On Friday, February 1 at 1215 hours (12:15 pm), Medic 17 was dispatched for an injured person from a fall off a ladder at the new Mount Airy Middle School which is under construction in the 100 block of Watersville Road. The crew arrived to find a patient who had fallen in a second floor mechanical room. Due to the limited access through the building, a request was made for resources for a stokes basket evolution. Rescue 1 and Chief 1 responded and with the crew of Medic 17, decided the best route for extrication was using the stokes basket over the side of the building. Again, additional resources were requested for manpower bringing Howard Engine 41 and Engine 12 to the scene. Tower 12 from Sykesville was also requested due to the possibility of needing an aerial device to complete the evolution safely.
The crews split up and one half packaged the patient in a warm environment while the other crew members set-up a basic rope system and determined the rope system would be used to help guide the patient down a ladder. This was set-up and the patient was moved from inside the mechanical room out to the roof. Crews worked in tandem to lift the stokes basket onto the ladder and lower the basket down to the ground while guiding it the whole way.
The patient was successfully moved to the ground and into a waiting medic unit. the medic unit consulted with a local trauma center and the patient was transported by helicopter to the trauma center. Units operated on the scene for just over an hour.
M17, Rescue 1, Engine 12, Chief 1
Howard Engine 41, Howard Engine 43, Tower 12, MSP Trooper 3
Crew set-up ladders to assist in the evacuation of the patient from the roof area
Crews transport the patient up the hill to the medic unit