Three Nevada men receive award for saving coworker’s life
- Three employees at Mid-States Companies in Nevada, Iowa, received a Life Saving Award from the Nevada City Council for using a makeshift pressure dressing and tourniquet to save...
- The incident occurred at Mid-States Companies when a worker slipped while handling a piece of steel, suffering a five-inch laceration to the right bicep that narrowly missed a...
- Once he moved his hand around and the amount of blood that came out of his arm, I think that was more of the instinct of, 'OK, this...
Three employees at Mid-States Companies in Nevada, Iowa, received a Life Saving Award from the Nevada City Council for using a makeshift pressure dressing and tourniquet to save a coworker from severe blood loss following a workplace steel laceration on Sept. 3.
Emergency Response at Mid-States Companies
The incident occurred at Mid-States Companies when a worker slipped while handling a piece of steel, suffering a five-inch laceration to the right bicep that narrowly missed a major artery. Machine lead Drake McKeever tore the shirt off his back to apply pressure to the wound, while Stefan Luppen, a volunteer EMT, used a nylon belt and a screwdriver to rig a tourniquet. Manufacturing coordinator Nolan Stoahl assisted at the scene and later guided arriving first responders directly to the patient.
Once he moved his hand around and the amount of blood that came out of his arm, I think that was more of the instinct of, ‘OK, this needs to be sealed up now rather than waiting until we had somebody come and bring us the right equipment.’
Drake McKeever, machine lead at Mid-States Companies
Weather Delays and Medical Recovery
Nevada Police Chief and Public Safety Director Chris Brandes noted that the quick intervention prevented a potential loss of life from decreased blood pressure and volume during the roughly 20 minutes it took for first responders to arrive. Brandes stated that inclement weather prevented a requested LifeFlight helicopter from reaching the scene, making the improvised measures critical to the patient’s survival. The injured worker was transported by ground to Mercy One in Des Moines, where they underwent surgery and are currently recovering.