August 2008

On the afternoon of Sunday, August 31, 2008, RE849, Ch849, Ch849A and Ch849B ( as Batt6) responded, with multiple units from Prince Georges. Montgomery, Anne Arundel, and Howard counties,  to the large mulch fire off of Van Dusen Road. Units using tanker operations and class A foam, worked for about 3 hours to control the blaze.

Cat Rescue

On the afternoon of Saturday Aug 30, 2008. Station 49 was alerted for an unusual, but stereotypical call. The Rescue Engine was requested for the cat stuck high in a tree. Applying the knowledge that cats do not like water , Two water cans later, the cat jumped onto a waiting salvage cover that the crew was holding to break the fall and returned safely to the family.

Apt Fire on Bowie Road - Redux

Multiple Fatalities on the Parkway

Montpelier Hills is Missing a Pillar

On August 17, 2008 at 0550 hrs Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad responded to a Motor Vehicle Accident in Montpelier Hills. RS849 and A849 were dispatched.

The driver, who is an area resident, was heading home at the time when she said she was forced off the road by a car which was heading directly for her. In order to avoid a head-on collision with the car she swerved. The driver of the unidentified car never stopped.

As she swerved, she ran over a street sign, jumping a curb about 30 feet away and coming to rest inside the area’s gazebo styled brick entrance, demolishing one of its support pillars and making the building unstable. She said she had been wearing her seat belt which avoided her impacting the steering wheel or windshield.

The woman was assessed and treated on the scene but refused transport to area hospital.

The Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad advocates that everyone wear their seatbelts. In this incident, the driver probably avoided serious injury by wearing her seatbelt.

Water Rescue Team Assists PG County Police with Weapon Recovery

On Tuesday, August 12, 2008, LVRS’ Water Rescue Team was requested to assist the Prince George's County Police Department’s Homicide Division with a weapon search from a previous homicide. Divers were requested to help search for and recover a weapon used in a fatal shooting a few days earlier. The area was a 1-acre pond about 6 feet deep at the deepest, and investigators had received good information that the suspect had disposed of the weapon in question by throwing it in the pond.

Three LVRS divers and one diver from Company 56 utilized an exhaustive, line-based search method to methodically search the bottom of the pond for the handgun. As in all underwater operations conducted by the team, divers utilized drysuits, tethered communications systems, line tenders, and back-up divers to ensure that all personnel operating on-scene were adequately protected.

After about 4 hours of active searching, divers located the weapon, secured it in a protective bag to preserve it as evidence, and transferred it over to the police for further processing.

Water Rescue Team Completes Swiftwater Rescue Training

On August 1-3, 2008, LVRS’ Water Rescue Team completed national certification in Swiftwater Rescue Technician Level 1, at Great Falls in Virginia. This is a bi-annual course that LVRS utilizes to re-certify current Water Rescue Team personnel, as well as to initially train new Water Rescue Team members. The three day course prepares team members for deploying to various types of flood and moving water events, such as often occurs in this area after heavy rainstorms.

Twelve team members completed the demanding course, including the first day classroom portion, and the second two days of in-water evolutions consisting of rescue swimming, boat-based operations, and rope rigging to complete simulated victim rescues. The last day even included a close-quarters visit by the U.S. Park Police helicopter to allow team members to experience the challenges in working with helicopters in flood/moving waters.

As always, the team would like to express its appreciation to George Lewis and Gary Gesling of Rescue-3 Virginia for providing a challenging and valuable training experience. This is the fifth time that LVRS has utilized Rescue-3 Virginia to meet its ongoing training needs.

National Night Out at Laurel Lakes

On August 5, 2008, Laurel Mayor Craig A. Moe and Laurel Police Chief Dave Crawford hosted the city’s National Night Out.

The City of Laurel ’s National Night Out included free food and activities for everyone. It included static displays and demonstrations from Laurel Police Department’s Emergency Response Team and K-9 Unit, in addition to the MNCPPC Mounted Horse Unit, Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad and Laurel Volunteer Fire Department.

It was a beautiful, cool evening as units from the Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad demonstrated how they perform a vehicle extrication with people trapped. FF Emmett Winston took out the side windows of the vehicle then went to work on cutting the windshield, while FF Mike Windley began stabilization of the van. The doors were removed using the “jaws of life” (hydraulic rescue tool) within 3 minutes, and then they began cutting across the roof of the van.

Five minutes after the crew started, the vehicle was stabilized, the doors were removed, the windshield and roof peeled back and now EMS personnel can safely assess and remove their patient.

The Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad reminds everyone to drive safely and to wear your seat belts