Trench Rescue in Lake Linganore

On Tuesday, September 24th at 1509 hours units were alerted for a trench rescue on Eaglehead Drive in the Lake Linganore Subdivision. RE153(Lt. Carmack), ET154(Tech. Hackey), B156(FF D. White), U15(Sgt. Williamson), CAR15(FF G. White), C15(Nalborczyk), C15-2(Betts), and LT15(Thews) responded on the call with 15 personnel. While enroute to the scene units were advised by ECC that a single subject was stuck in a trench that had collapsed and the trench was filling with water. RE153 arrived on scene to find the same, with the patient chest deep in water. Chief 3(Dorsey) arrived and established the Eaglehead Drive Command. The subject was found to have his legs pinned by a water main that had broken and water began to fill the trench. Workers on scene had begun to cut a spillway to drain water away from the trench. Montgomery County Technical Rescue resources were requested by C15 to assist Frederick's ATR Team. Initial crews on scene worked to secure the scene and stabilize the incident. Aviation and the Shock Trauma GO Team were also requested by Command. At one point a large volume of water began to rush into the trench, immediately endangering the patient's life safety. B156 was moved alongside the trench to establish a draft and remove the water rushing in. This was able to stave off the flow of water until it could be shut down by the water company. Once the technical rescue resources arrived the crews worked to shore the trench, build a trench box and free the patient. The recuse efforts were coordinated by crews from Frederick, Montgomery, and Howard counties. A unified command post was established and maintained throughout the incident with the assistance of the mobile command post from Montgomery County. The subject was freed after about 3 hours of being pinned in the trench. He was treated by the GO Team and paramedics while still pinned and then transported to the landing zone where MSP Trooper 3 was standing by. ET154 and U15 handled the landing zone at Deer Crossing Elementary School. Units then rehabbed at the two canteen units on scene and conducted a hot wash. Afterwards all crews picked up and took down the trench shoring. The last units cleared the scene around 2030 hours.

Good job by all those involved. The patient is still alive tonight because of the combined efforts of crews from across the region.