Squad Crew Extricates Woman Trapped in Overturned Car

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May 8, 2010

Rescue Squad Crews extricated a woman from her overturned vehicle and treated 2 patients injured in a late Saturday afternoon accident at Wisconsin Avenue and Somerset Terrace, near Friendship Heights.

When Rescue Squad 741 arrived on scene, it found a vehicle that had run off the road, sideswiped a tree and flipped on to its roof, landing in the middle of the intersection. One occupant was able to crawl out of the vehicle, but another was not. A medic gained entry into the vehicle to stabilize the trapped patient while the squad crew went to work. First the crew stabilized the vehicle using Paratech struts, cribbing and wedges. They then cut the passenger side door and removed the entire side of the vehicle in order to remove the patient.

Medic 741 was initially dispatched because of the initial report of an overturned vehicle. An additional BLS unit (Ambulance 741 Charlie) was requested so that the two paramedics on the medic could split up and provide ALS treatment to both patients. Both patients were stabilized and quickly transported to Suburban Hospital.

Squad Crew Extricates Driver of Overturned Car in Silver Spring

May 5, 2010

UPDATED 5/30/10

Squad Crew Extricates Driver of Overturned Car in Silver Spring

The Rescue Squad extricated the driver of a vehicle who had struck 2 parked cars in downtown Silver Spring and overturned during the afternoon rush hour. Original notification of the accident came from a Silver Spring ambulance that came upon the scene shortly after it occurred.

Rescue Squad 741 Bravo was dispatched to the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Thayer Street, in the heart of Silver Spring because Wheaton’s rescue squad was tied up on another call. Upon arrival, the crew found a vehicle had landed on the driver's side, with the driver pinned between the door and steering wheel. After stabilizing the vehicle, they cut the door posts on the top (passenger) side of the vehicle so that they could fold the roof open and provide space to access. They then cut and removed the steering wheel, freeing the patient, who was pinned between it and the driver’s side door.

The patient was transported to Suburban Hospital’s trauma center by Medic 701, from Silver Spring.

Rescue Squad Crews Handle Monday Morning Rush Hour Trap Job

May 3

UPDATED 5/21/2010

Rescue Squad 741B and 4 EMS units were needed to handle a serious intersection accident during a rainy Monday morning rush hour.

An ambulance and engine from the National Institutes of Health were dispatched at about 7:20 a.m. to Center Drive on the NIH campus for a personal injury collision. As they were responding, the location was updated to the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Jones Bridge Road, and with a report of one person trapped. NIH arrived on scene and advised that there were 2 vehicles involved with multiple injuries and entrapments. A sedan carrying the driver and one passenger had been struck on its passenger side door by a van carrying a total of 5 persons. The sedan passenger was pinned in the vehicle.

After quickly stabilizing the car, RS 741B's crew used a five-step process to remove the entire side of a car that can be especially effective when there is a side impact. First they cut the B post. Then they spread through the rear door window to pop open the rear door. They next made a relief cut low on the B post. And then they spread the B post out of the rocker panel. Finally, that enabled the crew to pull the rear door and B post towards the front of the car as one single unit so that they could cut the hinges on the front door, removing the whole side of the vehicle. This strategy provided the medics with easy access to the patient with a minimal amount of additional impingement upon the side of his body.

Although this isn’t a new extrication strategy, it worked well because of recent training. The Rescue Squad’s officer had recently completed a week-long seminar in Ohio on vehicle extrication techniques, where he had both perfected ways to execute this strategy and how to identify when it can be most effective.

In addition to a working extrication, the operation was complicated by having 5 separate patients to assess and stabilize. The driver of the sedan, as well as the passenger who was pinned, were declared to be traumas and treated by medics. Two additional basic ambulances were subsequently called to the scene in order transport 3 of the 5 passengers in the van.

Rescue Squad Responds to Another House Fire

April 15, 2010

UPDATED 5/30/10

Rescue Squad Responds to Another House Fire

The Rescue Squad’s day crew responded to its 4th significant residential fire in two weeks. Rescue Squad 741 Bravo was dispatched to a house on Jamestown Court, in Glen Echo. The initial dispatch included a report of two children trapped.

When the Rescue Squad arrived on scene, the blaze had spread into the house in several places from an attached garage, where it had begun. There was no engine company on scene to provide a hose line or water, so RS741 Bravo’s officer used 5-gallon fire extinguishers and a garden hose to hold the fire at bay while the remainder of the crew made a quick primary search of the upstairs. Fortunately, no children were found.
Once engine companies from Glen Echo, Bethesda, Cabin John and the National Institutes of Health arrived on scene and established a water supply, crews quickly knocked down the bulk of the fire on the first floor. This enabled the crew to complete a more thorough secondary search. They then assisted engine and truck crews in finding and dousing hot spots by pulling a lot of walls and ceiling.

After more than an hour of salvage and overhaul work, the crew was released to return to service.

In addition to Cabin John, units from Glen Echo, Bethesda, and Rockville also responded
Both Medic 741 and a BLS unit from the Rescue Squad responded; however, there were no injuries.