The California National Guard’s Task Force Shovel has been supporting the state’s wildfire mission since their mid-July arrival at the school yard in Burnt Ranch, Calif., a tiny remote community nestled in the Shasta Trinity National Forest.

For three members of Task Force Shovel, firefighting was not the only mission they would undertake.  Saving lives would take an unexpected priority at a rest area in Maxwell, Calif., when their combat lifesaving skills made all the difference for a critically ill man.

Sergeant Hector Delgadillo, of Delano, and Staff Sgt. Derrick Boutte, of Tehachapi, both members of 185th Quartermaster Battalion, and Staff Sgt. Robert Zehender, of Sacramento, a member of 1072nd Transportation Company, were en route to Roseville on July 23 when they made a brief stop at a rest area in the town of Maxwell, a tiny isolated town about 70 miles north of Sacramento.  As they were preparing to leave the rest area, the Soldiers noticed a white truck towing a camper was backing out of a parking stall, but something was very different.

“We saw an elderly lady frantically trying to open up the driver’s door of the truck, desperately trying to reach the brake pedal to stop it from moving,” said Delgadillo.  “We instantly knew that something was very wrong.  I saw the terrified look on the lady’s face and I immediately shut down my truck and proceeded over to see what was going on.”

A 72-year-old man was sitting in the driver’s seat with his head slumped back and his color was clearly purple.  Although his eyes were open, he clearly did not respond to any verbal commands or physical touch.  By that point, the three Guard members were at the truck and were joined by a civilian who immediately engaged with the others to try to help this desperately ailing gentleman.

The team immediately removed the unknown man from his truck and placed him on the concrete so that they could do an evaluation of his condition. 

“It is summer in California and the pavement is very hot,” said Zehender, “so the civilian, Sgt.  Delgadillo and I picked him up off the pavement and moved him to a grassy area while Staff Sgt. Boutte comforted the ailing man’s frantic wife.  Once he was in the grassy area we made him more comfortable and began to assess his condition.  The civilian appeared to have a basic understanding of CPR, so we felt he made a great member of our team.” 

Using their Combat Lifesaving Training, the team immediately began their assessment of the gentleman.  They checked each pulse point and found an irregular heartbeat that indicated to them that this gentleman was clearly in trouble.  Although he was generally unresponsive, the gentleman took a sudden deep gasp for air which indicated that he was breathing, which initially relieved some of the teams concerns.  The team was clearly prepared to perform CPR and when the patient’s pulse suddenly stopped, CPR was initiated. 

“It was a very emotional experience for all of us seeing this man struggle and his wife standing by in anguish and so helpless,” said Zehender.  “A crowd was starting to gather and we knew that we had a job to do…..this man’s life was on the line.  Staff Sgt. Boutte continued comforting his wife and gathered valuable information from her that was critical to informing the 911 operator of the emergency in progress. “

From the time the incident started to the time the team began CPR was less than five minutes although to the team it felt much longer than that.

 “We administered CPR for ten to fifteen minutes until medical services arrived,” said Zehender.  “The medical personnel instructed us to continue the CPR until they were set up and they mechanically opened his airway as we continued our compressions.  At that point our role became secondary….but there was no doubt in any of our minds that our efforts made a difference in saving this gentleman’s life.” 

The team was interviewed by the California Highway Patrol and the Maxwell Fire Department regarding the incident, but was disappointed they did not know who the civilian was that helped them.

“This guy was a true Good Samaritan who really made a difference and was a critical member of the team,” said Delgadillo.  “We really wish that we could shake his hand and thank him for what he did.”

When all was done, the Guard team proceeded to Roseville, not knowing what happened to the gentleman they had helped.

“All we know is that his first name is Tom, “said Boutte.  “The last time we saw him he was still being stabilized by the paramedics before being put into the ambulance.  It would sure be nice to know how is he is doing today.  It is comforting to know that we were there for him until the paramedics arrived.  I hope it made a difference.”

For their actions, the Soldiers are being recommended for the California Military Cross, a formal recognition for their laudable actions under difficult circumstances that may have saved the life of the elderly man.  The California Highway Patrol and the U.S. Forest Service have also indicated that they are planning to publicly acknowledge these Soldiers’ actions.

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