A letter worth reading
"Perhaps more than anything else, this letter demonstrates the general calibre of
people who reside and respond in this county - and most of them do it for free"
Recognition of the Community and Those Who Serve in Ennis, Montana.
Madison County CommunicationsDispatcher Lynda HoltMontana Highway PatrolTrooper Tammy PerkinsEnnis Ambulance CompanyEMT Barbara BradshawEMT Brad BradshawEMT Donna (last name unknown)Madison Valley HospitalDr. Ben LindemanNurse MuellerAll Emergency Room Staff on duty the night of 10/10/08Ron’s TowingRon ImberiMickie ImberiFan Mountain InnJoel (last name unknown)Noack Auto SalesRon (last name unknown)To the Editor of the Madisonian,
I am writing this letter to tell you of my temporary misfortune and how those in the community of Ennis went above and beyond to help my family and me. Some were public servants, others were Ennis citizens and/or business owners, but all of those involved were true humanitarians, offering of themselves to help a stranger in his moment of need. I hope that some way your newspaper can mention praise to those who helped my family and I, and to express my thanks and gratitude for all that they did.
On October 10, 2008, about 8:45 PM, my family and I were travelling N/B on Highway 287 up Norris Hill during an impressive snow storm. We were on vacation from California driving to Bozeman in our truck and pulling our 5th wheel trailer. I stopped on the grade with several “18 wheelers” in order to put chains on. The snow kept coming and both big rigs and cars coming down the grade were dangerously sliding all over the road. I had my children and grand children remain seat belted in the truck while I was outside putting on our chains. My wife carefully watched for approaching, sliding vehicles, in order to warn me of their nearing. Each time a vehicle approached, I would stop putting on the chains and my wife and I would stand behind the safety of the guard rail until the vehicle slid past.
During one of my trips to get behind the guard rail, I fell in the road and broke my ankle. I was unable to walk. With the help from my wife, I was able crawl out of the road and over the guard rail to a position of safety. As I lay in the snow behind the guard rail, I could feel myself going into shock. I feared for the safety of my family and called 911 for help.
I spoke with Madison County Communications Dispatcher Lynda Holt and told her what had happened. With her professional, caring and reassuring demeanor, she helped keep me focused and calm. She obtained all of the necessary information, our estimated location (I wasn’t sure exactly where we were), including a complete description of our truck and trailer, in order to get help to my family and I. She even obtained all of the information about my family, that we had my 13 year old daughter and 6 month old granddaughter with us, and that no one else in our party had the ability to drive the truck and trailer in these severe conditions. Dispatcher Holt told me that she was sending help which included an ambulance, a sheriff’s deputy, and a state trooper.
After a short while, Montana State Trooper Tammy Perkins arrived. Trooper Perkins assessed my injuries and rendered first aid. She too was kind, caring and professional. She had a confidence about her, knowing exactly what to do, and that kept me calm and relaxed. Her demeanor eased my fears and I knew that now she was here, that both my family and I were safe and everything would be okay. I had been placed in our truck with the heater and Trooper Perkins instructed my wife to wrap me in blankets to help me from going into shock. She told us that the ambulance was coming, but would be delayed because the road was impassable until the snow plows could get the road cleared. Trooper Perkins chalked several of our tires in order to prevent our truck and 5th wheel trailer from moving/sliding. She stayed with us and monitored my condition.
Once the road was plowed, Ennis Ambulance Company arrived. EMT’s Barbara and Brad Bradshaw quickly tended to my injuries and prepared me for transport. They were both compassionate, professionals and further put my mind at ease regarding my concerns over the safety of my family. EMT Barbara Bradshaw was exceptionally thorough with her assessment of my injuries. She explained everything that she was doing as well as explained what would take place before actually putting it to action. Both EMT Barbara and Brad Bradshaw took extra caution as they loaded me onto the ambulance. They did not want to cause me any unnecessary pain. They also boarded my daughter, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter onto the ambulance. My wife remained behind with Trooper Perkins and our truck and trailer.
A third EMT named Donna drove us to Madison Valley Hospital. Once at the hospital, Donna found out that my family was hungry and had not eaten for several hours. To ease everyone’s hunger pains and to maybe help reduce some of my family’s worries about my medical condition, Donna drove my daughter down to the local 24 hour convenience store/gas station. There she got all my family hot food and brought it back to the hospital.
In the Emergency Room at the hospital, Doctor Ben Lindeman, Nurse Mueller, and an assortment of other E.R. staff tended to my injuries. I was thoroughly impressed with how Dr. Lindeman kept his staff informed of my medical needs and how he listened to each of their input. Dr. Lindeman was definitely in charge, but he recognized the importance of the team effort in my overall treatment. All the medical staff was “top notch” professionals, with a kind and caring demeanor that is an example for other hospitals to try and achieve. I only wish that I could have gotten all the names of the medical staff that helped me that night so they could all be individually recognized.
While still in the Emergency Room being treated, EMT Brad Bradshaw knew of my concern for my wife who was still up on the highway grade with our truck and trailer. He said he would be glad to go get her and my rig off the mountain if I would like him to do that. I immediately said yes and this was a great release of stress for me. Before Brad could leave to go get my wife and rig, we learned that Ron’s Towing had just arrived and was bringing my wife, truck and trailer off the Norris grade.
My wife later told me that when Ron’s Towing arrived, both Ron Imberi and Ron’s wife, Mickie Imberi, were involved in getting my rig off the hill. My wife said that both of their smiles helped her tremendously while out there in the snow. Mickie ultimately drove our truck and trailer off the grade while my wife rode with her. Mickie was unbelievably sweet during this trip and she told my wife everything that she was doing during the drive in the snow, so my wife could learn should she need to drive at a later time.
Dr. Lindeman coordinated to have my truck and trailer put in the parking lot at the hospital so my family could be in the comfort of our trailer while I was being treated. Trooper Perkins arrived at the hospital to check on me, to see how I was doing, and to see if there was anything else she could do for my family and me. EMT Brad Bradshaw gave me his personal phone number and told me to call him in the morning so he could help me with anything I might need.
Dr. Lindeman and his very qualified staff stabilized my ankle; it would require surgery to repair it and that surgery would have to take place in California based on my medical insurance. I was eventually released from Madison Valley Hospital.
Because the snow was not letting up and we were uncertain on how we were going to get back to California at this point, Dr. Lindeman suggested I stay at the Fan Mountain Inn across the street from the hospital. We could wait out the weather and plan our best course of action to get back to California to have the surgery. Dr. Lindeman said the innkeepers were very nice and would most likely allow me to park my truck and trailer in their parking lot.
I phoned Fan Mountain Inn and spoke with Joel (I believe he is the owner). Joel was more than gracious in allowing us to park our truck and trailer in his parking lot. We checked into the motel and found that the staff was quite helpful and the inn was clean and comforting.
I phoned EMT Brad Bradshaw and asked if he could move my truck and trailer from the hospital over to the motel. Within 30 minutes he arrived and was moving my rig. He also filled all the propane tanks to ensure there was enough propane to continuously run the trailer’s heater for several days so the pipes would not freeze and burst. EMT Brad Bradshaw also told me he made arrangements for me to store our trailer at his friend’s for the winter, should this help us with our travel dilemma to get back to California (I couldn’t drive and my wife was uncomfortable towing the trailer). Brad said he would even get the trailer “winterized” if we left it behind so no pipes would burst.
We had just learned that my wife’s father had heard of the news and was already on his way from California to come drive us home. He would be here in a few days so we would not need to store our trailer in Ennis. We would however need to fly my daughter in law and grandchild to Reno, Nevada, so she could get back home. We purchased plane tickets to fly them from Bozeman to Reno.
I spoke with Joel at the Fan Mountain Inn to find out where my wife might be able to rent a car in town so she could drive to the airport. Joel suggested I call Noack Auto Sales in Ennis as they sometimes rent cars. I called and spoke with Ron who I also believe is the owner of Noack Auto Sales. When Ron found out that I was the man who broke my ankle a few nights earlier, he said there was no need to rent a car. He told us that he and his wife would gladly drive my daughter in law and granddaughter to the airport. I gave him the flight information and he took them to the airport the following day.
After two days at the Fan Mountain Inn, my father in law and his wife arrived to take us home. Dr. Lindeman had checked up on me one last time at the motel to make sure I was okay and could travel. Joel from the Fan Mountain Inn had taken the chains off my truck as the snow had let up. Joel did not want my father in law to have to deal with taking off chains. We thanked everyone and headed back to California.
Although breaking my ankle might be considered unfortunate by some, I am actually looking at this entire event as a blessing in disguise. We met many wonderful people in the community of Ennis and their willingness to open their arms and hearts to us, to someone who they did not know, has helped restore my faith in people (Remember, I am from Southern California). It was not just one person who was willing to help, but virtually everyone we met.
Ennis is a wonderful place on this earth, and it is a place where people are good, kind, and caring.
I can’t thank all of you enough.
Scott A. Baeckel
EDITORS NOTE: Scott is a Sergeant with a large sheriff's department located in Southern California
