LAKE CITY, PA — When the Lake City Fire Company in northwestern Pennsylvania purchased their new All Terrain ResQ Trailer in March 2008, they knew it would be a useful addition to their Kawasaki Trans4X4 Mule off-road rescue vehicle. But, no one figured on 7 dispatches for off-road response in their area, including: 3 patient transports, 2 cancels, 1 special event stand-by, and 1 rescue turned recovery in just nine months with this equipment. It was Lake City FC’s most recent rescue dispatch that turned into a recovery mission.
Most of us were safe and warm at home enjoying the Thanksgiving Day parades on TV the morning of November 27, 2008, at 10:00 AM. About that time, Lake City FC units were dispatched to reports of “A man down near the Elk Creek tubes.” The tubes are large concrete and steel 30-Ft. diameter culverts that allow the waters of Elk Creek to flow under an elevated earthen railroad trestle as they flow north into Lake Erie. Squad 577, Rescue 579, West County Paramedics, and Utility 566 with the Mule and ResQ trailer responded to the call.
Staging was an area off North Creek Road near the railroad tracks about a quarter mile southeast of the scene. While the first in rescue crew made its’ way to the trestle and down the embankment, Utility 566 unloaded the Mule and Res-Q Trailer. LCFC rescue personnel found the patient on the bank inside one of the tubes with no signs of life. As such, the rescue was reclassified a recovery mission. Considering the remote location, LCFC rescue personnel prepared for a difficult removal.
LCFC’s second in crew donned water rescue PPE and set up a rapid deployment craft (RDC), with a basket stretcher, for transport to the creek by the Mule and Res-Q trailer. A 3 member RDC crew entered the icy waters and made their way to the victim inside the culvert. They loaded and secured the victim in the basket stretcher, then loaded the stretcher onto the RDC for transport downstream where the Mule and ResQ trailer had staged. Once on shore, the RDC crew transferred the basket stretcher with victim to the ResQ trailer. Then, the four passenger Mule transported the RDC and crew, the victim, and a Paramedic back to the staging area.
The 25 member “all volunteer” Lake City Fire Company is located on the Pennsylvania shore of Lake Erie. These dedicated all volunteer Fire-Rescue and EMS professionals donate their time to train and respond, year round, to missions like this. To learn more about the Lake City Fire Company, or to see more pictures, and reports of other LCFC incidents click on this link: Lake City Fire Company’s website and incidents page.
For more information about ‘All Terrain Res-Q Trailers’ visit http://www.OffRoadRescue.com.