James K. Styner
Encyclopedia
James K Styner, MD, FACS
is an orthopaedic surgeon, practicing in Lawndale, California. He was instrumental in the development of the Advanced Trauma Life Support
(ATLS) program.
, California
to return home to Lincoln, Nebraska
after attending a wedding. His wife, Charlene (32) and four children Christopher (10), Richard (8), Randal (7) and Kimberly (3). Styner piloted a 6-seat Beach Barron twin. They flew east, and landed in New Mexico
to refuel. They continued through Texas
, Oklahoma
, and Kansas. In Nebraska, they intercepted a low, thin cloud layer. Styner stayed below the clouds. At five hours into the flight he became disoriented and lost altitude. They flew over a pond and into a row of trees at 168 miles per hour. Mrs. Styner was ejected from the airplane and killed instantly. Kimberly, Richard and Randal were unconscious from head injuries. Styner had fractured ribs and wounds to his head and face and a zygomatic fracture. His son Christopher had a fracture to the right forearm and a severe laceration to the right hand. The two of them were able to evacuate the unconscious children from the aircraft and Styner went to a nearby road and flagged down a car, which brought them to a local hospital a few miles south. The doctors at the hospital had little training in the management of serious trauma and Styner was particularly concerned that they did not make any attempt to protect the injured children's cervical spines. He called his partner Bruce Miller and they were evacuated by helicopter to Lincoln General Hospital.
He got together with several of his colleagues and in 1978 in Auburn, Nebraska
the prototype Advanced Trauma Life Support course was held.
FACS
FACS may refer to:* Facial Action Coding System, a procedure to systematically describe human facial expressions.* Fluorescence-activated cell sorting, a biological technique used in flow cytometry.* Family and consumer science...
is an orthopaedic surgeon, practicing in Lawndale, California. He was instrumental in the development of the Advanced Trauma Life Support
Advanced Trauma Life Support
Advanced Trauma Life Support is a training program for medical doctors in the management of acute trauma cases, developed by the American College of Surgeons. Similar programs exist for nurses and paramedics...
(ATLS) program.
Tragedy
On February 17, 1976, Styner was flying from Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to return home to Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
after attending a wedding. His wife, Charlene (32) and four children Christopher (10), Richard (8), Randal (7) and Kimberly (3). Styner piloted a 6-seat Beach Barron twin. They flew east, and landed in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
to refuel. They continued through Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and Kansas. In Nebraska, they intercepted a low, thin cloud layer. Styner stayed below the clouds. At five hours into the flight he became disoriented and lost altitude. They flew over a pond and into a row of trees at 168 miles per hour. Mrs. Styner was ejected from the airplane and killed instantly. Kimberly, Richard and Randal were unconscious from head injuries. Styner had fractured ribs and wounds to his head and face and a zygomatic fracture. His son Christopher had a fracture to the right forearm and a severe laceration to the right hand. The two of them were able to evacuate the unconscious children from the aircraft and Styner went to a nearby road and flagged down a car, which brought them to a local hospital a few miles south. The doctors at the hospital had little training in the management of serious trauma and Styner was particularly concerned that they did not make any attempt to protect the injured children's cervical spines. He called his partner Bruce Miller and they were evacuated by helicopter to Lincoln General Hospital.
Advanced Trauma Life Support course
Styner was very concerned at the lack of a system for treating trauma in the rural setting. He said later
"When I can provide better care in the field with limited resources than my children and I received at the primary facility, there is something wrong with the system and the system has to be changed."
He got together with several of his colleagues and in 1978 in Auburn, Nebraska
Auburn, Nebraska
Auburn is a city in Nemaha County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 3,350 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Nemaha County. The City of Auburn is actually an incorporation of two towns. Calvert and Sheridan combined to form Auburn in 1882, in part to have the voting power to...
the prototype Advanced Trauma Life Support course was held.