Broken Arrow Fire helps out Tulsa

Saturday, December 11th 2004, 7:48 pm

By: News On 6

A traffic accident in midtown Tulsa Saturday lands five people including a toddler, in the hospital. The accident happened at a busy time for Tulsa emergency responders. So they had to call on some help from a suburban neighbor.

The accident happened in the intersection of 15th and Utica.

Two minivans smashed into each other and hit a lightpole. A car full of people were hurt but no Tulsa ambulances were available.

Tulsa Police officers are still investigating what caused the accident. They say the silver van was heading south on Utica when it ran into a red van. That van was full of people and five passengers were hurt including a 3-year-old.

Officers say the toddler was in a child car seat, but the force of the wreck tossed her from the seat. Another woman was pinned between the car and the light pole the fire department had to use the jaws of life to get her out.

Police say they called for EMSA but all of their ambulances were busy. That's when the back-up system kicked in and they called on Broken Arrow's Fire Department.
Dennis McIntire, BA Asst. Fire Chief: "Well EMSA called our dispatch and requested additional help and said they were busy and wondered if they had any units that we could dispatch so they called for mutual aid and we responsed.

Two people were sent to St. John's they're both stable. The other three were sent to St. Francis, there's no word on their condition.