DATE OF INCIDENT:

4/23/22

PEOPLE INVOLVED IN PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO INCIDENT:

Assistant Chief Tyler Ashline
Firefighter Scott Day
Firefighter Mike Beyer

DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT:

On this date April 23, 2022 at 05:59 hours, Castorland Fire Company was dispatched to a reported motor vehicle accident with a report of one person entrapped. The weather this early morning was 26 degrees with frost present. Castorland Engine 2 responded with a crew of 4 and rescue followed with a crew of 2. When Engine 2 and the Rescue approached the scene, they found the caller waving to us by guardrails. Engine 2 stopped and observed a vehicle on its top. The vehicle appeared to be a Jeep wrangler located down in the ditch that had about a 15’ drop. Engine 2 Officer received a report from the farmer who spotted the accident from his house a few thousand feet away. As crews approached the rig to check for victims, they found one male pinned in the jeep. He was speaking and stated his legs are caught, and he could not feel or move them. Engine 2’s crew quickly made an immediate action plan. Vehicle stabilization was the first priority. This was needed to provide safe patient evaluation. The operations officer decided to use the rescue jacks to lift up the jeep, stabilize the vehicle, and provide safe access to the victim. Several attempts were made to raise the jeep, and were not successful. The ground gave way in the soft ground of the ditch. The Engine officer then directed the crew to use the AMKUS spreader and cutter to remove the passenger door. The doors were sunk in to the soft muddy ground. The Incident Command Chief on scene spoke with the farmer on the availability of the use of his tractor to assist in lifting the Jeep. The farmer brought a tractor to the scene. The engine crew rigged the Jeep for lifting, maintaining stabilization. The Jeep was successfully raised off the ground enough to remove the door and gain access to the patient. With the quick actions of Firefighters Mike Beyer, Scott Day and Assistant Chief Tyler Ashline, this individual’s life was extended for him to see another day. The Beaver Falls Ambulance assisted with patient care along with Life Net 7-10 Air Mobile Ambulance. The patient was treated at the scene and flown via helicopter to the nearest trauma hospital 100 miles away and is alive and recovering today.