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Wolfpack recruiter responds to accident

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. James Ramirez
  • 343rd Recruiting Squadron Support Flight Commander
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  Tech. Sgt. Jesse Roen, 343rd Recruiting Squadron enlisted accessions recruiter, responded to the scene of an accident involving a semi-truck and Dodge pickup Feb. 4.
Roen was traveling from Duluth, Minn., to Hurley High School in Hurley, Wis., via U.S. Highway 2 when he saw the accident just past the crest of a hill.

Roen, an Air Force firefighter by trade, recalled his training immediately and sprang into action to save a young man's life.

"As the Dodge pickup passed I remember telling myself that this guy is going to be in a ditch due to the road conditions," Roen said. "Unfortunately, my thought came true when I passed the hill and saw the scene of the accident."

The Dodge pickup was involved in a head-on collision with the semi-truck, leaving the pickup so damaged that Roen was unsure if the driver could have survived the impact.

As Roen called 911 while accomplishing a 360-degree review of the area, he noticed a bloody hand reaching for the dashboard inside the Dodge pickup. Recognizing the driver was alive, Roen provided a synopsis of the situation to the 911 dispatcher and began providing first aid to the driver.

The man was bleeding from his nose, and told Roen he was experiencing pain in his right ankle and back. Roen recognized that the victim would likely go into shock, and scanned the area for something that could assist with keeping his body temperature up; it was 5 degrees below zero and snowing. Roen fortunately saw a sleeping bag, which he placed on the victim as he continued to relay valuable information to the 911 dispatcher.

Firefighters arrived within five minutes of Roen's 911 call, and Roen continued to provide medical care and helped the firefighters communicate by cueing their radios. The accident victim was able to recall his parent's phone number, so Roen called to inform them of the accident. The father expressed his gratitude for Roen's efforts in helping his son. The first responders echoed this sentiment to Roen, as the assistant emergency medical service chief personally thanked him for the information relayed to the dispatcher, and assistance with the young man's medical needs.

Roen's actions were also lauded by his leadership.

"Jesse's quick and decisive decision making could not have represented the Air Force better," said Lt. Col. Stephen Phillips, 343rd RCS commander. "Given his previous experience and training, he was certainly the right man in the right place."

Roen insists that he was simply doing what any other Airmen would do, and that safety is the true lesson to be learned from this incident.

"The moral of the story is to always drive within the defined safety regulations, and respond accordingly to road conditions," he said.