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| Heavy Rescue Unit 844 |
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In addition to emergency medical care and specialized, technical rescue services, East Lincoln Rescue Squad members are trained to conduct HEAVY RESCUE operations. Gone are the times where the most serious rescue call was for a cat in a tree. East Lincoln Rescue Squad is now being asked to handle incidents involving vehicle extrication, trench rescue, building collapse, swiftwater rescue, and a host of other emergency situations.
The tools required for these rescues have also become more numerous and complex. Pry bars and come-alongs have been supplemented with hydraulic rescue tools, low-pressure lifting bags, winches and even cranes. As rescue tools and equipment compete for compartment space on pumpers and ladder trucks, we operate a dedicated heavy rescue unit to solve the problem.
Because of the growing number of specialized rescue tools and equipment, we utilize a Pierce brand, custom four-door cab with a compartmentalized walk-around body, or "toolbox on wheels," as some people call it. To maximize storage space, we use every conceivable cubic inch. Roof-mounted compartments are used for bulky or little-used equipment like ground ladders and large lifting bags, with access to the roof provided by a fixed ladder at the rear of the body. Equipment carried within the body is stored in roll-out, tilt-down trays to give immediate visibility and access to every part of the tray. Other tools are secured to both sides of vertical slide-out boards for quick retrieval. Long items like backboards and Stokes baskets are stored crossways in the body. Extended front bumper pans may carry winches and hose reels to give quick access for vehicle extrications.
The heavy rescue unit is designed and equipped to operate as a command center with state-of-the-art computers, software and Global Positioning Equipment (GPS). It too, supports firefighting operations with a high-pressure air cascade unit that can recharge up to 60 scbas on the scene, and a high-output electrical generator and elevating light tower that can provide wide-area lighting.
Our rescue technicians routinely access, stabilize, extricate, and transport patients to awaiting Paramedic ambulances or air ambulances for transfer to the appropriate trauma centers. Our heavy rescue unit is equipped for the following types of emergencies:
