Thrusday, January 7, 1999
Rescuers slip, slide, save the day
BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MIDDLETOWN — A combination of heavy ice, snow-covered fire hydrants and a surge in emergency calls is creating unusual physical and mental challenges for firefighters.
During the first week of the new year, the department, which covers 25 square miles in both Butler and Warren counties, has averaged more than 30 runs daily — double the usual number for the time period — and they're often taking twice as long because of the weather.
Most of the runs are emergency medical responses, and several have been unusual — including transporting residents to life-saving dialysis treatments when private ambulances were unavailable, Fire Chief John Sauter said.
“The weather has definitely impacted us and made a very seriously heavy work load for us,” Chief Sauter said. “Nobody's complaining and we're getting the job done, but our people have been working their buns off.”
Emergency medical crews in fire departments all over the region — including Hamilton, Lebanon, Cincinnati, Covington, Forest Park, Clearcreek Township, Monroe — also are facing nature's wrath in varying degrees.
Crews are sliding along icy streets, then stumbling over snow-covered yards and driveways to get to people who are suffering heart attacks, broken bones or sledding mishaps. And the snow and ice prevent use of wheeled cots, so crew members must hoist carry injured people by hand, sometimes long distances to reach the squad. That's required many departments to at least double the number of personnel sent on runs.
And instead of taking the pulse of patients and administering CPR, some emergency workers are finding themselves pushing a shovel on icy walkways to clear paths to get patients out of their homes, or helping pull an ambulance or a fire truck out of a snow bank. Some fire crews have been busy digging hydrants out of snow drifts.
In the first five days of the
year, Clearcreek Fire District in Warren County saw runs jump 70 percent over last year, but there were no major surprises or difficulties, said Chief Bernie Becker.
“We've just had more emergency medical runs, people with water line breaks, alarm drops and such,” Chief Becker said.
But emergency crew members in several departments have taken spills on the ice, with a few breaking bones. One Middletown firefighter was hospitalized with heart problems after being stricken while on a run. Another broke his hand, said Middletown Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Sorrell.
Steve Bretz, Forrest Park Firefighter/EMT, was rushing to help a woman who had fallen on the snow, when he slipped and slid right past her — hurting his elbow and his dignity.
“I felt pretty stupid, and looked like a bowling ball going down the road,” Mr. Bretz said.
Monroe Fire Lt. Dan Rauh said one crew member slipped on the ice carrying a patient to the squad and toppled over a fellow employee, creating “the bowling pin syndrome. Fortunately the patient on the cot was not spilled off.”
Forest Park crews have had no injuries, but with snow and ice-covered driveways and sidewalks, the risk is there, said Fire Chief Bob Stegeman.
“People just never think that the ambulance or fire truck is going to have to come to their house,” Chief Stegeman said.
Along with those worries, Covington crews are also fighting to keep hydrants uncovered, unfrozen and ready for use, said Fire Chief Dave Flege.
In Cincinnati, “we're having the usual problems that everyone has to deal with in this kind of weather, but there's been nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that we've not been able to deal with,” said Fire Chief Robert Wright.
More ice, snow coming
January is fattest month of all
Library funds lacking
Plea deal for driver angers injured boy's family
Rape charges dropped against ex-chief
Schulenberg friends fill church
Beyond the bunny hill
Lucas bolts party ranks on first day
Sen. Bunning shares glory at swearing-in
Voinovich is no stranger to challenges
From 'backwater' to beltway
CONGRESSIONAL NOTEBOOK
Helping children to heal - gently
Allen Sapp was CCM dean and composer
Area author tells teens how to help themselves
Boone emergency-phone system can warn 12,000 people per hour
Dispatcher's return likely to stand
Fire and life squad kept busy
Hearing on Ohio 741 zoning
'Intranet' to send assignments to homes
Local health insurance cost increases vary widely
Networks fine tune lineups
Rescuers slip, slide, save the day
Schools asked to allocate money on per-pupil basis
Service with smile, never a coat
Study to revitalize Lawrenceburg begins
Tech colleges sell value of education
Thousands miss mail because of snow, ice
TRISTATE DIGEST
UC union leaders want diverse board of trustees
