Major Air Rescue on SR 18

​  Three Injured from Head-on Collision  

December 9^th Tuesday afternoon at approximately  3:00P.M., Division Chief Opliger of the San Bernardino County Fire Department was driving on State Route 18 and came across a head on traffic collision in the narrows, between Lake Gregory Drive and State Route 138. Division Chief Opliger immediately requested a full emergency response and started rendering first-aid to the victims.

The first patient was in critical condition and required the use of the ‘jaws of life’ for extrication from the vehicle. The patient was then transported to a landing zone, where the cooperative San Bernardino County Fire Department / San Bernardino County Sheriff’s  Air Rescue 06 was waiting. The patient was flown to a local trauma center.

The second patient exhibited severe injuries, was extricated and transported to a landing zone by another helicopter, where Mercy Air 22 was waiting. This patient was also flown to a local trauma center. The third patient complained of minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital by ambulance.

The cause of the accident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

San Bernardino County Fire Department would like to thank San Bernardino County Sheriff's Air Rescue 06, Mercy Air 22, California Highway Patrol, USFS and Cal-Trans for their assistance with this severe incident.