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All posts for the month May, 2017

Buffalo Grove (IL) police and fire responded to a two-car crash in front of 194 Bernard Drive Saturday morning (5/27/17). Arriving units found one car on it’s side with the driver still inside. While a firefighter/paramedic was inside the car with the patient, others cleared the glass panels before cutting the passenger side posts and folding the car’s roof down onto the ground. The driver was removed and transported to a hospital. The other vehicle’s driver was unharmed. Arlington Heights Engine 4, Buffalo Grove Tower 25, Ambulance 25, and Battalion 4 were at the scene.

car rolled onto its side

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters free driver trapped in a car

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighter cuts windshield at crash scene

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters free driver trapped in a car

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters free driver trapped in a car with Holmatro rescue tool

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters free driver trapped in a car with Holmatro rescue tool

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters free driver trapped in a car with Holmatro rescue tool

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters free driver trapped in a car

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters free driver trapped in a car

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters move patient on Stryker cot

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

crash site with rollover

Larry Shapiro photo

Hillside Towing flips car onto its wheels

Larry Shapiro photo

On Friday, May 26, 2017, the San Antonio Fire Department laid to rest FF/EMT Scott Deem, L35-A, who was killed in the line of duty while performing search and rescue operations at a 4-Alarm commercial structure fire. Two other firefighters were injured in the blaze; one was released from the hospital and the other remains in stable, but critical condition.

Scott leaved behind a wife and two children with a third on the way.

Fire departments from across central Texas and firefighters from as far away as Canada came to pay their respects .

A complete gallery can be found on my website

San Antonio FD LODD funeral for FF Scott Deem

Zack Newton photo

San Antonio fire engine with band over the decal for a fallen firefighter

Zack Newton photo

San Antonio FD fire engine

Zack Newton photo

San Antonio FD LODD funeral for FF Scott Deem

Zack Newton photo

San Antonio FD LODD funeral for FF Scott Deem

Zack Newton photo

The City of Hammonton Fire Department in Atlantic County, New Jersey responded to Pine Road on May 11th for a reported structure fire. Hammonton Fire Chief Wm. Eppler arrived to be faced with a working fire in a 500 x 500, three-story, cold storage warehouse. The fire required the eventual response of firefighters from five counties and crews were on location until the following day May 12th. Dennis C. Sharpe photos

fire trucks at night warehouse

Dennis C. Sharpe photo

fire engine at night scene with flames

Dennis C. Sharpe photo

fire trucks at night fire scene

Dennis C. Sharpe photo

fire trucks at night fire scene

Dennis C. Sharpe photo

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.

car wedged under semi trailer after crash

Barry W. McRoy photo

car wedged under semi trailer after crash

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.

firefighters use Holmatro rescue tools at crash site

Barry W. McRoy photo

firefighters use cribbing to lift trailer from car

Barry W. McRoy photo

firefighters use Holmatro rescue tools at crash site

Barry W. McRoy photo

car wedged under semi trailer after crash

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.

firefighters use Holmatro rescue tools at crash site

Barry W. McRoy photo

firefighter-paramedics assist crash victim

Barry W. McRoy photo

firefighters use Holmatro rescue tools at crash site

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

The Countryside FPD (IL) received a call reporting a basement fire with explosions at 4 Keuka Court in Hawthorn Woods Saturday night (5/20/17). The homeowner stated that there were model cars with batteries in the basement which might have explained the explosive sounds. Firefighters arrived to light colored smoke escaping from the house.

The working fire was upgraded to a Full Still and the a Box Alarm for change of quarters companies only. Interior companies had difficulty locating the seat of the fire within the basement and the need for more substantial water supply required an upgrade to a Box Alarm for tenders.

As the fire grew in intensity and compromised a section of the first floor, all crews were ordered out of the building as the tactics changed to a defensive attack. The alarm was upgraded to a 2nd Alarm roughly 35 minutes into the incident.

 

fire engine lights up fire scene at night

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighters at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

smoke pushes from house on fire

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighters at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

fire engine at fire scene with hose lines

Larry Shapiro photo

fire engine engulfed in smoke at night

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighters at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

silhouette of fire engine at night

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighters at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

smoke pushes from house on fire

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighter at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighters at house fire

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighter using TIC at fire scene

Larry Shapiro photo

Mundelein FD fire engine

Larry Shapiro photo

rural water supply at fire scene

Larry Shapiro photo