Schuylkill County Firefighters Respond to a Motor Vehicle Accident with Entrapment on the Burma Road
At 0501 Schuylkill County 911 dispatched Saint Clair Fire and EMS with Pottsville EMS for an ALS unit for an MVA with unknown injuries. While units were in route communications upgraded the call to an MVA with injuries and heavy entrapment. Chief 700 (T. Johns) requested an additional rescue and Ryan Twp Fire District 26 was dispatched. Units arrived to find a vehicle that had left the roadway sheared off some trees and landed on its side against several other trees. EMS requested 2 helicopters for evacuation and an additional Saint Clair Fire response for the LZ.
The Ford Taurus had landed on its side against several large trees, and crushed the roof. The two rescues worked for over an hour to extricate the 2 patients from the car. They used a full compliment of cribbing, jacks, and ropes and chains to stabilize the vehicle. The rescuers used spreaders, O-cutters, and Sawzalls in the extrication. E702 provided a line for fire protection. Additional firefighters used chain saws to remove some of the trees. At 0619 the extrication was complete and both patients were flown to trauma centers, one in critical condition. Pennsylvania State Police and Saint Clair Police were also on the scene.
- INITIAL RESPONSE - Saint Clair C700, E 701, E702, R 707 BLS 6201 Pottsville ALS 6802.
- UPGRADED TO MVA W/ ENTRAPMENT - Ryan Twp Rescue 26, BLS 6202, ALS 6803
- AERO MEDICAL EVACUATION - E 704, E 705 Life Flight (Geisinger Hospital), Med-Evac (Lehigh Valley Hospital)
