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Help comes in shape of uniform

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Marcy Copeland
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Feb. 27 went as any other normal work day for Tech. Sgt. Priscilla Noll, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron furnishing management office NCO in charge and 2nd Lt. Tanya Wren, 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs chief of community relations until the two met in a unique situation.

At the intersection of Dysart and Camelback roads, just two cars ahead of Noll, was a head-on collision.

"I didn't see it, but as soon as the crash happened, I heard it," Noll said. "I jumped out of my vehicle and moved toward the car. The man in the car ahead of me moved to the sidewalk, and I asked him to call 911."

As Noll approached the vehicle, she could see a tiny elderly woman lying between the two front seats. Smoke began to fill the vehicle and Noll could hear the woman saying, "Somebody please help me, I can't breathe."

Noll tried to open the passenger side door but it was stuck. She moved around to the driver's side and opened both the driver and rear door. She climbed into the glass-covered rear seat to help. The woman was lying on her side facing the passenger side. Noll saw blood pooling around her eyes.

Noll reassured her that she was there to help and to stay calm. She began looking around for something to apply pressure to her eyes thinking it was from where she was bleeding.

"I found a sweat shirt in the back of the car and put it over her head and applied pressure. I noticed that she was bleeding from the right side of her head and held it for about eight minutes." Noll said.

Noll just kept her talking, asking her what her name was, what her blood type was, if she was allergic to any medications or if she was currently on any medications. At this moment, Wren arrived at the scene of the crash and began assisting Noll in the care of the woman.

While Noll was providing initial care, Wren was heading toward the base, stuck in a traffic jam at the same intersection. She noticed a man get out of his car and run toward the front of traffic.

"I rolled down my window and yelled at the man, 'Is there a medical emergency?'" Wren said. "He replied there was. As a trained first-aid and CPR instructor, I always keep emergency supplies in the back of my car. I pulled over, grabbed my supplies and approached what had been holding up traffic -- a car accident."

When Wren looked into the car, she saw the familiar Air Force uniform and asked if she could help. Noll explained the situation and that the woman has sustained a head injury. Wren put on her latex gloves as Noll continued to apply pressure to the woman's head. Working together, a sterile dressing was applied to the wound while both Airmen maintained pressure and good head/spinal alignment until the emergency responders arrived.

"When it first happened I was in shock," Noll said. "But I immediately knew I had to do something, anything that I could do to help. Having been a dietician in a medical support squadron my first three years in service helped me with the training to help people medically."

Being modest about the situation, Noll and Wren continued about their normal routine the next day, and didn't mention what they had both done the day before.

"Honestly, I'm just grateful I was at the right place at the right time to provide my supplies and knowledge," Wren said. "I hope the woman is doing well, and I'm happy that Tech. Sgt. Noll and I were able to help. I'm sure that most everyone at Luke Air Force Base would've done the same thing."

Wren notified Noll's leadership about how she had stopped to help the woman, and the Chiefs Group decided to award Noll the Luke's Finest Award for her contributions in helping save the woman's life.

"I am proud of Sergeant Noll and all the Airmen at Luke Air Force Base," said Chief Master Sgt. John Mazza, 56th Fighter Wing command chief. "These folks do these kinds of heroic actions all the time and we never know about it. I am just glad we heard about it, and we were able to recognize it as chiefs."