Dave S. (exec vp/president wonderful pistachios & almonds)

The day of the accident was like any other. We had a busy day. One of our largest customers was visiting us to discuss their needs for the following year. I was taking them around, showing off the largest Pistachio and Almond plant in the world. It was Daves responsibility to make sure the facility was ready to show; and he did not disappoint. Everything looked great. Our customers could not be happier with the cleanliness of the operation, the sophistication of our management team, and most importantly the taste and consistency of our almonds and pistachios. We wrapped up our meeting around 5pm and I led them to the front door. I collected their badges and bid them farewell. Good meeting I thought.

On my way back to my office I passed by Daves office. I stuck my head in to let him know how the meeting went, and thanked him for getting the facility in show condition. We chatted about some of the details and questions the customers had. Then we moved on to personal stuff. Dave and I were very good friends. We did many of our hobbies together and spent plenty of time with each other after work. We liked to golf, dive, shoot, and hike. Dave was wrapping things up at work getting ready to take a vacation. He was going to take the family to Idaho again. They had gone the year before and Dave was looking forward to another Fourth of July where people celebrated like they actually cherished their liberty. I told him to have a good time, then to have a good day.

Dave had been with Paramount over 20 years. I hired him from Oregon Freeze Dry back in the early 90’s when I first started. We had accomplished allot of things together at Paramount. The business had quadrupled in size and Dave had an important hand in doing that. He ran maintenance, engineering, and ultimately became responsible for all of the operations of the Lost Hills facilities. As I could see my retirement in the not too distant future I had started to expose Dave to my boss and others at my level to prepare him to take over for me when I left. After all, I am 10 years his senior and do not want to stay past my prime.

I headed back to my office to catch up on some emails that had been neglected during the day. After about 20 minutes my cell phone rang. I could see it was Abe Padilla calling. Abe was a senior level Director responsible for our Planning and Scheduling functions. He was always in good spirits, friendly, and professional to interact with. When I answered the phone Abe was yelling. I couldn’t understand him. His voice had a sound in it I could not place at first. I thought maybe he was laughing at something. Then I realized it was terror. Then he yelled more clearly “its Blanchat, its Blanchat, its Blanchat—he’s been in an accident!” My heart sank, Abe soundly really scared, I knew this had to be serious. I said “ok Abe, where?” “On the 46 intersection…its really bad!” That was close by. I told him “ok Abe I’ll be right there.” I ran out to my truck in the parking lot.

The intersection of State Route Highways 46 and 33 has been the location of many serious accidents over the years. We have had a number of employee deaths in the past 25 years at that intersection. It was recently improved when Hwy 46 was widened to four lanes. The 2 way stop sign was replaced by a modern intersection with lights and turn lanes with lights. However it was still dangerous because it is so remote. It’s the first light for 10 miles from the east, and 30 miles from the west.

I had a 3 minute drive to the scene of the accident from the parking lot. As I came up to the intersection I found it in chaos. Traffic was mostly stopped in all four directions. People were out of their cars and walking around. Daves truck was in the west bound lane of 46, and I could see an oil transport truck, on its side, about 300 feet further past the intersection in the same west bound lane. There was debris everywhere. I took it in for a couple of seconds. CHP was not yet on seen and cars were driving past on the shoulders so they would not get stuck once the scene was secured. I navigated the slow moving but distracted drivers and pulled up behind Daves truck and put on my hazards.

There were two women looking into the drivers side of Daves truck. I now could see the extent of the damage to Daves truck. The drivers side was mangled. The oil truck had hit Daves drivers side. It looked like the oil truck rolled over the hood and engine compartment of Daves pickup. I hopped out of my truck and walked slowly toward the women. The drivers side window was gone, the door smashed in and the women had their hands inside the window. I came around the back of them until I could see inside. One of the women was holding up his head and mopping blood from a wound with a towel. His body was contorted, shoved toward the passenger side against the center console. The other woman had two fingers on his neck checking his pulse.

Dave did not look good. He was ashen. Bleeding from the left side of his head. Mouth slightly agape, and seemingly unconscious. “Does he have a pulse” I asked? “Yes” the woman replied “a weak one.”

Paramount is located in a remote corner of California. The closet hospital with a trauma center is 60 miles away from the scene. His only chance of surviving this accident was to get a Medivac helicopter ambulance on the scene…right away. Typically they are dispatched by the CHP or the Fire Department, but they have not yet arrived.

I started calling people. I called Ernie Ramirez who was the head of our Safety and Security team. Ernie would have Kern Ambulance on speed dial. He would be able to get the helicopter dispatched. I called Ernie and he did not answer. Ernie always answers I thought. I called again and still no answer. Who else I thought desperately. I then called Ed Surber, our head of HR. Ed answered and I gave him a quick rundown of the scene and told him to get a helicopter out here as soon as possible. Ed said Ok and hung up. I am sure my voice had the same quality as Abe’s did earlier so there was no need for further questions.

Then Abe came running up. I had seen him on his phone earlier near the intersection. Abe, still yelling “I called the CHP and the Fire Department. “ “Great“ I replied. Abe handed me Daves cell phone and his notebook.

I don’t think he is doing good” Abe said. “Who are those women” I asked. Abe said “they came out of that camper” motioning towards the convenience store. It was a smaller, older model, self-contained camper parked in the left lane of east bound 46. Probably returning from a vacation in Pismo. Traffic was working its way around the parked camper, driving very slowly to get a look at the accident. Good, I thought, Dave is in good hands right now. There was no getting him out of the pickup until the Fire department arrived. Abe had tried what was left of the door, but the metal was hopelessly joined together. He reached in and retrieved Daves phone and notebook. The notebook was a little moleskin 3” x 5” pocket sized book used to capture thoughts we did not want lose. I suppose it showed we were not born with smart phones in hands.

Abes phone rang and headed back towards the intersection talking in same loud scared voice. The women taking the pulse walked by saying she was going to get Dave some water. I walked up to Daves truck to see how he was doing. He was unresponsive to my questions. The woman was able to stop the bleeding by holding the towel on his wound. She asked me a question, but I didn’t hear it. The second woman came back with the water bottle and I stepped back.

I got a call from Lola Ramirez who works for Ernie. She told they contacted KMC and the medivac is on the way. Great!

Then I saw oil truck on its side up the road about 300 feet. I headed over to see how they were doing. There were scrape marks on the road and the shoulder most of the way to the truck. It was a single tank trailer that was not coned on the bottom, so fairly compact. The truck was a cabover style, so that driver and passenger sit on top of the engine and the front of the truck is flat. As I walked up a couple of people were peering in the Windshield and talking to the driver. “Is he ok” I asked? I was told he is hurt, he can’t get out, but at least he was conscience and talking. The truck was turned over on its passenger side. The driver’s door was seven feet up in the air. Another job for the Fire Department.

As I was jogging back the CHP showed up. They immediately shut down the west bound lane and stopped the trickle of cars driving past on the shoulder. I went back to check on Dave. The women continued with the nursing, but there was no change. It was amazing to me how they were sticking with him.

I heard the Fire Trucks coming from a distance. They would be coming from Lost Hills about 10 miles away. It has been about 10 or 12 minutes since the accident happened so pretty good timing. Fortunately, in these times its good to have relationships. Not only do we have fires every so often at our facility, we have a gym and cafeteria the local fire department likes to use. The fire truck pulled into the median and stopped twenty feet from Daves truck. Two firefighters got out, and I met them halfway. I did not recognize either one. Trying to remain calm I said “hey the guy in pickup is unconscious but still breathing. We got to him out of there, the Medivac is on the way.” They walked by me like I said nothing. So I followed them and told myself I am not in charge of this scene. They talked to the woman and assessed the situation for about 10 seconds. Then one turned and left for the fire truck. A few seconds later he returned with a little oxygen tank and mask. I got close enough to hear.

The fireman put the mask on Dave and started the flow. He asked the women if they wouldn’t mind holding his head steady and make sure the mask stays on. Both fireman headed back to the truck. I asked the women if there anything they need. They could not think of anything.

I went back to watch the fireman. They were unloading one of the compartments in the firetruck. They started pulling out rescue tools. Now we are getting somewhere I thought. Then laid them out on a tarp, and kept searching for something. A couple of more minutes went by and still no action. I was getting anxious they did not have what they needed. Then the sound of more trucks on their way. Another Firetruck and EMT truck pulled into the middle of the median. I see the Sergeant get out of the passenger door of the firetruck. I walk up to him and we recognize each other. Good I thought. “One of ours is in the pickup and he is hurt very bad” I said as we walked up. “Medivac is on the way and should be hear in twenty minutes. We got to get him out of there” I pleaded.