Another PLV Success Story....

Mark, John, and Tim,

I am writing you guys to share awesome news about some of brothers of mine that participated in the MIM Class in Spartanburg, SC last year. They had a successful ground ladder fulcrum extrication. I know they would never do this for themselves and their Department's Administration does not care enough to give these guys even a drop of recognition for some quick thinking, applied skills, and out of the box ingenuity. So here it is.

About a month or so ago the City of Spartanburg Fire Department received a call for a MVA vs. Pedestrian. Dispatch received multiple calls confirming the pedestrian was completely pinned underneath he vehicle. Spartanburg FD dispatched an Engine, SQ-61, and a Battalion Chief to the call. Due to the call location within the city, Squad 61 had a delayed response time to the scene. At this same time Ladder 62 was going in-service from another call and was about four blacks away from the MVA scene. L-62 was assigned to the call and they responded to the scene. When they arrived, as dispatch had reported, there was a female victim pinned completely under a car in the middle of the roadway. L-62 only carries a basic compliment of extrication equipment, but no airbags. While CAPT J. Morgan and ENG B Baker where deciding upon a plan of attack, Senior FF Ray Mayley (who attended the MIM class) went to work applying some recently learned PL Vulcan rescue skills. FF Mayley got his crew to crib one side of the vehicle and placed the Ladder's wheel chocks on the other side. He then grabbed a 16' rood ladder and placed it on top of the wheel chocks. He lifted the vehicle and the other two members drug the patient out from underneath the vehicle. FF R Davis from SQ-61, stated while they were responding, their crew was game planning their actions for the scene and utilizing airbags was the main plan. They had about a 7 minute response time to the scene. When they arrived on the scene expecting to go to work they saw a victim that had been removed from under the vehicle and already packaged for EMS. SQ-61's crew was baffled as to how it happened, and FF Mayley explained to them the ground ladder fulcrum extrication trick that he learned from your class. This just goes to prove that the skills being taught by PL Vulcan are the real deal and not some "this should work" stuff. These are easy skills that can utilized and generate a great outcome for both the rescuers and the victim. This female victim owes her life to the crew of L-62 and the attentiveness that FF Mayley displayed during the MIM course to learn new skills and be able to apply them. The biggest compliment that I heard was. "its awesome that those guys taught some unique 'Big City' Tactics that can be used by anyone."

Gentlemen, I know you know that these skills work, but it has to validate it even more for you. Thanks again for all you shared with us, and we hope to see you again this fall for some more great times. 

Stay Safe, 

Nicholas W. Ray
Firefighter / EMT-I
Asst. Training Coordinator

North Spartanburg Fire District
8767 Asheville Highway
Spartanburg, SC 29316