| Local pulls man from burning car |
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write the author | Reposted with Permission
Lake Geneva's Frank Guske was driving home from work Friday afternoon when he happened upon a scene he won't ever forget. It was about 1:22 p.m. and he was cruising north on the Edens expressway near Gross Point Road in the village of Skokie, Ill., when he saw a vehicle he believed had just spun out and hit a guard rail. He decided to pull over and see if he could help. Seconds later, he saw smoke and flames inside the car, which was sitting at the bottom of a slight embankment. As he was running toward the vehicle and calling 911, others arrived on the scene to help. They realized there was a man still in the car, but everyone's efforts to knock out the car windows with their fists was futile. Guske looked along the roadside for anything he could use to shatter the car windows. When he couldn't find anything, he went to the guard rail and unbolted a part of it with his hands and used that to knock the windows out. There was smoke and the man was fully engulfed in flames, Guske said, a scene that's "nothing you'll ever be able to explain." Those who stopped along the road had portable fire extinguishers in their vehicles, but Guske said only he knew how to use them. He knocked the fire down with the extinguishers and then patted down the burning man in the car with a sweatshirt, all this as a gas can sat on passenger front seat of the vehicle, Guske said. He reached into the vehicle again to unlock the door and struggled to pull it open. He then grabbed the man and pulled him out of the car. He again patted him with the sweatshirt to put out the flames and Guske and the others who had stopped to help moved the man up the hill away from the flaming car. It all happened in three to four minutes, right before the Skokie Fire Department arrived on the scene. Guske, a local Boy Scout leader, said he has seen a lot in his life, but this "was beyond words." Skokie Fire Department Capt. Jeff Hoeslich agreed. "This was a very unusual accident in terms of fire on the interior of a vehicle and of this magnitude," he said. Hoeslich said he's seen his share of tragic accidents, but it's rare for bystanders to make a difference the way Guske and the others did this time. "Frank played the significant role in removing the victim from the fire," Hoeslich said. "His actions demonstrated bravery and extreme composure." He said the actions of people like Guske and the others who stop and help are proof they are good citizens. "The action of citizens rescuing someone is unusual and remarkable," Hoeslich said. "Frank had a key role and all of them should be commended." Guske said over the years, he's had training and life lessons that he believes helped him in this situation. The night before the incident, Guske said he was reading about outdoor wilderness first aid as he was preparing his scouts for an upcoming trip. He also said he talks to the boys about fire safety at scout events and how to use a fire extinguisher. Guske never thought all the information he's learned and observed over the years would help save a stranger's life after a car accident. "I would imagine I saved his life," Guske said about the victim. "There were some other folks there helping as well." Hoeslich said there's no doubt Guske and bystanders gave the patient a chance to live. The victim currently is at Loyola University Medical burn center in serious condition and Guske and Hoeslich have been in contact about the man's condition since the accident. Guske said this is a case of all the things he's learned over the years and talked about, being used in a matter of three or four minutes. "I tell the kids to watch what's going on and learn from it," Guske said. "Someday someone is going to remember it and use it." Hoeslich said Guske already has been recommended to receive an award from the village of Skokie for his efforts. Hoeslich said they honor people quarterly for life saving measures, especially for the general public when the rarity occurs. |
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| Last Updated on Friday, January 29 2010 16:48 | ||||||||||||||||||||
