They’re for life

At age 16, Miller saw one of the worst two-car crashes that a Waynesboro First Aid junior crew hopes to never to see in Augusta County.

Four casualties and eight people injured.

Never in his young life, had he seen so many fire trucks, ambulance trucks, and rescue trucks take up that much space between the Va. 795-796 highways in Fishersville.

"It was complete chaos," Miller said as he choked up. "The whole process took four and half hours to extricate all of the victims. We even had to use a farmer's tractor just so we could remove them."

One of the cars had completely flipped over the other's trunk smashing the passengers into a hole. Miller can still picture as he heard victims desperately screaming to get out.

"It was really hard for me to get through it, but I did," Miller said. "I learned early that if you don't start freakin' out, the victims won't either. You're supposed to be those people's rock."

And from that moment as the last passenger was removed, Miller knew that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life- to be a first aid rescue crew member for the City of Waynesboro.

"After that day, I immediately went into auto-pilot," Miller said. "I couldn't wait to go through the rest of the program. I mean you're not here for money, you're here to help people and get them through some of the worst times in their life."

Most people don't realize that everything that Miller and the Waynesboro First Aid Crew did that day was all-VOLUNTEER.

"I'm here to help people nothing else," Miller said. "As a crew member, you see the effect that you have on people, because you are the first ones to arrive on the scene. It can take a lot out of you after it's all done."

But for Miller and all the other 100 members at the rescue squad, it's all worth it, especially for Captain George Maupin who has been volunteering for the last 30 years.

"It was just something that interested me," Maupin said. "I wanted to help people and if you don't wanna do that, you're in the wrong business."

No call is too small or too big for the WFAC to handle, all are worth it when that 911 call is dispatched over the radio. On average, the station answers about 4,500 calls a year.

"Anything and everything is what we take care of. Whether it's someone who has chest pain or trouble breathing or delivering a baby when we get them, we gotta go," Maupin said. "Just making a difference and seeing our members mature in training, tells us that we're doing a good job."

One of the main reasons why driver Wilson Smith decided to join the crew was because he himself was a victim.

About 15 years ago, Smith was seriously injured in tractor accident in Spotsylvania. Upon arriving to the scene, Smith didn't know if he was going to make it. He broke his right leg, broke eight ribs, and had to have his spleen removed.

"When you're out there and you have no idea if you're gonna live or not, you start to see those dark clouds over the horizon," Smith said. "And I saw those dark clouds."

Not until the paddles brought Smith back to life twice.

"All the rescue crew kept telling me in those three minutes it took to get to the hospital, just hold on, just hold on, we're almost there," Smith said.

Smith knew that as soon as he was back on his feet, he wanted to give back to the rescue squad even if it meant that he could only be a driver and an extra body lifter.

"I know how it to feels to be on a gurney and not have any idea about what's gonna happen," Smith said. "I want to show people what these people did for me and the best part about it is that I enjoy what I do. I have a second chance to help people."

Contact Court Wills at 932-3569.