Lakeside Firefighters Extricate Trapped Truck Driver

Foster - At 8:22 a.m., on September 28, 2010, Heartland Fire Communications dispatched Lakeside Fire units to a rescue traffic accident in the area of the San Vicente Reservoir in the north part of the fire district. Based on subsequent reports indicating a trapped victim, Battalion 1 (Tockstein) assigned an additional engine company to the rescue response.

Firefighters from the Eucalyptus Hills fire station (Engine 2) were first on-scene reporting a large water tanker rollover with major damage and a trapped victim. Battalion 1 assumed Moreno IC and directed crews from E1, E2, R3, and M1 during the 40-minute extrication. Due to the complicated rescue scenario and extended extrication time, an aeromedical helicopter (Mercy Air 5) was requested for transport.Lakeside Firefighter/Paramedics were able to begin treatment on the patient while the extrication was being performed.
Once freed from the wrecked truck, the single patient was ground transported by M1 to the waiting helicopter and flown to the trauma center at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego.

During the rescue, fire crews also had to deal with leaking fuel from the truck. Lakeside Fire Chief Andy Parr also assisted on the call with the landing of the Mercy Air helicopter.

Rescue crews used lifting bags, stabilization struts, and hydraulic tools during this extrication.

Lakeside Firefighters work to free trapped truck driver.

Lakeside Firefighter Shawn McKenna (left) waits to make another cut.

Story by: Captain Scott Culkin, Lakeside Fire District
Photos by: Battalion Chief Chuck Tockstein, Lakeside Fire District