Teamwork Results in Successful Rescue
 
By Ex Chief Dean W. Pappas
June 20, 2020
 

On Friday afternoon, at about 2 PM, Katonah Fire Department was dispatched on a rescue call for a person who became unconscious after falling from a height and striking their head along the reservoir near Croton Lake Road. Cars 2211 and 2213, along with Rescue 17, Ladder 39, and Utility 8, KBHVAC and Weschester Emergency Medical Services, responded. Upon arrival car 2213 established command and created a staging area on Croton Lake Road, crews organized a plan and then, carrying a stokes basket and other rope rescue gear, hiked for about 15 minutes in the heat from Croton Lake Road through the woods to the injured person. UTVs from the Bedford Police and Golden's Bridge Fire Department were called to assist, along with Golden's Bridge's boat and KFD's boat. Westchester County Police’s aviation unit was requested to assist in locating the best route to remove the injured person to an awaiting ambulance. The injured individual was packaged and secured in the Stokes basket and was transported using the Bedford Police Department’s UTV and turned over to KBHVAC, which transported the patient to Westchester Medical Center. The successful multi-agency effort took about two hours to complete.

 
Units: Car 2211, Car 2213, Rescue 17, Ladder 39, Utility 8 with boat
 
Mutual Aid: Bedford PD UTV and 10A KBHVAC 65-B2 BHFD 2034 WEMS 45M1, 45M2, 4513 and 4515. GBFD 2141, 2143 UTV and Marine 25, WCPD Air 2 NYC DEP PD WCDES Battalion 16