Gladwyne Firefighters were dispatched early this morning to assist Station 22 (Belmont Hills), Station 21 (Penn Wynne) and Station 39 (George Clay) at a vehicle rescue on the Schuylkill Expressway. The report from the scene was that a vehicle had left the expressway and crashed down in the woods between the expressway and the river. Gladwyne Firefighters were requested to respond to Waverly Road and River Road and access the LMT Leaf pile (runs parallel to the river and the expressway) to provide additional firefighters at the scene. While Gladwyne Firefighters were making their way to the accident scene in Utility 24 (4x4 Pick Up Truck), the Township Highway crew responded and started plowing open the area to assist in gaining access. While the rescue companies were extricating the patient additional Gladwyne Firefighters placed Boat 24-1 and Boat 24-2 in service in the river to act as Safety Boats due to the proximity of the Rescue Companies working next to the river and also as an additional means to remove the patient since access was so difficult. An additional resource for a Norfolk Southern Railway Truck to respond (on the tracks) to assist with moving the patient from the accident scene to the awaiting Ambulance which was staged at the VFW Post on River Road.

All crews worked tirelessly until the victim was removed from the upside down vehicle in the woods and transferred to Medic 313 (Narberth Ambulance) who then transferred care to an awaiting PennSTAR Helicopter for rapid transport to a Trauma Center.

Its not everyday that one rescue scene utilizes 3 Rescue Trucks, 2 Boats, 2 Pick Up Trucks, Multiple Highway Plows and Loaders, Multiple Ambulances and a Helicopter.

Great Job by all those who worked hard to extricate and transport the patient to the hospital!