Mace Canute
Elite Member
.......Then there was the cat nailed to the floor and the dog stuck in the woodstove, we do see some strange things !
I want to hear about that cat!
.......Then there was the cat nailed to the floor and the dog stuck in the woodstove, we do see some strange things !
Cool beans. Long drive.Had an emergency page out today. Man stuck in piece of farm equipment. I am the chief of the VFD. I was at my day job, about 10- 15 miles away. But I responded "non emergency" and monitored the radio on my there.
From the sounds of it the guy was super lucky. IF this is what I think it is it would have gone two ways- it could have ripped his leg off OR it could have merely crushed it from the knee up, risking tearing the femoral artery. Since I am going off of descriptions only, I could be wrong.But it was a "sodder" (cuts the square pieces and puts them on a pallet? had a conveyor with a steel mesh belt that must move the cut pieces up to the pallet?) at least that's how it looked. Well ant way supposedly there are two workers on the machine one drives the tractor, and the other works the pallets, what ever that means. Well today the second worker got his foot caught in the steel mesh belt and it pulled him knee deep ito the machine before diver could stop it. machine had large maybe 4: diam serrated type rollers with maybe a 1.5" cold roll steel shaft center that went through bearings on outter frame of machine. Leg was trapped between 4 such rollers, two steel mesh belts and a couple, maybe 3, 2"square steel braces. We used the spreaders from our rescue tools to start bending the rollers apart, then we would crib with 4x4 wood wedges, then move deeper down, and get another bite. It was working but slow. just as I arrived a local heavy repair truck pulled in with a cutting torch, once the 1.5 cold roll shafts were cut the spread was much easier and we got patient out fairly quickly to the waiting ambulance.
Yeah, what an arrogant mule. Seen those before. Don't they irritate the beejeebers out of ya? More concerned about losing business than losing an employee. I suppose if he has the insurance, a mere human life really has no value to him. Which is the difference between you and him, Pat. You're a chief that values life. He's a POS that couldn't care less.when we get back to station the sod farm owner comes pulling up in his car wanting to know why we damaged his machine, and to complain that his 20,000 dollar machine was not gonna be able to make him any money today. I said we did the least damage we could, he said we should have dismantled it piece by piece not cut with torch. at the end he did finally ask how bad his worker was hurt, but only after complaining again about no work today.
Yes you can. You're the fire chief and you have the right, if not the obligation, to go take photographs as part of the investigation and to further training your rescue personnel on better and more expedient methods of performing those types of rescues at less damage/cost to the owner (pop that one on him and I betcha he'll make sure you're welcome there). If he refuses you still have the right to take photos for the report.no the machine was fully behind the tractor not off to the side. I have not found a picture of it. We are clearly not welcome back on the farm to get any pictures, I will say karma is wonderful..... Cant go into details but smile and be sure karma is working
no the machine was fully behind the tractor not off to the side. I have not found a picture of it. We are clearly not welcome back on the farm to get any pictures, I will say karma is wonderful..... Cant go into details but smile and be sure karma is working
thanks for the responses. I have heard that the injured man is recovering well. I have also heard from the fire departments' insurance adjuster. a claim has been filed for the damage to the machine. I have been busy this week writing reports, giving depositions, ect. what a pain. but I am willing to take time off from my paying job if necessary to fight this claim. might not be my money, but I strongly disagree with the farm owner getting one dime.