Employee believer in seat belts, AEDC "family"

  • Published
  • By Shawn Jacobs
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  Charles Conry says he is proof that seat belts save lives.

Conry, store keeper at Hazardous Materials for ATA, says the number of fellow AEDC employees who showed up at the hospital or called following his recent automobile accident is also proof that people on base are really like family.

The incident occurred at a busy time, right after the shift change at 3:30 p.m. May 6 on Highway 127, just off of Wattendorf Highway. Conry, who left the base through Gate 2 and another ATA employee, who had exited through the Main Gate, collided at the intersection. Conry's pickup truck rolled over on the driver's side, effectively penning him in the vehicle. Even though the air bags deployed, he credits his seat belt with keeping him from hitting the windshield, inevitably causing more serious injury, possibly even death.

"I remember going forward and I remember that seatbelt just stopping me instantly and jerking me back," Conry said. "Actually, the seat belt is what broke two ribs, but that's better than going through the windshield."

AEDC Police reported that the other driver was uninjured in the mishap.

A coworker, Jody Miller, was directly behind Conry's truck and immediately stopped to help. He yelled for Conry to unlock the truck, which he was eventually able to do.

Conry says he was nearly choking from fumes, possibly emitted from the airbag. Miller climbed up on the truck and opened the passenger side door, which allowed Conry to get some fresh air.

"It's made a believer out of Jody on seat belts," Conry said. "He'll admit it that he didn't like wearing seat belts, but he said he's worn one ever since. My son is another one who's not good about wearing his seat belt and it's made a believer out of him, too."

Another AEDC employee and former coworker, Dennis Holt, stopped to help.

He got Conry's wife's cell phone number from Charles and called to tell her of the wreck. Jenny Conry, who is an engineering technician in the Space Threat Assessment Testbed, had also left work for the day but turned around to come back to the scene.

An off-duty AEDC paramedic, John Pigg, also happened upon the scene. He climbed into the truck and stayed until rescue personnel cut Conry out of the truck. Conry said he wanted to climb out, but Pigg said due to safety procedures he had to be removed through the side.

"He went way beyond the call of duty," Conry said. "He stayed in there with me while they cut the top of the truck off and cut the windshield out and took me out the side of the truck on a board."

"I do want to thank all the emergency response, the rescue people, because they did and excellent job, excellent job."

All of Conry's supervisors, including David Eldridge, Keith Marshall, Paul Ore and Mike Ramsey went to the hospital and stayed until they found out his condition, something that made a deep impact on the man.

"Dave came back into the room and made a statement that's really true," Conry said. "Before AEDC began emphasizing seat belt usage, I did not always wear them. They made us get in the habit of wearing seat belts, and so now, naturally, it's just a habit to buckle up.

"The base policy has made a habit of wearing seat belts, and I think they definitely save lives, no doubt about it."

Conry was diagnosed with two broken ribs, a chest bruise and a few other bruises and a minor cut. His injuries kept him out of work for five weeks.

Jenny Conry was also impressed with the outpouring of concern from the base.

"You hear every time somebody retires how this is family," she said. "The people who showed up at the hospital, coworkers, people calling - it just goes to show it really is, it's family. And another thing amazes me in how quickly - it being quitting time - that they (rescue personnel) got out the gate and there in three minutes or so. They do an excellent job; I don't think they get enough praise out here."

Life has returned to normal now for the Conrys, who live on a cattle farm in Summitville. Charles is now back at work. But some things have changed for him and Jenny; both have an even greater appreciation for seat belts and their "family" at AEDC.