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NCC HACSR Team activated for MVC with entrapment - Interstate 495 SB @ Interstate 95 SB

January 24, 2008

On January 24, 2008, at 0527, New Castle County Communications received a call for an Overturned vehicle off the roadway on Interstate 495 S/B @ Interstate 95 S/B. Initial response which included Stations 22 & 20, NCC Paramedic 4A, ALS Supervisor 14, and DSP. Upon arrival of Rescue 20 in the command of Captain AJ Riccio, he requested another Rescue Company (R28) and Special Operations HACSR to assist with removal of patient from the ravine. HACSR Team was notified via Dispatch, Code Messaging, and placed into CAD by NCC Communications @ 0548. At 0553 hours HACSR 3 (T/L J. Wilson) responded, 0554 hour Rescue 11 with 2 HACSR members responded, and at 0556 HACSR 1 with SO 15 responded with 5 HACSR members. Upon arrival of HACSR 3 @ 0556 hours, Team member Jones and Squad Leader Haley, met him for Assignment. HACSR 3, made contact with Incident Commander Joe Day (Chief, 228) for our assignment. Chief Day briefed HACSR 3 on situation. HACSR 3 advised that units are responding. HACSR 3 assigned Team members Jones and Haley to size up the needs for proper patient extrication needs. After size up was complete the primary evacuation route was not an easy passage for rescuers. The embankment was about 40 to 30 degree slope with heavy vegetation and debris. The distance was about 40 yards away and about 40 to 50 feet down. The 1st action plan was use a Tower Ladder as a High Anchor Point directly above the crash scene. The 2nd action plan was to use the staffing on scene to power their way back up the embankment. Chief Day requested Tower Ladder 11 to assist. While the remainder of the team arrived we continued to set up our operation with Team Manager Vispi in command of topside rigging. The rigging consisted of a basic 2-line system, 1 haul line and 1 belay line (540) back to topside anchors off Tower Ladder 11’s outriggers. 2 pulley’s where attached to the bottom of TL 11’s basket with the rescue rope strung through them. The bottom crew under command of Team Leader Matt Netsch was assisting with heavy rescue operations. The Patient was trapped for more than 45 minutes. Once patient was removed, crew placed patient into basket and attached him to the rescue ropes. Team Manager Vispi commanded the crew to start hauling patient near the basket of TL 11. Once near the basket TL 11’s operator slowly retracted the fly section inward towards the roadway. The topside crew slowly adjusted the rope to compensate for inward travel. Once the patient basket reached the roadway, the team detached the rescue rope and placed the patient on an EMS Stretcher for transportation to Christiana Hospital.