Harrowing rescue brings man trapped 150 feet above ground to safety

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Members of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue’s method rescue squad enactment their specialized skills connected afloat show Tuesday erstwhile they lowered a antheral trapped 150 feet supra the crushed to safety.

The antheral was connected a assistance connected a elephantine crane connected Blount Island erstwhile an elevator connected the broadside of the crane came down deed the lift, pinning it and trapping the antheral much than 12 stories up.

JFRD spokesperson Eric Prosswimmer said the telephone came successful astir 11:45 a.m., and the method rescue squad was activated for the high-angle rescue.

PHOTO GALLERY: JFRD performs high-angle rescue connected Blount Island

They acceptable up a strategy and enactment the diligent successful a “half back” stabilization harness, slid him done immoderate rails onto enactment and lowered him – with a JFRD subordinate -- down to different level. On the little level, they transferred him to a handbasket dangling from an extended occurrence motortruck ladder for the remainder of the travel down.

Ad

The full rescue took implicit an hour.

“We’re not successful a rush. We don’t privation anyone other to get hurt. There’s nary consciousness successful endangering that diligent much by rushing things than what it is,” Prosswimmer said. “I deliberation they’re going to beryllium alright. No large injuries, which we’re thankful for. It enabled america to determination astatine our gait to dilatory things down and beryllium astute and marque definite everybody was safe.”

The antheral waved to his rescuers earlier helium disappeared into the waiting JFRD ambulance, which took him to a section infirmary to beryllium checked out.

Prosswimmer said the firefighters who took portion successful the rescue were highly trained.

“It’s 2nd quality to them, but it’s inactive a precise method rescue and information is paramount to us,” helium said. “It is scary, but we bid hard, and that’s what we do. Your grooming takes over. So you’re successful mode. You’re not thinking, ‘Hey, I’m dangling 130 feet successful the air.’ You’re thinking, ‘I’ve got to assistance this idiosyncratic and get them to safety. This is my job. This is what I do. This is wherefore I’ve spent hundreds and hundreds of hours grooming to bash these situations.’ And it truly went flawlessly.”

Ad

Copyright 2021 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

About the Authors: