Wow!

[Tom]

Gone for a couple of weeks and look at all the stuff that's happened! Good and bad...but it's good to be back.

Tom

[retchp]

Welcome back. This place is addictive and informative. Did you enjoy your vacation? I think I remember you were going "to the mountains". Hope you didn't get snowed out.

[Lucky Seven]

I was gone for a week (took the 5th wheel to the beach) and come back to a forum that is growing tremendously. Looks good!

[CHPwannaBE]

Yesterday on the national and local news there were reports of a greyhound bus crash on the 101 in Santa Maria. Where there any of you CHPs on here that responded? I think two passengers were killed.

[bcjack]

I'm not a Chippie, but I was there. The two fatals were deceased at the scene. One fatality was a 23 year old pregnant female, from Santa Maria, and one was a 50 year old male from San Francisco. 4 people were triaged with major injuries, 7 people had moderate injuries, and 31 had minor injuries (mostly bruises and generally beat up). The initial determination was the driver may have fallen asleep, drove off the freeway, down about a 10 foot embankment where the bus laid down on its side and slid for about 100 yards, then...whammo!!! it hit the only eucapyputus tree on the road shoulder between the Santa Maria Way off-ramp and the Betteravia off-ramp. (about 1 mile)

Over 50 fire, law enforcement, medical, and CALTRANS people responded. A total of 44 patients were triaged and transported to hospitals within 45 minutes. All of the first responders did a most excellent job of taking care of the patients. We even had a Fire Department Chaplain on scene to attend to the husband of the deceased female.

Overall, the operational part of the incident went great. I don't know how the investigation went, but I do know that MAIT was on scene and did their thing (Very professional) I was proud to be part of such a professional operation...