One Pinned In Potomac - March 4 , 2007

One Pinned In Potomac - March 4 , 2007 - At 0120 hours, Ambulance 339, Rescue Squad 3, Engine 331 and other Montgomery County Fire & Rescue units responded to Democracy Boulevard and Newbridge Drive for the personal injury collision with one pinned. Company 33 units arrived on scene with a single car overturned, wrapped around a tree, with one pinned. Chief 201 arrived on scene moments later and after further size-up advised units that there was a single patient heavily pinned, stating that there would be an extended extrication. Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department Truck 10 arrived on scene and began building a box crib under the hood of the vehicle. Shortly after Rescue Squad 3 arrived on scene and took over the extrication from Cabin John Truck 10.

Rescue Squad 3 finished building two box cribs under the hood, used a Paratech strut to stabilize the side of the vehicle, and tied the vehicle to the tree with ratchet straps. While the patient was being evaluated by Cabin John Medic 309, Rescue Squad 3 removed glass from the vehicle and prepared to remove the sidewall of the vehicle. Once the sidewall was removed it became evident that the patient's arms and upper body were pinned between the driver's side center console, the roof, the dash, and many other parts of the vehicle. Rescue Squad 3 used a combination of hydraulic rams and spreaders to free the patient. Cabin John Medic 309 transported the patient as a priority 1 trauma to Suburban Hospital Trauma Center in Bethesda, Maryland.