After another winter storm dumped about 4 inches of snow on our area, snow crews were out plowing streets and sidewalks when a twenty-eight year old man slipped and became entrapped in the Bobcat he was working with. The 911 caller reported the man was being crushed and he was turning purple. An environmental rescue was dispatched and the following units responded on the initial dispatch: Engine 2-4-1, Rescue 2-4, Squad 2-4-1, Engine 2-11-3, Medic 6-12-8 and Ambulance 2-13-3. Lancaster City's Rescue Engine 3 was added based on the additional information.
Engine 2-4-1 was returning from another call and went en-route immediately. The engine arrived on the scene in less than 5 minutes and other units arrived just minutes later. Crews from all arriving units went to work stabilizing the bobcat and assessing the patient. Lancaster City Engine 6-4-3 set up an airbag operation to lift the bucket, while 2-4, 2-7, and 2-11 units continued the complex stabilization procedure. Crews then worked cautiously to raise the bucket slowly off the patient; utilizing the air bag operation, chain and com-a-long, as well as manually releasing the hydraulics of the machine.
After the bucket was raised enough to free the man, crews secured the cribbing and released the airbags. Firefighters and medics lowered the man under the bucket and secured him to a long backboard. The man was conscious and breathing when freed from the machine, and medics transported him to the hospital. Total extrication time was about thirty-two minutes.
Rescue 2-3 was dispatched to provide additional manpower and tools, but while en-route, Rescue 2-3 was diverted to station 2-4 to stand by while Eden
