Five People Critically Injured in Forest Grove Crash (PHOTOS)

"Crews were able to get much needed help to the scene sooner because Reach Air was conducting a training session utilizing their helicopter to educate Forest Grove Firefighters on air ambulance safety operations." - Matt Johnston with Forest Grove Fire & Rescue

(FOREST GROVE, Ore.) - Firefighters from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and Cornelius Fire Department were called to the scene of a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of NW Verboort Road and NW Porter Road tonight.

Matt Johnston, a Fire Inspector with Forest Grove Fire & Rescue says that when firefighters arrived, they found a Ford station wagon that had been hit by a Jeep SUV, off of the road into a line of trees.

"Inside the car were two adult occupants that were pinned in and had to be extrication with 'Jaws of Life' rescue tools, there was also two children that had been taken out of the vehicle prior to firefighters arriving," Johnston said.

"The two children were taken to local trauma system hospitals by Metro West Ambulance. The other two occupants were airlifted to trauma system hospitals."

Johnston says one was transported by Life Flight and the other was transported by Reach Air Medical Services.

A fifth patient, who was in the Jeep SUV, was also transported to a trauma center by ground ambulance. All patients were critical when they departed the scene en route to trauma hospitals in Portland, Johnston said.

"Crews were able to get much needed help to the scene sooner because Reach Air was conducting a training session utilizing their helicopter to educate Forest Grove Firefighters on air ambulance safety operations."