Buffalo Grove (IL) police and firefighters were called to the 1000 block of Deerfield Road on Easter Sunday (4/1/18) for a one-car crash with entrapment. An ambulance from the neighboring Lincolnshire-Riverwoods FPD was first on the scene while responding to an unrelated EMS assignment. The SUV struck a tree in the center median and sustained significant damage trapping the driver’s left leg. The extrication was completed after roughly an hour. The cold temperatures prompted the use of a portable heater to provide comfort for the patient. Units from Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, and Long Grove were working at the scene.
Ten people were injured, one critically, in a high-speed, five-car collision on Interstate 95 near the 64 mile marker southbound in Colleton County SC, Monday afternoon 22-May at 13:41. All vehicles were traveling southbound when several collided causing a Nissan Altima to drive under the trailer of a tractor-trailer truck. The car became wedged under the trailer and the rear tandem wheels drove up over the car crushing the front seat passenger in the car.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
The 45-year old Florida woman was conscious, but suffered multiple traumatic injuries. The wheels of the trailer where on top of her legs. A military medic stopped and treated the woman prior to Fire-Rescue arriving. The southbound lanes of I-95 were blocked due to the wreckage and debris. Heavy traffic backed up for several miles, hampering emergency units from reaching the accident. Once on scene, Fire-Rescue units began treating the injured and stabilizing the tractor trailer and Nissan.
The female patient was found to be heavily entrapped in the wreckage with little access. There was approximately three feet of intrusion into the passenger compartment. Firefighter-paramedics treated her in the car and used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the driver’s side doors and roof. Other crewmembers built a box crib under the rear axles of the trailer, then used small hydraulic jacks and Holmatro high-pressure air bags to lift the trailer approximately 18 inches off of the car. A winch on a fire department vehicle was used to pull the car from under the trailer.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
The patient remained trapped under the door and dash which was crushed down on her lower extremities. Crews rigged chains to the door and a nearby guard rail support, then used Holmatro spreaders to pull the door off of the patient. Another set of spreaders was used to displace the dash to free the patient. After 49 minutes, she was extricated with spinal precautions, then transported emergent to the trauma center at Trident Medical Center in Medic 26. No helicopters could fly due to poor weather conditions.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Two other patients were transported with non-life threatening injuries to Colleton Medical Center by Medic 9. The remaining patients were treated at the scene for various traumatic injuries, but did not require ambulance transportation. Southbound traffic on I-95 was backed up for eight miles. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 5, Engine 26, Rescue 1, Medic 1, Medic 9, Medic 26, Car 105, Car 109, Car 110, Car 111, Car 116, and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Two North Carolina residents were injured, one critically, in a single-car, high speed MVC on I-95 near the 42 mile marker southbound, Tuesday morning 07-February at 03:48. The 1997 Nissan Pathfinder left the highway, drove down the right side embankment, and struck a large tree. The impact caused heavy damage to the small SUV trapping both occupants.
Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics from Station # 13 arrived minutes later to find the passenger heavily entrapped with life threatening injuries. A second Fire-Rescue ambulance and rescue unit were requested. Crews used Holmatro rescue tools to extricate the occupants. Hydraulic spreaders, cutters, and two rams were used to remove the passenger side doors and displace the dash off of the patient. A second set of tools were used to remove the driver’s door to free the driver.
Both patients were treated during the extrication and removed with full spinal precautions. The male driver was transported to Colleton Medical Center by Medic 13. Medic 1 transported the adult female and performed advanced airway treatment enroute to the trauma center at Trident Medical in North Charleston. The patient suffered multiple traumatic and internal injuries. Neither patient was wearing a seatbelt. Two canines were also in the vehicle. One remained on the scene and did not appear to be injured. Colleton County Animal Control responded to the scene and took custody of the dog. The second animal fled the scene prior to Fire-Rescue arriving. A search of the area was performed, but the dog was not found. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 1, Rescue 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Battalion 1, Car 109, and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A Spartanburg (SC) truck driver was killed after his tractor trailer over-turned on I-95 near the 65 mile marker northbound Thursday evening 22-September at 19:06. Witnesses stated the truck swerved to avoid a car who entered his lane, causing the truck to strike a guard rail. The truck received heavy damage, trapping the unrestrained driver inside.
Colleton County (SC) firefighter-paramedics arrived minutes later to find the northbound lanes blocked. The trailer, that was hauling watermelons, was in the median, while the cab was partially in the median and partially in the roadway. The truck driver suffered multiple traumatic injuries and had no signs of life.
The Coroner’s Office was notified and responded to the scene. Once the Coroner completed his investigation, crews were cleared to begin the extrication at 20:30. Holmatro rescue tools, reciprocating saws, and chains rigged to the spreaders were used to complete the extrication, which took a little over an hour.
The Coroner’s Office transported the patient. Traffic in the northbound lanes was blocked for nearly an hour and down to one lane for four hours. It was blocked again when the towing company arrived to remove the truck. The trailer was left in the median until Friday, so it could be unloaded and righted during day light hours. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 24, Engine 26, Tender 27, Rescue 1, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 107, Car 110 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Six people were injured after a pickup truck rear ended a car carrier on I-95 near the 54 mile marker southbound in Colleton County (SC), Tuesday morning 20-September at 02:08. Both vehicles were traveling southbound when the collision occurred. The 2015 Silverado pickup truck overtook the tractor trailer car carrier and impacted the rear of the trailer, pushing the lower deck of cars forward and causing heavy damage to the pickup truck which was pinned to the trailer. The adult male driver of the pickup truck was trapped in the wreckage and suffered multiple traumatic injuries. An adult female and two female juveniles in car seats were also injured. Both adult male patients in the tractor trailer also complained of non-life threatening injuries.
First arriving Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics on Medic 1 and Engine 1 requested three additional Fire-Rescue ambulances while they began treating the injured. One lane of southbound I-95 was closed. Crews used Holmatro rescue tools from Engine 1 to remove the driver’s door and free the driver. He was transported emergent to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville by Medic 19. The other patients were transported to Colleton Medical Center. The driver of the tractor trailer denied ambulance transport.
Two dogs also escaped the pickup truck. Firefighters caught one dog and secured him until Animal Control officers arrived. Personnel and Animal Control units searched the area between Exits 53 and 57 for an hour but were unable to locate the second canine. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
Engine 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Two Colleton County (SC) residents died following a head-on collision in the 1700 block of Jefferies Highway (US Hwy 15) just north of Wintergreen Road early Sunday morning 11-September at 02:07. A Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Geo Metro struck head-on at a high rate of speed on a straight portion of roadway causing extensive damage to both vehicles and trapping all three occupants.
Fire-Rescue Medic 19 arrived to find Jefferies Highway blocked by the wreckage. The unrestrained occupants of the Geo were heavily entrapped and had no signs of life. The unrestrained driver of the Jeep suffered multiple traumatic injuries. Colleton County Firefighter-Paramedics used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the driver’s side door on the Jeep to gain access to the driver. He was treated during the extrication, then transported by Medic 19 to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville.
After the Coroner’s Office conducted their investigation, firefighter-paramedics used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the roof and doors on the Geo to access the patients. A hydraulic ram was used to displace the dash off of one victim to allow for the person to be extricated from the car. The Coroner’s Office transported both victims to Colleton Medical Center. Traffic in the area of the accident was detoured for five hours until the SC Highway Patrol completed their investigation.
Engine 19, Engine 26, Medic 19, Medic 26, Rescue 1, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Captain Justin Warko served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Long Grove (IL) firefighters were assisted by Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, and Palatine firefighters at the scene of a crash with an extensive extrication Friday morning, 9/2/16 at the intersection of Lake-Cook Road and IL Route 53. The driver of a car was trapped after slamming into and becoming wedged underneath the rear of a tractor-trailer around 1:30AM. Three sets of hydraulic tools were utilized during the extrication which lasted close to an hour. A helicopter was requested but was cancelled as the patient was transported to Lutheran General Hospital by Palatine Ambulance 82.
