Local paramedics, firefighters get man from tree to helicopter following chainsaw accident
By Ben Cox
Photos/Ben Cox
One minute Matt Miller was cutting down a tree in his backyard, and the next he was being hauled off in an ambulance and then a helicopter after his left arm was nearly completely severed by a chainsaw.
Jacksonville firefighters and ECHO Response EMS were called to Miller’s residence in the 1500 block of Sandusky Road shortly before 11 a.m. on October 15. The caller told West Central Joint Dispatch that Miller had cut his left arm with a chainsaw up in a tree and was bleeding severely.
Miller says he remembers pulling the chainsaw out of his arm, seeing a large pool of blood and then seeing a large tattoo on the arm of a helper who had joined him in the tree.
ECHO paramedic Josh Fallis, who has that tattoo on his right forearm, says he doesn’t like heights but made a quick decision to climb a tree to save Miller’s life.
Fallis was soon joined by Jacksonville firefighters Tom Varns, Sean Taylor and Josh Sorrill. Taylor says Miller’s arm was flaccid and they were afraid he was going to lose his arm.
They unsuccessfully attempted to apply a tourniquet while Miller was still in the tree harness, but eventually carried him down on a ladder. The firefighters and EMTs on the ground said they quickly attempted a second tourniquet on the ground.
“I remember the ambulance ride was really rough,” Miller laughs. EMT Mycah Wardell says that she had to navigate through a field to get out to a main road. Wardell was receiving information on how to navigate the field from an ambulance traveling behind her calling out field tiles.
Fallis joked with Miller saying that the bumpy ride helped to keep him alert as they worked to get him to an Air Evac helicopter ready to airlift him to Springfield for emergency surgery. Due to the blood loss, paramedics in the helicopter gave him two units of blood before he was rushed to emergency surgery to save his arm.
Miller says he has a few more corrective surgeries remaining and feeling is starting to be restored throughout his arm.
Miller got to shake the hands of all his helpers on October 21 at the Jacksonville Fire Department. “It’s not very often where you have something that was so grim have such a positive outcome,” said Jacksonville Fire Chief Matt Summers, “And it’s not very often that one of our patients comes back and gets to thank the people that helped them. It’s been a great thing to witness.” Miller wiggled most of the fingers on his injured arm, which is still in a sling.
Miller hopes to return to work soon, as he’s been somewhat restless at home recovering from the incident. “My wife keeps saying that she’s just glad I’m here,” Miller told the group of firefighters and first responders, “She said she can deal with the arm and everything but she just keeps saying that she’s glad I’m still here.” Miller hopes to give back to the fire department in some way for saving his life and saving his arm.
