Rescue Ends in Tragedy

[Resc10]

On Sunday 5/22, Washington Cnty. MD. Engine Co. 27 (Longmeadow V.F.D.), Rescue Squad 75 and Medic 75 (Community Rescue Service), were dispatched to a reported high angle rescue just east of Hagerstown in the Old Forge Rd. area. The rescue squad at the time was enroute to a MVA west of the city. Rescue Squad 10 (Funkstown Fire) was special called to fill the assignment. As apparatus marked up, it became apparent that a major incident was in progress. At this time Maryland State Police "Trooper 3" was added to the assignment. Rescue Squad 75 diverted from the MVA to respond to the incident. Duty 27 arrived to be confronted with a working rescue scenario, well off the roadway and that vehicle may or may not be able to gain access. The neighborhood in question is a mostly residential area with some commercial, and heavy industry sites mixed in. The terrain is gentle rolling hills. This later fact was responsible for a large amount of confusion at the incident scene, and with Fire and Rescue Comm. center. Rescue Squad 75 arrived, and was followed shortly there after by a four wheel drive support unit from sta. 75. After a short discussion with command, it was decided that two teams would load equipment up in to 4x4 units as they arrived, to be transported to the operations area. Rescue Squad 75 became the rescue operations sector. As several units began to converge on the site, It was then that units became aware that the incident had been in progress for approximately 1 1/2 hours prior to the first arriving unit, the victim was in fact a 6 year old child and had reportedly fell into an operational quarry that was known to be 300' deep from the rim. This painted a grim picture for the approaching operations members, as even if a rescue were to be needed, several other units were going to be needed for the rope to pull it off. Frustration was now beginning to take a toll on members, as units were having a very difficult time approaching the area. access was across several fields and small groves of trees. Darkness was beginning to settle in, as was a storm front. As units arrived at the top of the quarry, it was then discovered that the incident, was in fact off of a well travelled roadway several miles from the initial address, and well away from the command area. The correct address; Security Rd, was in fact in a neighborhood less than 1/2 mile from Rescue Squad 75s' quarters. It took units approximately another 15 to 20 mins. to make the drive down into the massive quarry (approx. 1 mile in length, 300' deep, and 1/2 mile across). Trooper 3, and unit 750 arrived simultaneously only to find the victim at the bottom of a 150' cliff that another youngster directed them to. The young victim was being cradeled in the arms of his father on the ground. The father had apparently been trying to resuscitate the child for approx. 1 hour at this point. Unfortunately the child had obvious injuries that were incompatible with life. The recovery of the victim was made in the middle of a downpour. Special attention was given to the father who at this point was unable to fully comprehend the scope of what had happened. The father and his dead child were transported to the trauma center, in order to allow trained crisis intervention personnel deal with the needs of the family. Roll Call of responding apparatus; E-271, unit 270, and Special Unit 27 (Longmeadow Fire) Rescue Squad 75, Unit 750, PM-753, and PM-752 (Community Rescue Service Hag.)Rescue Squad 10 (Funkstown Fire) Special Unit 9, Brush 9 (Leitersburg Fire) Unit 201, Car 20 (Washinton County Special Operations Team) Trooper 3 (Maryland State Police Aviation) and Washington County Sheriffs Dept.

[Hammond, IN, USA]

This was really sad that the boy died due unavoidable circumstances. This life could be saved if the rope rescue technicians had reached on time, really sad. I believe that small teams of rope rescue specialist should be planted within small region so that in case of an emergency, help can be available on time.

[LaFireEducator]

Problem is rope rescue is a high-intensity, costly operation with a very low frequency of usage.

Plainly put, unless you are doing rope rescues on a regular basis, rope rescue teams are not cost effective. For the vast majority of the fire departments, and even the vast majority of regions around the country staffing and equipping rope rescue teams is simply too expensive and does not see enough usage to either justify their assistance or keep their skills sharp without constant refresher training and drills.

[MemphisE34a]

Wow......that was a long paragraph.

[MemphisE34a]

Problem is rope rescue is a high-intensity, costly operation with a very low frequency of usage.

Plainly put, unless you are doing rope rescues on a regular basis, rope rescue teams are not cost effective. For the vast majority of the fire departments, and even the vast majority of regions around the country staffing and equipping rope rescue teams is simply too expensive and does not see enough usage to either justify their assistance or keep their skills sharp without constant refresher training and drills.

Once again, wrong. It does not cost that much to equip an apparatus with basic rope rescue equipment and personnel riding that apparatus should be proficient on its use along with everything else they carry.

[LaFireEducator]

Once again, wrong. It does not cost that much to equip an apparatus with basic rope rescue equipment and personnel riding that apparatus should be proficient on its use along with everything else they carry.

With all due respect, that "basic" rope rescue setup you discuss is probably at least 5K-6K by the time you buy rope, hardware harnesses and PPE.

hardly an investment that most VFDs can afford to make, especially when you compare it with the infrequency of it's use.

To me rope rescue is something that in most places, needs to be done on a regional or multi-deprtment basis as it spread the cost out. Will a regional team likely delay response, especially to the areas on the outer edges of the alliance? Sure, but given the cost of equipment it simply isn't practical for most departments to operate their own rope rescue teams.

As far as training, again, for volunteers simply not practical for the entire department given the limited training time. Again, the regional approach with a few members from each agency that have the time to dedicate to additional training IMO is the best approach.

[drakemmiller]

Reviving a 13 year old thread.

Dear god...this forum gets more and more crazy every day.

[johnsb]

This was really sad that the boy died due unavoidable circumstances. This life could be saved if the rope rescue technicians had reached on time, really sad. I believe that small teams of rope rescue specialist should be planted within small region so that in case of an emergency, help can be available on time.

Rope rescue techs had nothing to do with it. They were given a bad location. The best rope experts in the world aren't going to save anyone if they can't get a good location of the victim and arrive in a timely matter. There's no VES type tactics with high angle ops.