At 21:29 hours on February 5, 2024 the Rawlings VFD and Cresaptown VFD Ambulance were alerted to Box 47-03 19201 McMullen Hwy were for a Trauma call. Allegany County 911 center received additional calls reporting a Motor Vehicle accident involving a car an a tractor trailer. Rescue 9 from Cresaptown VFD was added to the call. An off duty member of the Cumberland Fire Department arrived on scene and advised of a vehicle under the tractor trailer with the occupant heavily entrapped in the vehicle and Lt. 51 Allegany County DES requested Rescue 39 Fountain VFD and Rescue 2 LaVale VFD be added to the call.

Rescue Engine 47 arrived and Chief 47 Foor assumed McMullen Hwy Command. After his size up Rescue 3 from the Bedford Road VFD was requested for their Paratech Hydrafusions. MSP Trooper 5 was also requested. Members from Company 47 began to stabilize the vehicles and begin the extrication process while the crew from Medic 399 began patient care. Rescue 9 arrived next and assisted with the roof removal of the vehicle. Lt 51 requested the GO Team from R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore be alerted to assist because of the extensive entrapment of the patient. MSP Trooper 1 from the Baltimore region picked up the Trauma Doctors from Go Team and flew them to Rawlings. Paramedic 352 and Chase 354 from Tri Towns EMS arrived and assisted the EMS providers from Paramedic 399 with patent care.

Rescue Engine 9 from Cresaptown VFD responded to the Rawlings VFD Station to set up a landing site for Trooper 5. Once they arrived they were brought to the incident scene and assisted the EMS crews with patient care and also communicated with Trooper 1 and the Go Team. Rescue 2 arrived next and they began to set up for a lifting operation of the trailer with Vetter connectable airbags. While this was being set up Rescue 39 and Rescue 3 arrived and their crews split up on each side of the vehicle using Paratech struts and Hydrafusions to lift and stabilize the trailer. Rescue 9 was positioned behind the vehicle and the winch was set up and connected to the vehicle to pull it out from under the trailer once it was lifted off of the vehicle. Once everything was in place the EMS crews advised that they wanted the Go Team to assess the patient before the trailer was lifted from the vehicle because of the entrapment of the patient.

Rescue and lifting teams were assigned and given tasks that would need to be completed once the patient was assessed by the Go Team. Truck 8 and Utility 8 were alerted to respond to Rawlings Station 47 to assist with the landing zone and to transport the members of the Go Team and Trooper 1 to the scene. Once they arrived and assessed the patient and reviewed the rescue plan with the crew leader the ok was given to lift the trailer and remove the car from under the trailer. Rescue 3 and 39’s lifting crews began the lifting operation and once the trailer was lifted off of the vehicle Rescue 9 used the winch to remove the car from under the trailer. Rescue Team 1 members from Co. 2 and 39 on the passenger side of the vehicle began to lift the dash off of the patient while Rescue Team 2 members from Co. 3 and 47 began the side removal of the drivers side of the vehicle. Both teams utilized the Hurst Jaws of Life equipment to complete their tasks. Once the drivers side of the vehicle was removed the patient was loaded on to a stretcher and awaiting ambulance to transport them to Trooper 1. Trooper 1 and the Gp Team then transported the patient to Shock Trauma in Baltimore

Once the vehicle was removed from under the trailer the extrication was complete in 18 minutes. The coordination and teamwork from all members of the responding units allowed for a successful extrication of the patient. The patient care provided throughout the incident by the EMS crews from Co. 9, 50, Allegany County DES and Trooper 5 was outstanding.

The Rawlings VFD would like to Thank all of the members that responded from Co. 47 Rawlings VFD, Co. 9 Cresaptown VFD, Co. 2 LaVale VFD, Co. 3 Bedford Road VFD, Co. 39 Fountain VFD, CO. 8 Bowling Green VFD and EMS crews from Co. 9 Cresaptown VFD, Co. 50 Tri Towns EMS, Allegany County DES Paramedics and EMT’s, Lt 51 Allegany County DES, Chief 51 Allegany County DES, Safety 48, Troopers 1 & 5 and the Gp Team.

The incident was Commanded by Chief 47 Foor

People Involved

Bedford Road VFD Rescue Squad 3
Driver – Capt Kyle Lavelle
Officer – Chief Eddie Collins
Bucket 1 – Capt Richard Miller
Bucket 2 – Capt Colby Santmyire

Fountain VFD Rescue Squad 39
Driver/Operator: Philip Spencer
Officer: Jeremy Taylor
Crew: James Rogers
Eric Wingler
Matt Mitchell