Risk Management Magazine

While being a good Samaritan and responding to those in need may be instinctual for those of us in uniform, there are dangers and risks we are likely to encounter. I thought I kept myself well prepared to respond to civilian accidents until one day I decided to stop at a vehicle rollover on Interstate 5 in the middle of Portland, Oregon.

When the night finally ended, my buddy asked, “Are you OK to drive?” Despite the amount of alcohol I drank, I thought I felt fine and believed my blood alcohol concentration was under the legal limit. I am embarrassed to say I was wrong, which I found out when I was pulled over by the local police and later arrested for driving under the influence.

I was driving my usual route. Since I didn’t have physical training that morning, my commute was during daylight hours, which I figured would be much safer. I had no idea what danger lay ahead.