02/16/2026
EDIT/UPDATE: Obviously, it would be a violation of HIPPA for us to provide specific details of any patient we come in contact with, but I will say that this driver was alert for the entire time we were in contact, very calm, and I feel his prognosis will be remarkaby good, considering the forces that were involved in this accident. From the Fire Department perspective, we will never speculate on the cause of an accident but there were no indications that any factors other than a dark rainy night played a role in this particular event.
We respond to far more accidents than you will see on our social media, but our decision to post or not post emergency scene responses (especially photos) always takes into consideration the notification of families, condition of victims, and if there is some value or lesson to be found in the publication. In this case, we wanted to highlight the importance of support, by having equipent that is seldom used but vitally important to the mission. This applies to every fire department, from large municipalities down to the small volunteer agencies on a shoestring budget. Van is more fortunate than many volunteer agencies, but if your local volunteer department is having a fundraiser sometime, show them support if at all possible, That hamburger you buy may save a life down the road. TY.
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On February 14, 2026, at 8:56 PM, the Van Fire Department was dispatched to a single vehicle accident on Interstate 20 WB near the 539 MM. It was reported that a car “drove into the woods”.
Van PD patrol officers arrived and provided further information that the driver was trapped in the vehicle.
Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a four door sedan that had impacted a tree on the driver side with enough force to severly deform the car, completely rip the entire motor out of the car, with the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle alert but pinned in by his left arm and both legs.
Using the Department’s Hurst eDraulics rescue tools (aka “Jaws of Life) they performed a technical extrication that included removal of the driver’s side rear and front door, displacing the vehicle away from the tree, removal of the B post structure, and lifted the dash while displacing the shattered fender and firewalll away from the patient’s legs, where the lower part of the car had enveloped his lower extremities.
Throughout the process, the victim was conscious and alert and once free of the wreckage, transferred to a Christus EMS crew for transport to a Tyler hospital.
We appreciate the assistance of Van PD, Christus EMS, and Alexander’s Road Service.
We also greatly appreciate the City of Van and the residents there for funding the Fire Department and assuring that we have the tools to perform these types of rescues. An extrication this involved isn’t an everyday occurrence, but when they happen the proper equipment is absolutely critical to success
