It was Wednesday, March 6, 2019. A day like any other. As usual at that time, many cars were traveling from the direction of Szprotawa to Świętoszów. Between six and seven in the morning, most of those using this road are soldiers heading to begin another day of service.
The Wednesday morning was not much different from the others that week, except for one detail. The temperature had fallen to around zero degrees Celsius. Although there seemed to be no visible indication, the slippery surface posed a danger to vehicles on the road.
“We were entering Pruszków from the direction of Szprotawa. We had just passed the ‘built-up area’ sign when I saw a line of stationary cars ahead of me. I thought that something had probably happened and, without hesitation, ran toward the first car,” recalls Junior Warrant Officer Bartłomiej Nowakowski, a soldier of the 1st Tank Battalion.
Two cars had collided head-on. One of the drivers had not suffered serious injuries; he was already outside the vehicle and walking unaided. Unfortunately, the driver of the other car had not been so lucky. He was still inside the vehicle.
Armored soldier:
What surprised me at the scene was that, in reality, nobody was trying to help the young man trapped in the car. He was left alone. Everyone was standing and watching, doing nothing. I only learned that someone had called an ambulance—that was the only help provided by the people watching the situation.
I approached the car, where the driver was still inside. He had a cut on his head, from which a thin stream of blood was trickling. His nose was bleeding too. Fortunately, he was conscious. It was impossible to examine the young man and assess his injuries because he was wedged into the seat.
What immediately caught my attention was his legs. The young man had broken kneecaps, and his knees were unnaturally deformed. His legs could not be straightened because the knee joints were locked.
At first, I helped him mainly by talking to him and calming him down. I began telling him to talk to me and tried to distract him completely from what had happened, from the accident. In addition, to ease his pain, I supported his legs, which were hanging limp and trapped between the steering wheel and the seat. This really brought him relief, and the young man stopped crying out in pain. I tried to keep him in that position until the ambulance and fire service arrived.
Sparks and hissing sounds began coming from the engine of the wrecked car. Warrant Officer Nowakowski instructed several people to try to disconnect the battery, while he himself stayed with the injured driver. A short while later, the ambulance and fire service arrived at the scene.
Service member:
When the ambulance arrived, I worked with the crew. I knew those guys well because we often meet while on duty. The paramedic was inserting an IV, and I administered painkillers during that time. They prepared the spinal board, while the firefighters cut off the roof so that the young man trapped in the car could be removed. In situations like this, one must proceed very carefully, because you never know whether the spine has been injured.
The non-commissioned officer, together with the other paramedics, stayed with the injured man until he was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Zielona Góra.
Junior Warrant Officer Bartłomiej Nowakowski has been a soldier of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade since 2016. He currently serves in the 1st Tank Battalion as an NBC defense instructor (Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction).
The interview with the hero can be read on the website of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade.