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Rescue At 200 Feet
By Jackawa Jackson | November 1, 2010
On the evening of October 30, 2010 at 6:44 pm, units from the Long Beach Fire Department responded to 1521 Harbor Scenic Drive to a report of two persons injured in a large crane. Upon arrival, the crew from USAR 6 (Urban Search and Rescue) discovered a male and female patient in the cab of a large cargo crane suffering from moderate injuries that occurred when the crane came to a sudden stop. Both individuals were unable to climb down to waiting emergency workers and due to the severity of their injuries; Firefighters were required to rig a lowering system, utilizing a hoist line from the crane’s engine room. This process was very challenging when you consider the cab of the crane sits a dizzying 200 feet above the ground. Both patients were lowered to the ground in a steel basket know as a stokes while a firefighter rode the entire way down to maintain constant patient contact and provide stability. Emergency medical care was rendered to both individuals both above ground and once inside the paramedic rescue. Once on the ground, both patients, who appeared to be in their 50’s, were rushed to a local hospital.
Fire fighters practice tirelessly for this type of scenario and have trained numerous times on the very cranes that were involved in this incident. A total of 24 fire personnel responded to this incident. The cause is currently under investigation.
Topics: Incidents | 26 Comments »
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