An unexpected turn while branding heifers left a Herreid rancher bleeding and numb. His grandson’s actions to stop the bleed and the quick response from EMS saved his life.
#EMSHeroesHighlights #RuralEMS #FirstResponders #EMSSavesLives
Submitted by: Dale Alfred Deibert – Herreid, SD
The day of my accident was June 1, 2025. My two teenage grandsons were helping with branding heifers at the ranch. A heifer came back in the chute, agitated.
She pinned me between the gate bar and the corner post, ripping the bar through my left side back and forth as her head by that time was stuck between the bars. My grandsons were able to drag me safely out of the corrals and realized I had a hole in my left side. I was numb. Blood was gushing, the amount was horrific. Puddles of it.
My grandson acted quickly. He tore his shirt off and shoved it deep into the cavity, holding pressure to minimize the amount of bleeding where my artery had been nicked. 911 was called and EMS was onsite within 15 minutes.
I am blessed to live in a community where individuals volunteer their time to save lives. Without the quick responses from these individuals, I know I would have bled out and died right there on the ranch. Time is what saved my life. The more volunteers and stations we have, the more people that can be saved. Humbled. I received such compassionate care from people who are within my local small community – business owners, farmers, ranchers, teachers, grocery store clerks. All of them stopped what they were doing that day to go on this call. All volunteers.
Sharing my story, I hope to inspire increased state funding and training to all EMS volunteers and to be labeled as ESSENTIAL on all platforms. Whether it be gear, training, funding towards upgrades, this system needs to continue to be accessible in all rural areas.
@South Dakota EMS Association @SDAA
