Posts Tagged EMS Box Alarm

Wheeling 2nd Alarm EMS Box 1-31-12

Jan 31

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Department News, Fire Service News | 2 Comments

Shortly after noon today (Tuesday) the Wheeling Fire Department received a call reporting workers feeling ill at a local manufacturing facility. When the first fire department units arrived, at 750 Northgate Parkway, they recorded very high CO readings and had the facility evacuated. They began to ventilate the building as they narrowed down the source to a piece of machinery. Initially, one worker was complaining of symptoms and was transported to an area hospital. Shortly thereafter, several other workers began reporting symptoms which prompted an escalation to an EMS Box Alarm for additional ambulances. This brought Long Grove, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Northbrook, and Buffalo Grove to the scene.

workers overcome by CO at Wheeling factory 1-31-12

Wheeling Ambulance 42 was designated as triage for the incident once it became clear that there were multiple patients. Larry Shapiro photo

The Wheeling Fire Department chief gathers information from the deputy chief in order to maintain records of all the patients needing transport. Larry Shapiro photo

Long Grove paramedics prepare to transport a patient to the hospital. Larry Shapiro photo

Officials appeared to have all patients under care as nearly a hundred workers waited outside for firefighters to complete ventilation to bring down the CO to acceptable levels. The Box Alarm was struck out before several additional workers made their way to the triage area and reported feeling ill. An additional four ambulances were requested to the scene as the EMS Box was reinitiated and elevated to the 2nd level. Ambulances came from Prospect Heights, Highland Park, Barrington, Glenview, and Des Plaines in addition to two Wheeling ambulances.

Larry Shapiro was at the scene and submitted several images.

Ambulances from Northbrook and Lincolnshire-Riverwoods arrive at the scene after the EMS Box Alarm was requested. Larry Shapiro photo

A worker is escorted to the Northbrook ambulance for transport to Glenbrook Hospital. Larry Shapiro photo

Another worker is handed off to Buffalo Grove firefighters. Larry Shapiro photo

Wheeling firefighters switch out air cylinders before going back into the building to monitor the venting process. Larry Shapiro photo

Des Plaines Ambulance 71 leaves the scene with two patients going to a hospital. Larry Shapiro photo

Workers approach Glenview Ambulance 8 for transport to Lutheran General Hospital. Larry Shapiro photo

Ambulances from Highland Park, Barrington and Wheeling are staged before being released from the scene without patients. Larry Shapiro photo

After a total of 13 workers were transported to four area hospitals, the Box Alarm was struck out and the remaining ambulances were released.

While this incident was playing out, neighboring Buffalo Grove responded to a small fire in an industrial building a block away. They were assisted by an Arlington Heights ambulance and Northbrook Tower 12.

More riveting photos can be seen in a gallery HERE.

Tags: ambulance transport, Barrington & Countryside Fire Protection District, Buffalo Grove Fire Department, CO poisening, Des Plaines Fire Department, EMS Box Alarm, factory workers in Wheeling overcome by high levels of CO, Glenview Fire Department, Highland Park Fire Department, Larry Shapiro, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District, Long Grove Fire Department, Long Grove Fire Protection District, paramedics at scene, patient on gurney, patient transport in ambulance, Prospect Heights Fire Department, Wheeling Fire Department, workers sickened by CO

Mount Prospect/Des Plaines train accident 5-13-11

May 13

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Department News, Fire Service News, Reader submission | Comments off

Mount Prospect Des Plaines Metra train accident 5-13-11

The lead car of the commuter train jumped the tracks and listed heavily. Tim Olk photo

Mount Prospect and Des Plaines Fire Departments were notified of a Metra Train colliding with a dump truck this morning at the Mt. Prospect Road crossing at Northwest Highway. The collision occurred in Mt. Prospect and the ensuing partial derailment and fire was 1/4 mile further down the line in Des Plaines. Both departments setup a unified command to coordinate the emergency response to the incident. The truck driver was killed at the scene and multiple train passengers were transported to area hospitals with varying degrees of injuries though none were critical. An EMS Box Alarm was requested and as the number of passengers with medical complaints grew, the alarm was upgraded to a 3rd Alarm and then to a 5th Alarm. In addition, a PACE bus was called to the scene to assist with transporting a group of patients that were triaged with a status of ‘green‘. Ambulances from Divisions 1, 3, and 20 responded to assist at the scene.

Fuel which splashed along the exterior of the train ignited along the first two cars. Tim Olk photo

The Chicago Tribune has an article HERE which states;

All the train cars remained upright but at least 29 passengers were taken to hospitals and 10 others were treated on the scene. Officials said none of the injuries aboard the train appeared life-threatening, though the engineer was listed in critical condition.

The train, No. 636, was headed inbound from Harvard when it hit the truck on the crossing at about 8:40 a.m. at Seger near the Cumberland station in Mount Prospect, said Michael Gillis, a spokesman for Metra.

The truck driver was identified as Kazimierz Karasek, 59, from Prospect Heights. Karasek, had been cited for more than 50 traffic violations, including a DUI, since 1986.

The truck was carrying load of concrete and was headed northwest on Northwest Highway, police said. It turned left onto Mount Prospect Road and through the crossing, Wagner said, adding that the gates were down and the signals were working.

The front train car came to rest roughly 200 yards east of Mount Prospect road, a gash slicing the metal above the lower row of windows.

Union Pacific spokesman Wes Lujan said the gates at the crossing were “operating as designed.”

“We believe that he drove around the gates,” Lujan said at a news conference.

He said crossing design is an “issue” because of Northwest Highway’s diagonal slant, but he added, “There’s no reason to go around (the gates).”

A similar accident involving the same kind of truck happened almost 10 years ago at the Mount Prospect Road and Northwest Highway intersection, according to Des Plaines fire officials.

In today’s accident, Wagner said the driver would have disregarded a “No Left Turn” sign, in addition to the gates and crossing lights. The driver had to cross into the northbound lanes of Mount Prospect Road to get around the northern gate, he said. That left the cab squarely on the tracks as the train blew through the intersection, and the trailer and cab bent like a jacknife, with the trailer hitting the train cars.

Tim Olk and Larry Shapiro were at the scene and submitted several images.

Looking southeast from Mt. Prospect Road shows the derailment of the first car. Tim Olk photo

Another perspective looking northwest along the tracks shows the entire train as it came to rest after the collision. Tim Olk photo

A view from the relative point of impact shows the devastation to the dump truck and the scattering of the concrete load it was carrying. Tim Olk photo

An overview of the intersection of Northwest Highway and Mt Prospect Road shows the accident scene. Larry Shapiro photo

The truck's cab was sheared off and thrown roughly 50 feet from the rest of the truck. Larry Shapiro photo

A view of the destroyed truck as scene from the north side of the accident scene. Larry Shapiro photo

The train came to rest 1/4 of a mile further down the tracks. Larry Shapiro photo

Paramedics attend to train passengers assembled on the opposite side of Northwest Highway. Larry Shapiro photo

Damage to the lead car from striking the truck. Larry Shapiro photo

Windows are damaged by the fire but protected the passengers inside. Larry Shapiro photo

Damage to the second car from fuel which ignited outside the train. One of the truck's fuel tanks was lodged beneath the first car of the train. Larry Shapiro photo

A patient is loaded onto a gurney after being immobilized by paramedics for the trip to a hospital. Larry Shapiro photo

Tim has a fallery online HERE and Larry has a gallery online HERE. Radio traffic from this incident can be found HERE.

Tags: Des Plaines Fire Department, EMS Box Alarm, Larry Shapiro, mass casualty incident, METRA train, Mount Prospect FIre Deoartment, Mt. Prospect Fire Department, Tim Olk, train accident, train vs truck collision

Buffalo Grove EMS Box Alarm 5-11-11

May 11

Posted by bgshap in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Department News, MVA, Reader submission | Comments off

The Buffalo Grove Fire Department responded to a reported four-car motor vehicle accident with airbag deployment before noon today. The accident occurred on Milwaukee Avenue at Busch Parkway. As it is near the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District response area, they received the call as well. When units arrived on the scene, they had six patients among three cars, one of which had suffered extensive damage. Both departments worked to assist patients which included extricating two from a late model Cadillac. An EMS Box Alarm was requested which brought ambulances from Wheeling, Lake Zurich, Deerfield, Mundelein, and Lake Forest in addition to the Buffalo Grove and Lincolnshire ambulances that were already at the scene.

Tim Olk and Larry Shapiro were both at the scene, but Tim arrived prior to the first tool going to work. Both submitted images and Tim has a complete gallery HERE and Larry has a gallery HERE.