Midewin ATV Backing Incident 2019

While conducting a series of prescribed burns on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the Firing Boss Trainee went to scout ahead of the Firing Team to determine the best place to hold the fire along the burn unit’s northeast corner. While scouting on an ATV, the operator came to a pinch-point between a fence and a hedgerow of Osage orange trees which required him to turn around. While looking back toward the open field and maneuvering the ATV in reverse, an unnoticed branch started to bow, pushing the operator forward into the handlebars. A sudden throttle acceleration pushed the operator off the ATV. The operator's right lower leg was pulled under the ATV's tire. The operator remained conscious and was able to radio for help.

One of the prescribed fire’s EMTs arrived and began the medical assessment and care. This EMT believed that the operator had a broken leg. A deformity was obvious. Two other EMTs arrived and began stabilizing the leg and packaging the operator for transport.

A 6-wheel ATV was used to transport the patient to the nearby road. An ambulance transported the patient to the hospital where it was determined that the patient had a broken fibula. It was put in a cast and the patient later had surgery to repair the break.

RLS, Medical Emergency, Prescribed Fire, Driving, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Incident