Several members of the daredevil flight crew the Blue Angels helped an injured driver after a car crash Thursday as they drove from the Gary/Chicago International Airport, where the air show performers were staged for the Chicago Air and Water Show.
Seven members of the Blue Angels, who are all sailors and Marines in the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squad, were driving away from the airport when they saw a car that appeared to have crashed head-on into the roadside guard rail, according to a press release from the Blue Angels. The driver was trapped inside the car and appeared unconscious.
Brian Coffman and George Thiess, Navy aviation electricians, broke the rear passenger window to enter the vehicle and reach the driver trapped inside, according to the press release. The others called for emergency help and directed traffic around the wreck.
"Everyone was calm, cool and collected the entire time," said Thiess, who is also a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician in Maryland. "We cleared the debris, put the vehicle in park and turned the engine off. Right after that, I immediately established 'c-spine' to prevent further injury."
As they waited for the Gary Fire Department to arrive, the Blue Angels remained with the driver and talked to him the entire time.
The driver is expected to recover from his injuries, according to the Blue Angels.
"When you're riding a fire engine or on an emergency call, you know what to expect, but we're here for an air show, so it initially caught me off guard," Thiess said. "Fortunately, training took over and we were able to help out."
