Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania Firefighters Perform Difficult MVA Extrication

Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company (Station 21) was dispatched along with Cranberry Township Volunteer Ambulance (Station 51) on Saturday, May 15, 2004 at 4:45 PM, for a vehicle accident with entrapment on Glen Eden Road. Cranberry Township Police on scene reported heavy entrapment and requested units to expedite.

While the ambulance crew did its assessment and stabilized the patient, Fire units started the difficult extrication. The crew needed to remove both doors from the drivers side and roof to gain access to the patient. Fire units then used rams to push the dash board forward to attempt to free the drivers legs. Both feet required extensive work to free as one was pined between the drivers side wheel and the transmission hump and the other was pinned underneath the seat. The extrication took approximately 45 minutes to complete and required many rescue tools from both Engine 21-2 and Rescue 21.

While the extrication was in process, Zelienople Volunteer Fire Department (Station 22) was dispatched to set up a landing zone near the scene of the accident. Stat Medivac was used to transport the patient to a local Pittsburgh area trauma center.

Fire units on scene included: IC-3, Engine 21-2 (Rescue Pumper), Rescue 21 and Squad 21.

Cranberry Chief 21-2 (D Owens) had command and units cleared the scene in about 1 1/2 hours.