trained professional was asking questions to obtain information, not answer the phone and then make assumptions. How is someone on a telephone supposed to determine the nature of an injury without asking about it?
Again, blood loss from a traumatic amputation may actually be minimal, depending on the circumstances.
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