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| FF. A. J. Durham | FF Jeff Kraatz | FF Jimmy Hill | ||
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LVFC Members on the Gleedsville Rescue |
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At approximately 0410 hours on Tuesday September 23, 2003 Engine Company 1 and Ambulance 13 were dispatched to a possible water rescue at the intersection of Sycolin Road and Shreve Mill Road. Wagon 6 was filling station 20 and responded to the call along with Brush 1 and Rescue 13-1. En-route to the call the location was changed to the Sycolin Creek Bridge on Gleedsville Road. Wagon 6 became committed to traveling down Evergreen Mills Road. Brush 1 requested an alternate channel for rescue operations. Brush 1 arrived on the scene approximately ten minutes after the call was dispatched and advised the Emergency Communications Center that the occupant of the vehicle was not visible and the vehicle was surrounded by very rapidly moving water. The vehicle was only identifiable by its headlights due to trees and the swift water surrounding it.
Brush 1 established "Gleedsville Road Command" with LVFC Firefighter A. J. Durham as incident commander. Command immediately requested a swift water rescue team and an additional engine company. Command advised Wagon 6 to attempt to access the scene from the south to gain better access to the victim. Rescue Engine 6, Utility 13, and Boat 13 were dispatched to the scene. With smooth inter-company cooperation, rescue logistics were prepared by LCFR Lieutenant/Paramedic James Harvey, LVFC Firefighter Jeff Kraatz, and LVFC Firefighter Jimmy Hill. The radio designation of "Water Rescue Group" was assigned and Firefighter Hill took charge of relaying the progress of the rescue to command.
The boat could not be used because of the swift current and debris in the water. Therefore, an alternate method of rescue was designed. Firefighter Kraatz's knowledge of water rescue proved to be a huge asset. The swift water rescue team determined that the best course of action would be to send a team of three, anchored to Utility 13, across the bridge to access the patient. Before the rescue attempt was made, command needed to ensure that the victim was still with the vehicle and had not been swept downstream. Utility 13's public address system was used to communicate with the victim and with a bystander on the opposite side of the bridge; the victim flashed his vehicle's headlights at command's request to verify his location. The incident commander was able to reassure the victim that the rescue team was on their way to him and to hold tight. The incident commander's cell phone number was relayed to the bystander on the other side of the bridge. The bystander was able to communicate a better location and status of the victim to LCVRS EMT-Intermediate Patty Russell who immediately relayed the messages to the incident commander.
The team of three rescuers (Lt. Harvey, Firefighter Kraatz, and Firefighter Hill) anchored to Utility 13 and began to cross the flooded bridge. Fortunately, the current did not offer a huge amount of resistance to the rescuers. A few minutes into the operation it was determined that the rope used would be too short, therefore a better anchor point closer to the victim was quickly secured. This allowed the rescuers easier access to the victim. The victim was given a life jacket and the rescuers were able to extricate him from the flooded vehicle and transport him to the south side of the bridge. The victim was evaluated by Lt. Harvey and released to his wife to be transported home in a privately owned vehicle. The rescuers made their way back across the bridge to their equipment's location.
During the rescue operations, Rescue Engine 6's crew was established by command as the alternate water rescue team. The rescue engine's crew made the necessary preparations and was able to assemble Boat 13's line gun in the event an additional line was needed for the rescue. Wagon 6 was unable to access the scene from the south due to other flooded roadways but made a valiant effort. The operations were ended successfully at 0500 hours and all units returned to service.
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