A Habersham County Emergency Services employee was injured during a public assist call in Cornelia just after 5 p.m. Saturday.
Jennifer Bennett, a paramedic assigned to Med 12, was hurt when her foot/ankle was briefly pinned between a vehicle and a concrete tire stop that was just above the steps at the home, located off Woodland Circle, said HCES Director Chad Black.
“While on scene and assisting an elderly gentleman from a vehicle, for unknown reasons the female on scene entered the driver’s side and put the vehicle in gear, which caused the vehicle to move forward and strike personnel from Habersham County Emergency Services,” Black said.
Black said a Cornelia firefighter on scene yelled at the car’s driver to get her attention to stop the vehicle.
“Due to the actions of the Cornelia fireman getting the driver’s attention, they were able to stop the vehicle before our employee was severely injured, or any other personnel on scene was injured,” Black said. “Our personnel transported Firefighter/Paramedic Bennett to Habersham Medical Center for evaluation and x-rays and she was released to go home later with only the injury to her foot/ankle.”
Black said the incident could have been worse had it not been for quick actions.
“If you look at the pictures that were taken from the scene during the investigation and knowing she was on the passenger side of the car and where the car eventually ended up, you can see with her standing trying to get somebody out and that car into the bushes and up against the steps leading down to the house how serious that could have been,” Black said. “If not for the actions of Cornelia Fire Department and their personnel both trying to alert the lady by yelling and then, my understanding, grabbing Jennifer in some fashion … and trying to keep it from being worse.”
Black said sometimes all the safety precautions put into place by his department cannot prevent an accident.
“We teach safety always – safety first, safety last, always safety-minded on everything we do, but sometimes things unforeseen like that happen,” Black said. “We don’t know why the lady got into the driver’s side and engaged the car – I’m sure thinking she was helping do something.”
Black said Bennett should be able to return to work soon.
“It’s a very close call,” Black said. “We’re very fortunate and thank the Good Lord that Jennifer is ok and we go on to another day. She’ll be back at work soon doing the same thing that she was doing and helping people.”
And Black said even after 36 years in the profession, phone calls like the one he received Saturday reporting the accident are difficult.
“When we received the first call one of our own had been struck by a vehicle, your heart stops, but again thank the Good Lord above this was not a much worse scenario for her, her family and our department,” Black said.
