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All Blog Posts Tagged 'Tom Vines' (15)

Colorado Firefighters Perform Unusual Residential Rescue

A rescue by the Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District of Breckenridge, Colo., proves that you may need to employ rope rescue techniques in the most unexpected places.

On Jan. 31 at 1511 HRS, the Summit County Dispatch center received a 9-1-1 call reporting that a 21-year-old male had fallen down an elevator shaft in a house. The caller said the patient was unconscious and shaking.

At 1514 HRS, the Red, White & Blue Fire District dispatched units… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on April 28, 2011 at 7:00am — 3 Comments

Rocky Mountain Rescuers Rise to Challenge of Winter Rescues

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Rocky Mountain National Park, located northwest of Boulder, Colo., sits astride the continental divide with peaks rising up to 14,000 feet. During a Jan. 30 rescue, Park rescuers demonstrated how they handle difficult and exhausting rescue operations in the backcountry during winter.

Emergency Beacon… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on March 29, 2011 at 7:00am — No Comments

Worker Tumbles over Cliff in Glacier National Park; Rescuers Perform Low-Angle Litter Evac

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Photos Courtesy Glacier National Park

On Sept. 13, a mountain road construction accident in Montana’s Glacier National Park provided an opportunity for a coordinated response among park employees, a local fire department and the patient’s coworkers.…

Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on November 12, 2010 at 6:30am — No Comments

Texas Firefighters Make Numerous Flood Rescues Resulting from Tropical Storm Hermine

By Tom Vines

As Tropical Storm Hermine moved from the Gulf of Mexico into southern and central Texas in early September, it showed much of its force in wind; however, it soon walloped the area with a massive downpour of rain, making for a long shift for firefighters in Killeen, Texas, located approximately 70 miles north of Austin.

Hermine Hits

The long shift began on Sept. 7 at… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 27, 2010 at 5:30am — No Comments

Pittsburgh Area Firefighters Tackle Complex Bridge Rescue

By Tom Vines

On the afternoon of Aug. 2, Pittsburgh (Pa.) area firefighters were presented with a complex and challenging high-angle bridge rescue. The initial call came in at 1620 HRS to the Washington County 911 Center with the report of a man who had fallen 50–75 feet at the Donora-Monessen Bridge. The first units dispatched at 1624 HRS included Mon Valley EMS, and Donora Fire Department (DFD) Ladder 66 and Chief 66.… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on September 29, 2010 at 3:00am — 1 Comment

Rescue Report: Teton Rangers Respond to Mass Casualty on Mountain

By Tom Vines

Photos Courtesy Grand Teton National Park

On July 21, Grand Teton National Park rangers completed an extraordinary, complex and challenging rescue for numerous climbers hit by lightning strikes on the 13,773' Grand Teton Mountain. The operation was breathtaking in scope—a mass-casualty incident response in one of the lower 48’s most rugged areas. Even for the Teton rangers, who… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on September 14, 2010 at 12:30am — 2 Comments

Mt. Rainier Rangers Rescue Skier from Snow Cavern

By Tom Vines

On Jan. 31, Mt. Rainier National Park rangers received a report that a woman had fallen into a deep “hole” in the snow while skiing and was unable to get out. Mt. Rainier National Park, located in Northwestern Washington State, includes Mt. Rainier, the tallest volcano in the Cascade Range.

A ranger followed the reporting party about three-quarters of a mile from the trailhead to a “moat,” a snow cavern created… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on March 25, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments

Oregon Firefighters Face Unusual Confined-Space Rescue

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Photos Courtesy Forest Grove Fire & Rescue

On Dec. 12, Oregon Firefighters were called to a confined-space rescue in an unexpected area: the forest backcountry.

At 1109 HRS, the Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency (WCCA) received a 911 call reporting that two men were stuck in a drain pipe in a remote area of the county—a site on private forest land approximately 15 miles northwest of Forest Grove,… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on January 28, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments

Bakersfield Firefighters Get to "Root" of Problem

RESCUE REPORT: Bakersfield Firefighters Get to "Root" of Problem

By Tom Vines

On Sept. 28, Bakersfield (Calif.) firefighters faced an unusual rescue call, one combining entrapment, confined space and some shoring challenges.

At 1037 HRS, a 911 caller reported hearing two men crying for help in a large hole in a neighbor’s yard. Two minutes later, the department dispatched a full rescue response, which included Truck 7 with paramedic, Engine 7,… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on December 6, 2009 at 12:30pm — No Comments

Illinois Firefighters Complete Challenging Trench Rescue

RESCUE REPORT: Illinois Firefighters Complete Challenging Trench Rescue

By Tom Vines

A June 2 trench rescue in northern Illinois illustrated common challenges associated with such incidents and how departments can work together for a successful outcome.

At 1238 HRS, a 911 caller reported a “man trapped in hole” at a construction site on North State Street in Belvidere. The Belvidere Fire Department (BFD) immediately dispatched Engine 101,… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on December 5, 2009 at 12:00pm — 2 Comments

Alabama Responders Complete Challenging Auger Rescue

RESCUE REPORT

Alabama Responders Complete Challenging Auger Rescue

By Tom Vines

Rescues involving auger entrapment can be extremely daunting and intimidating calls.

(Note: A typical auger consists of a continuous corkscrew blade on a long metal shaft surrounded by a round metal tube. Augers are often used to move material such as shelled corn or grain from a lower end where the product is placed, to a higher end where it is discharged. Augers… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 3, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Spokane Firefighters Perform High-Angle Rescue of Fallen Climber

RESCUE REPORT

Spokane Firefighters Perform High-Angle Rescue of Fallen Climber

By Tom Vines

As the popularity of rock climbing increases, so does the number of rock climbing-related accidents and injuries. A study published in the online issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine revealed a 63 percent increase in the number of patients treated in U.S. emergency departments for rock climbing-related injuries between 1990 and 2007, with more than… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on October 2, 2009 at 12:00pm — No Comments

Zion Rangers Rescue Climber from "Feast of Snakes"

RESCUE REPORT: Zion Rangers Rescue Fallen Climber from “Feast of Snakes”

By Tom Vines

Faced with a rescue that was far more complex than they first expected, Zion National Park Rangers were able to successfully adapt to the changing situation in order to rescue a fallen climber.

On May 9 at 1234 HRS, dispatch at the Zion National Park in Utah received a cell phone call reporting that a rock climber had been injured in a fall. The… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on August 8, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

Man Rescued from Maryland Quarry

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Preplanning & Joint Training Help in Successful Maryland Rescue

On Feb. 15, at 1737 HRS, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) received a call that a person was seen

jumping over a fence near a quarry in Brooklandville, Md., near Baltimore. Around 1758 HRS, the BCPD received updated information that the individual had gone into the water at the bottom of the quarry.

Baltimore County Fire… Continue

Added by Fire Rescue Magazine on June 16, 2009 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Man Extricated from Van Teetering on Cliff's Edge

RESCUE REPORT

By Tom Vines

Driver Rescued from Van Teetering on Cliff’s Edge

Colorado rescuers were called to a strange—and precarious—motor vehicle accident on Jan. 21. A van was teetering on the edge of a cliff in the Colorado National Monument, and the victim needed to be extricated immediately.