Chapter 93: Chapter 93 - 0091: A Storm is Brewing

“Send me your license plate number, along with a GPS location. Check if there is any road sign near you. If there is, take a picture of it and send it to me. We will contact the traffic police to find you.” Director Miao spoke urgently.

“Let me check!” Tian Yuan looked outside, there was a road sign ahead, “500 meters ahead, Shipo exit.”

Perfect. Tian Yuan quickly reported, “We are 500 meters away from the Shipo exit!”

“Good, good, perfect. We will get the traffic police to dispatch a car to pick you up.” Director Miao’s tone was excited.

But the traffic police won’t do, there were hardly any cars on the emergency lane, but some impatient drivers have begun using it, so now it is also blocked. However, it is possible to walk to the exit along the highway and find a car near the exit to go to Shipo People’s Hospital.

“Director Miao, the emergency lane is blocked, traffic police’s vehicle can’t get through. We can walk to the Shipo highway exit and let the traffic police arrange a car near the exit to take us there, is that okay?” Tian Yuan made a suggestion to Director Miao based on the current situation, after all, Director Miao was not aware of the on-site conditions.

“Okay! Stay in touch.” After hanging up, Director Miao immediately reported to President Dong and sought help from the traffic police.

Tian Yuan checked his phone’s battery, it was quite full and he also had a power bank in his bag. It shouldn’t be a problem. At critical moments, a phone was a strategic resource.

He quickly stood up, held onto the seat, and announced loudly: “There’s been a traffic accident ahead. Shipo People’s Hospital is asking for our help. They need us for an urgent rescue operation for a thoracoabdominal tree-penetrating injury. Anyone from orthopedics or the operating room should go. Director Wang of Urological Surgery, you pick two more individuals. We need three of you to assist, the rest will go to Nanqiao County after the traffic eases.”

Upon hearing this, the people in the car immediately started stirring. Someone from Gynecology raised a hand: “What about us? Director Tian, isn’t this discrimination? In case the injured person was a pregnant woman, we can provide greater contributions and assess the surgery.”

“The patient right now has a thoracoabdominal penetrating injury. Look at this traffic jam, it’s unbearably congested and we can’t send too many people over with the present circumstances. We don’t even know how to get these folks there yet. I’d like you all to join too, but the people at Nanqiao County are waiting for us. All these beautiful ladies can represent the youthful and impressive image of our hospital by going to Nanqiao County.” Director Tian comforted them.

The phone vibrated again. It was Director Miao: “Professor Tian, we just received news that there are more than one casualties. The one with the thoracoabdominal penetrating injury is just the most severe one. There are a total of eight severely injured patients that need to be sent to our hospital.”

“Old Miao, currently we have fifty-four people in the car, all doctors and nurses. We can all go over to assist the emergency rescue.” Tian Yuan hurriedly replied.

“That’s great, thanks for your hard work. Hurry over to the Shipo exit and wait, we have already called the traffic police to find you.” Director Miao sounded excited.

“We just got news, there are eight critically injured patients. Everyone will go!” Tian Yuan announced, causing the colleagues in Gynecology Department to immediately burst with excitement.

Tian Yuan instructed the driver: “We are all getting off to aid at Shipo People’s Hospital. You can drive directly to Shipo People’s Hospital after we get off. I will communicate with those at Nanqiao. Be careful.”

“Yes, you all take care too. I’ll call you once I reach Shipo.” The driver replied.

“Everyone get off in an orderly fashion, don’t crowd. Once you’re off the bus, walk along the guardrail and be careful. Zhang Lin and Little Five, you two go first, lead the way.” Tian Yuan arranged.

Zhang Lin and Little Five immediately got off the bus. From their observation, the cars behind also seemed to be stuck in traffic, so it should be safe. Although it was a traffic jam, they were still on the highway and safety came first.

The fifty or so people all got off at once. The scale of the group attracted the attention of people nearby. Director Tian led everyone along the guardrail and moved forward.

“Give me your bag, I promise I won’t steal your snacks. Be careful.” Yang Ping spoke to Xiao Su.

Xiao Su took off her bag and handed it to Yang Ping: “You be careful too.”

The group arrived at the Shipo highway exit after a 500-meter walk.

The exit ramp was already blocked. The cars near the ramp all wanted to exit to take a detour and ended up blocking the exit even more.

The lines of cars in front and behind were so long that there was no end in sight, stretching into the unseen distance.

Director Tian shielded his eyes from the sun as he surveyed the environment: “Everyone, wait here. I’m going to contact Director Miao. Be careful.”

“Fatty, your jacket is red on the inside, take it off and turn it inside out. We will use it to signal later.” Yang Ping reminded Fatty. Tian Yuan listened and thought it was a good idea: “Fatty, hurry up. You’re going to be our signal.”

Fatty quickly took off his jacket, turned it inside out to present the red side, and held it up on a selfie stick passed to him by a colleague in Gynecology.

“Director Miao, we have gotten off the bus and are now at the exit of the Shipo highway ramp. Yes, that’s right, we are here, with fifty-four people. Yes, we are holding up a red jacket. Good, we will wait here.” Tian Yuan called and told Director Miao about their location.

“The traffic police will come find us soon. Fatty, hold up the red jacket higher.” Director Tian said.

He was very concerned about the injured, he didn’t know what their condition was. Time was life, every second counted, more seconds meant more hope of survival.

Finally, a traffic police officer wearing a fluorescent vest and holding a walkie-talkie appeared.

He was also walking. He looked around as many people had gotten off their vehicles to get some air. Around the exit alone, there were several groups of people.

Suddenly, he noticed the red jacket being waved around from a distance and quickly made his way through the gaps between cars.

The traffic police officer’s skin was deeply tanned, and his voice was hoarse. He waved over as he approached and said, “Hello, are you Professor Tian from the provincial capital?”

Tian Yuan quickly shook his hand: “Yes, I’m Tian Yuan. Shipo People’s Hospital called for our urgent support.”

“Finally found you all. You’ve had a tough journey, please come with me. After the ramp is the toll station; we have a car waiting for you beyond the toll station. Can I take your bags?” The traffic police officer was very genial, offering to carry his nearest female colleague’s bag.

Another traffic police officer also came over. He was younger. The first officer called to him: “Quickly, help carry the bags.”

The traffic jam made it hard to move, everyone had to squeeze through the gaps between cars. Having previously accompanied emergency vehicles to treat patients suffering from ruptured spleens and livers, Yang Ping was experienced in this.

Luckily, the traffic was congested at the ramp junction. Everyone walked along the ramp and saw the Shipo Toll Station.

All the cars on the ramp were blocked here, but it was noticeably more open after the toll station, at least all of them were moving slowly.

Across the toll station’s temporary parking area, a tour bus was waiting.

“That’s the bus we’ve arranged for you, to take you directly to Shipo People’s Hospital. It’ll be quick, you can get there in half an hour.”

Director Tian led everyone to start running. Fatty, struggling a bit, followed behind. One of the female colleagues from the gynecology department, who wore high heels, forgot to take her sports shoes out of her suitcase. She chose to take off her heels and run in her socks.

At this point, it was noticeably better than when they first set off. There was no need to maintain order, no one was dragging their pace, and everyone got on the bus according to their original seating arrangement, no one took the wrong seat. The colleague who ran in socks had a pained expression on her face, but didn’t utter a sound and didn’t fall behind.

“We are on the traffic police’s car, we’ll be there soon.” Tian Yuan kept in touch with Director Miao.

At that moment, Director Miao was waiting at Shipo People’s Hospital’s Emergency Department, the ambulance had yet to arrive.

“Old Miao, there are a total of eight critically injured patients on the way. County Chief Wu will arrive shortly. How’s it going, where is Professor Tian and his group?” President Dong was personally directing the operation in the Emergency Department, never putting down his phone.

The Shipo People’s Hospital was the most technically proficient in the area, thus it was impossible to send patients who were involved in such a large traffic accident nearby to or temporarily requisition staff from another place. Even the Regional Central Hospital was three hours away from here via highway, and its capability was not much different from Shipo’s.

Hence, all the pressure for emergency services was on Shipo People’s Hospital. It had been a long time since Shipo handled such a large-scale incident. Director Miao and President Dong stood at the entrance of the Emergency Department, feeling the surge of energy they used to have when they were younger.

The county government’s Red Flag sedan skidded to a halt at the entrance of the Emergency Department. They didn’t care about formalities or making an entrance anymore. County Chief Wu himself pushed the car door open and exited. It took at least two seconds before the secretary followed suit with his bag.

“County Chief Wu, all hospital medical staff is on standby!” President Dong greeted him.

County Chief Wu firmly shook his hand: “Dong Shuquan! Listen, this is a tough battle. We must focus all of our resources on winning it. Anyone who does not follow orders will be punished on the spot.”

“Emergency and outpatient services have all been suspended, patients have been redirected to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.” President Dong led County Chief Wu inside.

“Good, focus the resources. How about the blood bank?” County Chief Wu asked.

“No problem.”

“Where is the medical team from the provincial capital now?”

“They’re on the traffic police’s vehicle, they’ll arrive within half an hour. There are more than fifty people, including orthopedists, urologists, and gynecologists.”

“Excellent!”

County Chief Wu’s murky eyes sparkled radiantly.

“The minor injuries have been diverted to several friend counties that we have already contacted. The seriously injured will all be transferred here, you have the best skill and equipment. Stand your ground, you must hold on even if you can’t.”

County Chief Wu had climbed up from the grassroots level, he wasn’t polished.

The director’s office of the Emergency Department became the temporary command centre.

After that, black sedans one after another halted in front of the Emergency Department.

Officials from the Health Bureau, the Road Transport Bureau, the Public Security Bureau, the Blood Bank all gathered, one department director after another.

If a major traffic accident was mishandled, heads would roll.

Rapid honking approached closer and closer.

The first ambulance appeared at the entrance of the Emergency Department.