Rescue & QRS Handle 2 Double Entrapments In 2 Hours

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Car and Rescue #27 (a long with Engine #27-1) responded to 2 separate motor vehicle accidents during the afternoon of Thursday, November 16, 2006, both of which ended up being double entrapments.  Both scenes were made more challenging as at the time the area was receiving a very heavy rainfall which dumped around 3" of rain in a very brief period.

 

The first accident was dispatched at 2:15 PM to assist Strausstown Company #50 for an accident on Route #183, south of Spring Road in Upper Tulpehocken Township.  Bernville Rescue #29 also responded.  Initial reports were for 2 people trapped in a single vehicle.  On arrival of Engine #50 and Car #27, crews found a 3 vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer, a mini-van, and an SUV.  27-12 (Nolt) reported 2 persons trapped in the SUV.  All hands went to work and performed stabilization, hazard control, door removals, roof removal, and a dash displacement to free the occupants.

 

At 4:07 PM, a brief time after crews from all 3 companies had returned to station, all were dispatched to Route #183 and Mill Road, for an accident with injuries.  50-11 (Assistant Chief Bentz) arrived on location with Engine #50 and confirmed a pickup truck on its side with 2 people trapped.  Crews again performed stabilization, hazard control, and a roof removal.  This rescue was complicated because of the position of the victims in the vehicle. 

Fire/rescue units on scene for both incidents: Strausstown Engine #50 & Squad #50; Rehrersburg Rescue #27, Car #27 (QRS), and Engine #27-1; and Bernville Rescue #29 and Engine #29-1.  EMS units responded from Bethel, Schuylkill Valley, and Western Berks to both incidents.  The PA State Police at Hamburg investigated both incidents.

 

All the crews worked very well together under very some adverse weather conditions.  It was determined that the 2nd accident was caused by the operator of the vehicle disregarding the detour for the first accident.