Safety Inspector Uses Instinct and Training to Rescue Man from Deadly Predicament

The moans of a badly injured man barely rose above the wind, fortunately Kenneth Dotson was listening.

The twisting depths of Napa County's Sage Canyon are enough to block out mobile phone and even two-way radio reception.

The thick brush and steep, canyon terrain can even reduce the moans of an injured man to a whisper, barely audible above the wind.

Fortunately for one man who was the victim of a hit-and-run driver in the remote canyon, safety inspector Kenneth Dotson is practiced at listening to what the surroundings are telling him, even when the clues are subtle.

"The little stuff always counts because it can add up to a big thing, said Dotson, a safety inspector for AERI, a PG&E vegetation contractor based in Sacramento. "Remain vigilant."

Dotson was reminded of the importance of that lesson on the afternoon of Nov. 22 when he stopped for a quick break along Sage Canyon Road while driving between jobs.

Dotson, who is also an EMT/firefighter in Solano County, observed a bicycle that appeared to have been discarded at the side of the road.

While outside his truck he thought he heard some unusual noises that were too faint to identify or even discern between real or imagined.

But he turned went back to the truck and turned down the radio to listen more closely.

"Everything was off, I was listening for it and didn't hear it," Dotson said. "I thought my mind was playing tricks on me."

He decided to get back into the truck and move on when he heard the noise again and clearly enough to identify it as a quiet moan.

The sound sent him into what he called "investigation mode" to find the source. And that's when he looked off the road and down the steep embankment beyond the damaged bicycle.

"All of a sudden I saw a guy, deep down off the side of the road on a rock," Dotson said.

The man was Joe Finzel, a retired junior college professor from St. Helena. Finzel, whose wife, Carol, describes as a "bicycle workout fanatic" regularly rides in the area alone or with friends.

He'd left home that morning around 6:30 a.m. according to Carol and by the time Dotson found him was already about three hours late to return.

Although Finzel doesn't remember the collision that sent him down the embankment, he knew he was in trouble. While struggling to stay alive and alert on the rock, he heard music from the radio in Dotson's truck and used as much remaining strength as he could to shout.

With no way to call for help, Dotson had to evaluate the situation and make a plan. It started by establishing a way to communicate.

Dotson first yelled down and verified Finzel could hear him, even if he couldn't shout back. He established Finzel could use his hands and arms which meant he could respond with a thumbs up or thumbs down to yes and no questions and follow instructions.

Deciding it would be unsafe and ineffective to climb down the embankment alone to retrieve Finzel, Dotson turned on the warning beacon on his truck and positioned the vehicle at the edge of the road.

Then he fashioned a loop with the end of a rope and threw it down the slope for Finzel to place below his arms and around his torso.

"Once he did that, I told him it is going to hurt but I was going to save him," Dotson said.

Dotson ran the rope through the hitch on the back of the truck and positioned himself at an angle for mechanical advantage, then slowly pulled Finzel to the road grade.

Despite excruciating pain, broken bones and blood loss, Finzel was able hold onto the rope as Dotson slowly pulled him up.

Once Finzel reached the road, Dotson could tell he had a broken femur and badly injured ankle. And because Dotson carries emergency medical gear in his truck, he was able to put the man in a c-collar and provide oxygen.

He also used some wooden stakes that were nearby along the road and some medical tape to make a splint for the man's injured leg.

Then he carefully lifted Finzel into the back of his truck and secured him into place for transport. Dotson originally thought he would drive until they found mobile phone reception then call for help.

Along the way, however, they came to a rural fire station. There, he was able to get help getting Finzel onto a backboard. They also provided an IV and medication to keep him calm and alert and call for further transport.

After the transport arrived, Dotson took California Highway Patrol troopers to the site of the damaged bike.

Later, Dotson received a text of gratitude from Carol, along with a photo of Finzel recovering in a hospital bed.

"If it wasn't for you there would be no telling where my husband would be today," she wrote. "Thank you so, so, so much for saving his life."

Dotson, who still works as an EMT firefighter in addition to his work as a safety inspector, said he benefitted from his experience helping people who have endured everything from car accidents to gunshot wounds.

He said being present and able to help was thanks enough.

"I'm grateful to have experienced it," Dotson said. "I just believe in going home at the end of the day, safe and sound."

He also said even people who aren't medical professionals can help each other be safe. That includes following safety protocols for themselves and speaking up to remind others to do the same.

Those actions alone can prevent situations that require medical assistance. And when it's impossible or too late to prevent an accident, people can help by always being able to describe their location and remaining calm.

"Pay attention to the last thing you saw, landmark, mile marker," he said. "Relax, be patient, don't panic. People panicking causes a lot of commotion, chaos and even death."

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.