Soldier procession leaders use snow to douse flames

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Updated: February 16, 2012 8:29AM

VALPARAISO — Indiana Patriot Guard members and firefighters escorting the body of U.S. Army Spc. Robert “Bobby” Tauteris Jr. may have saved lives in rushing to a nearby fiery accident on U.S. 30 as they removed four family members and doused flames on their bodies with snow.

“We’re calling it a miracle,” Guard Capt. Dennis Francis said of the rescue.

The acccident unfolded directly in front of the procession, on its way from the Porter County Airport to Tauteris’ hometown of North Judson.

The rescuers broke the windows of the family members’ Jeep, with some of them suffering lacerations, burns and smoke inhalation.

“There were two kids in the vehicle, both were pulled out with flames on their bodies,” Francis said. “The Patriot Guards carried them to the side of the road and put the flames out with snow. Their mother and grandmother, who also suffered burns, were pulled from the car. Our guys got everybody out, then began working on the victims.”

Francis said, “We had fire trucks with rescue equipment, with emergency medical training, and combat medic veterans and EMS personnel on the scene until ambulances arrived. It was almost a ‘perfect storm’ situation that allowed the accident victims to be treated immediately.”

Francis said 10 Patriot Guardsmen were treated and released at Porter Memorial. One transported to a hospital in Hobart, where he was treated and released.

Other Patriot Guard rescuers were taken to Chicago hospitals for treatment for smoke inhalation, he said.

Francis said the emergency response was “well-coordinated effort in reacting to the unexpected accident.”

Patriot Guardsman Ed McCollough, of Chesterton, said many of the Guardsmen have worked as many as 15 funerals a month, and though it is a loose organization, the men are familiar with one another and work well together.