An off-duty Manatee County 911 telecommunicator put his emergency training into action after witnessing a serious crash on Interstate 275 that left a man with a severed hand.
Alex Quintero was driving home Sept. 27 when he encountered the crash near mile marker 2. After learning that one of the victims had suffered a traumatic injury, Quintero used his phone’s flashlight to assess the situation and discovered the man’s hand had been completely severed at the wrist.
Quintero returned to his truck, retrieved a belt and used it as an improvised tourniquet to help control the bleeding while waiting for emergency responders.
As a 911 telecommunicator and Shift Training Officer for Manatee County, Quintero regularly provides lifesaving instructions to callers during emergencies. This time, he was the one calling 911 while assisting an injured person. The dispatcher on the phone provided additional guidance on applying the tourniquet.
Manatee County EMS and North River Fire District responded to the crash, and the injured man was transported to a hospital. His condition has not been released.
Quintero said the experience gave him a new perspective on the emergencies he handles daily and the challenges callers face when providing immediate assistance.
The incident also highlighted the critical role 911 telecommunicators play in emergency response, both by guiding callers through lifesaving measures and by applying their training when emergencies occur outside the communications center.