Officer

California Highway Patrol

7/26/2007

Special Act Award (Gold)

On July 26, 2007, at approximately 2:30 p.m., employees of Scaled Composites, an aerospace development company at Mojave Air and Space Port, were working near two large tanks of nitrous oxide gas when one of the carbon fiber tanks exploded. CHP Sergeants Jeffrey Baird and Mark McCormack along with Officers Jack Borne, Jesse Borne, Stephen Hunsaker, Byron Jobe, Jeffrey Nousch and Roberta Record responded to the scene. The toxic gas fumes and carbon fiber particles from the explosion posed a respiratory hazard. The second tank, which contained 10,000 pounds of nitrous oxide gas, was also damaged and in danger of exploding. Because of the significant hazard and seriousness of the victims’ injuries, the first responders could not wait for a hazardous material team, so CHP personnel entered and rendered aid to the victims. They helped place two victims onto backboards, and carried them to a waiting life flight helicopter; two other victims were placed in ambulances and triaged at a safe zone. CHP personnel remained on site evacuating the remaining Mojave Air and Space Port employees to a safe area. Due to the heroic efforts of these men and women, three of the four victims were successfully rescued and lived.