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Tree lands on truck
trapping one
At 1210 hours on
Tuesday, July 23rd, during a severe thunderstorm, United Fire and
Montrose EMS were dispatched to Chenango St. in Bridgewater Twp., for a
report of a tree on a car, occupants still in the vehicle with serious
injuries.
At 12:14 hours United
13 (Daly) arrived on scene and established command, with the report to
Susquehanna County Communications of a tree on a vehicle with 1 occupant
in the vehicle with heavy entrapment.
United Rescue 1 and
Engine 2 as well as Montrose MICU responded and promptly arrived on scene
at 1216 hrs. due to the proximity of the incident to their stations. At
this time command also requested Rush Rescue to be placed on stand-by in
quarters for a possible assist. At approx. 1218 hrs United 12 (Hinds) arrived
on scene, command was transferred at this time with United 13 (Daly) assuming
operations. After further assessment of the scene, Communications was advised
by command to have Rush Rescue respond to the scene.
Immediately after
the arrival of Rescue 1 and Engine 2 vehicle stabilization using box cribbing
was started and an attack line was stretched and charged as a precaution.
With the vehicle stabilized removal of the tree was started. A section
of tree approx. 2 ½ ft. in diameter by 4 ft long was cut off the
portion of the tree resting on the engine compartment of the vehicle.
At the same time
United 11 (Sprout) arrived with a backhoe that had been offered by CGE
Environmental Services. A chain was attached around the tree, and the backhoe,
which had an extendable section, was then used to raise and push back the
tree. This allowed access to the driver’s side of the vehicle. Which up
until this time, the remainder of the tree had blocked.
With the tree removed
from the vehicle this allowed for operations to begin on the vehicle. Roof
removal began immediately to allow access to the pt. Only the pt hands
were visible through the area where the windshield had been broken out.
The roof of the vehicle had been pushed down so that the “A” post on the
passenger side was embedded into the passenger seat, the drivers side of
the roof, while being pushed down almost level with the box of the truck
in the center, had stayed somewhat upright enough to leave a small pocket
in which the driver was pinned. The patient remained conscious and talking
to Rescue and EMS staff throughout rescue operations.
The roof was removed
using Hurst “O” cutters and sawzalls. Once the roof was removed an assessment
of the pt showed an obvious head injury but good vitals. ALS care was rendered
to the pt., while an assessment of the entanglement was being done. At
this time it was established that the pt was pinned by the dash, door,
seat, and floor. It was determined the best course would be to attempt
to remove the doors and make relief cuts to allow for the dash to be pushed
or pulled from the pt. Before this could begin it was necessary to cut
away parts of the dash and the hood of the vehicle to gain access to the
pt’s lower extremities to confirm their position.
With much of the
lighter dash material removed rescue personnel were able to begin door
removal. Members from United Rescue 1 used the Hurst 32B spreaders to remove
the door from the driver’s side while crew members form Rush Rescue performed
the same operation on the passenger side with their Amkus spreaders. With
the doors removed the Hurst “O” cutters were used to make relief cuts in
the rocker panels on both sides. When the cut was made on the drivers side,
instead of getting the relief that was expected, the rocker panel actually
started to press downward due to the fatigue of the metal from being struck
so violently from above. The Hurst 32B spreaders were then placed in the
door opening and used to lift upward gaining some relief and starting to
free the pt. On the passenger side the crew from Rush Rescue were able
to place their Amkus ram and shoe into the door opening, and a dash push
was performed. While only gaining a few inches this was enough to allow
the pt to be freed from the vehicle. (While not actually being used, crew
members from United Rescue 1 and Rush Rescue had set up chain come-a-longs
and other necessary accessories for a dash pull in the event enough lift
wasn't gained with the dash push.)
At approx. 1301 hrs
the pt was removed to the ambulance, where he was transported to Wilson
Memorial Trauma Center by ground. Air transport had been requested immediately
after command had been established, but due to weather was unavailable.
Once equipment had
been replaced on the apparatus, and the investigation completed by Pennsylvania
State Police, the vehicle was released to the towing company. Command was
terminated at this time and all units were released in service.
It was determined
during the investigation, that the portion of the tree that was on the
vehicle had broken off the main portion of the tree approx.
35 feet in the air. While falling the tree had gotten tangled in some wires
causing it to flip over and then come down onto the vehicle as it was traveling
the roadway. It was estimated by a forest industry worker, that the portion
of tree striking the vehicle weighed in excess of 1 ton.
A special thanks
to CGE Enviromental Services on the use of their back hoe and to Asst.
Chief Brian Young of the Silver Lake Fire Co., who is a tree cutter by
trade, for coming and assisting us with removal of the tree from the vehicle
to perform the rescue.
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