RV Accident

[Jerry Winchester]

Tomorrow I will attend the funeral of one of my long time friends here in Houston. He died tragically on Monday after falling off of his RV on Saturday. He was supposed to travel with me tomorrow to my grandmother's 95th birthday celebration. It will be a somber trip heading north in my bus after leaving his funeral.

This is the second guy I have personally known that died from injuries sustained while working on an RV. Most of you won't remember Jim Scoggins, a POG member who was killed working under his bus a few years back. Great guy, tragic end.

I suppose my point is, we don't think about an RV having the opportunity to kill you. While I tend to focus on the hazards presented when driving the coach, if you fall 12' and hit your head, you will most likely die. Bus falls down on top of you; dead. Grab the wrong wire and you'll wish you were dead.

Most of you who know me know I am not a handwringer or bed wetter. Our company deals with some of the most horrific disasters you can imagine. And to the outside observer it looks very dangerous. But to our team, we manage the risks so well that we have one of the lowest incident rates for accidents in the energy industry - not just the well control industry.

Recently my mother-in-law fell and horribly broke her leg so badly she can barely walk after 8 months of rehab. Fell off a ladder trying to trim a tree branch. I told her that if you are old enough to draw Social Security, you are too old to be on the top of a ladder unsupervised in the back yard. Know why she fell? She was climbing down the ladder wearing a pair of flip flops. The tree didn't do her in, nor was it the ladder. It was a goofy pair of $2 flip flops she bought at Wal Mart.

[Jamie Bradford]

That is terrible about your friend Jerry.

You make a very good point though : Is it worth saving $ 10 to potentially hurt yourself?? I think not! There are some jobs better left to those who have the proper expertise and equipment.

Jamie

[wayne]

Jerry, we are so sorry to hear about your friend. We will keep you and your friend in our thoughts.

[phorner]

Jerry,

I am so sorry to hear about your friend. You are no alarmist and your comments regarding safety are not taken lightly.

Although not directly RV related, one of our owners here at the Outdoor Resorts suffered a massive stroke after arriving back home in North Carolina for the summer season. You just never know what is just around the corner.

Cherish every day....

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Jerry,
Ed and I are so sorry to hear this. Losing a friend, and especially one that is so cherished for so long is heartbreaking! We always think and say, "Why them?". Please know that we are thinking of you at this time.
And....., give your grandmother a big hug from us on her Birthday Celebration of 95 years. God Bless her!!!

I will share my experience just a little here. I had a global heart attack 8 years ago and happen to be in the hospital with my back when it happened. They coded me and brought me back. I was air-vacd to Miami via chopper and under went heart surgery. The doctors said that my heart was exploded. I live today for today!!! Life could end with us at any moment, so enjoy each second of it!!! I am the Poster Child on living for today!

Our Prayers will be with you tomorrow.
Sandy

[Pete]

Jerry, so sorry to hear of your loss. Be careful on your trip, each day is precious, and that's from an old guy who draws Social Security.

[bonhall41]

Jerry,
We're so sorry to hear of your friend's accident. Perhaps this will remind all of us to be a little more careful. In the meantime, we'll all be thinking of you tomorrow. On the other hand, we're so happy that your grandmother will be celebrating 95 years this weekend. Hope you all enjoy the celebration.
Bonnie

[sawdust_128]

I am so sorry Jerry. You, yours and your friend's will all be remebered in the prayers. Your friend was lucky to have you as a friend in life.

When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. ~Author Unknown

[garyde]

Hi Jerry. My condolences to your freinds family. It's a dangerous deal getting up on these Coaches. I often have felt its more dangerous to work on my coach than it is to drive down the road, no matter what speed. How many posts have we read about injuries occuring while working on the Coach. My previous coach, I walked around the back corner and ran into the bottom of the bedroom slide, knocked me out for a minute and opened up my scalp. Everyone, please think twice before proceeding with work on and around your coach.

[BrianE]

JDUB, Thanks for sharing and many thanks for the wake up call. When a tragedy like this happens it's especially sad because these wonderful machines are almost always a source of pride and happiness. Like the man said about airplanes........"They are not inherently dangerous however like the sea, they are terribly unforgiving of inattention, incapacity, or neglect."

Please be careful dear friends.

[parksincpp]

Jerry, so sorry for your loss. Hang in there tommorow. Funerals are always difficult to go to, and more so when it's someone you cherished. You will be in our prayers.

[Reagan Sirmons]

JDUB,
Thank you for taking the time to remind us to be careful.
Perhaps through this experience you have endured and shared with us, others will certainly be more observant and careful.
I know that it has caused me to reconsider some of the things I have been doing.
Standing on the top of an 8 foot ladder just to get that last "dirt" off somehow doesn't seem as important.
Reagan

[BUSTER]

JDUB

So sorry to hear about your loss. I agree with Reagan, maybe some good can come from it by making us all aware of how dangerous falling from any height is whether a ladder or the roof of the coach. I and all who read your post will be more careful.
Mike

[jack14r]

Jerry,That is so sad,this is a real tragedy.My partner fell of a ladder last year and was very lucky and only broke his heel.If I use a ladder I make sure it is as good as I can buy,the cheap ones are not for us at this age.

[chtree]

Jerry,

Our condolences what a tragic loss.

Chris

[Will Garner]

Jerry,

Sorry to hear of your loss. I lost a close friend last June so I know the pain you are feeling right now. Unfortunately for me I was out of NC at the time and did not find out about it until his funeral was long since over. I still grieve for him and think of him often and of all the things we were able to do together while he was here with us. Cherish your memories for they are truly golden.

[merle&louise]

Jerry,

We would like to extend our deepest condolences. I had a friend who is my age, physically fit, and very coordinated who fell off of a 3' ladder. His feet got tangled up in the ladder, and he fell backwards. He was in the hospital for 2 months and took another year to fully recuperate. My point is, height is not always a factor.

[mike kerley]

Jerry, Sorry to hear about your friend. Our condolences to your freinds family and to you. Life is so uncertain, its tough to know when your "just living it" and when your "threatning it".

[Coloradobus]

Sorry to hear about your friend. I no longer use a ladder when bus washing. Bought a long handle brush after falling off the ladder several years ago.
We just completed a 2100 mile trip with Chris' 83 year old mother, luckliy she did just fine. But now our hearts go out to the tornado victims in Kentucky, and Missouri and other states, where we travelled but evaded the bad weather.