Greenburgh Trench Collapse

[KCRD 6]

Was just wondering why Yonkers Rescue 1 and Squad 11/Collapse where not requested to go seeing as they train the other fire departments in this sort of operation.

[Truck4 48]

Since Greenburg has thier own Technical Rescue Team and conducts thier own training, it would be logical that resources requested would be up to thier own discretion. They ironically had thier own trench rescue training yesterday.

[27east 19]

is the Greenburgh team all PD or is a combination of the PD and the three fire depts?

[JohnnyOV 2]

They ironically had thier own trench rescue training yesterday.

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allways happens. We once joked around about haveing a structure fire drill lol. Nothing ever happened with that though.

[Guest TOYBUFF911]

Was just wondering why Yonkers Rescue 1 and Squad 11/Collapse where not requested to go seeing as they train the other fire departments in this sort of operation.

Greenburgh Technical rescue team is a joint team made up of Greenburgh police officers / Police Paramedics / Greenville firfighters / Greenville search & rescue k-9 dog / Fairview firefighters / and a civilian Doctor, who actively trains and donates his time to the team every month. The team is very advanced and very well equipted and responds to mutual aid call outs where ever requested. The day before TRT trained with a live trench collpase situation, at the greenburgh town park, practicing several techniques and operation of several advance tools. YPD ESU was fortunate to be there guests the last several months and let me tell you these guys all work well together and they are excellent at what they do. Great jog TRT.

[WMCer111 0]

I noticed Air 2 when landing at this scene was a bird from ARCH whats wrong with Air 2's normal helo?

[GFD70 4]

Man rescued after collapse at Greenburgh home

By RICHARD LIEBSON

rliebson@thejournalnews.com

THE JOURNAL NEWS

OSHA excavation rules at a glance

• Trenches deeper than 5 feet must be shored up.

• Contractors must provide a safe way for workers to climb in and out of a trench in case of an emergency, such as a ladder or one side with a more gentle slope.

• A "competent person" is required to oversee a job and ensure that appropriate safety measures are being taken.

Previous accidents

• April 13, 2005: A construction foreman dies after an unshored trench collapses on him at a residential work site in New Rochelle. The accident occurred at 111 Wilmot Road, where workers were building drainage ditches at the construction site of a single-family home. Thore Christensen, 59, of Garnerville, was working at the bottom of a ditch more than 8 feet deep and 5 feet wide when the unsupported sides collapsed.

• March 18, 2004: A Nyack man is freed after he is buried under rocks and dirt when the trench he was digging collapses on Lester Drive in Orangeburg. William Hicks, 35, was helping to replace a sewer pipe.

• Aug. 9, 2000: A 24-year-old construction worker dies after he is pinned inside a trench while waterproofing the foundation of an Ossining townhouse. Lautaro Nieves of Ossining was buried under dirt and pinned against the wall of 811 Eagle Bay Drive when the trench collapsed.

(Original publication: January 13, 2006)

GREENBURGH — A Hastings-on-Hudson day laborer escaped with his life yesterday after a 6-foot-deep trench he was digging behind an Edgemont home collapsed, burying him neck deep and pinning his legs behind him.

"By any stretch of the imagination he's very lucky,'' Greenburgh Police Chief John Kapica said of Ricardo Gutierrez, 27, who was taken by helicopter to Westchester Medical Center after he was dug out by police and Fairview firefighters from the town's technical rescue team. "It looks like he may have some injuries to his lower extremities, along with shock and possibly hypothermia, but he's alive.''

Inspectors from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were on the scene at 340 Ardsley Road as the drama unfolded, trying to determine why workers were digging so deep without bracing the trench, Kapica said.

"Once you start digging past about 3 feet, it's really perilous if you don't shore it up,'' he said.

The accident occurred about 12:15 p.m., when co-workers, including Gutierrez's brother, told police they hit a root while digging, which caused a tree to fall and the trench to collapse. The three other workers called police and uncovered Gutierrez's face. Authorities said he was able to take shallow breaths and remained conscious as emergency workers struggled to dig him out.

Paramedics gave him fluids intravenously and oxygen as rescuers dug him out.

Rescuers' efforts were hampered by the steep embankment behind the house, which caused many rescuers to lose their footing. They eventually strung a rope between two trees to hold on to and then formed a bucket brigade to pass the dirt back away from the trench.

Gutierrez was freed about 1:25 p.m. and taken to a STAT flight helicopter that landed in a parking lot behind the nearby Midway Shopping Center.

"I hope he makes it,'' Rhoda Thompkins of Yonkers said from across the street. "I was shopping when I heard all the commotion, so I came over and found out what happened. I'm praying for the worker.''

Ardsley Road was closed for several hours, and a crowd of spectators gathered behind the shopping center. Greenburgh police Lt. Vincent LoGiudice said the road was reopened shortly after the rescue.

LoGiudice said hospital officials told him Gutierrez's injuries were actually less severe than what was originally thought. As of 3 p.m., LoGiudice said, the victim was only being treated for hypothermia, and his legs weren't fractured.

The homeowners and the contracting company, Rodrick Plumbing & Heating, will be issued summonses for not having a building permit to do the work, said town Supervisor Paul Feiner.

Phone calls to the contracting company were not immediately returned yesterday.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Just wanted to say hell of a job to all agencies involved! I caught the tail end of this job on my scanner and it all seemed to go smoothly. Then after reading the IA post and all the posts here in the workshop, it seems as though it was a flawless rescue!

I was aware that both Yonkers and Greenburgh had TRT's, however i did not realize how active they are and how much training they do! Well, it obviously all payed off on this incident! I also did not realize how many resources go into the TRT's, especially having a MD as part of the team who activly trains with them! That is outstanding! Its also nice to see that the PD's & FD's train and work together so well, you don't see that everywhere! Its good to know that they realize they both have alot to bring to the table and when a job needs to get done, they put their heads together and get it done!

One question....TOYBUFF911 had mentioned that these teams will go anywhere when requested M/A. I had always wondered this because i've never had to deal with a trench collapse and i can't remember the last time we had one in our area. I know we have several rescue-techs and members trained in trench/building collapse, however we have nowhere near the resources (on-hand) that we would need to deal with such an incident. So if we (Buchanan) or any other area department had such an incident, could we count on the Greenburgh TRT to respond? What i mean is, if our IC contacted 60-Control and requested the Greenburgh TRT, caould they respond M/A? And would they then have to re-call off duty members to back-fill positions left open? On the topic of M/A, does anyone know if Greenburgh's TRT is on the county M/A list and in the CAD at 60?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, as i am truly interested in this team and their cappabilities!

Also, more info and pictures on 1st Responder News.com -

http://www.1strespondernews.com/webpages/n...c4-cd404c9e4a03

*In the 3rd picture down, it shows a guy in a job shirt and hat wearing jeans. Was this an off-duty MOS that was requested to the scene or a MOS that responded voluntarily to assist in the rescue effort? Either way, really cool to see how everyone was working hard to rescue the victim.

[capt36 9]

The guy in the jeans is Capt. Harry Stone, Fairview FD who was off duty. I was the duty officer in Greenville that day and if needed we would have called YFD. They taught us bldg. and trench collapse rescue and we have the resources in Greenburgh to handle almost any job. The Greenburgh TRT will respond to any municipality on MA.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Capt36....Thanks alot for the info, much appreciated! Its good to see that members are always willing to help, whether on or off-duty! Just goes to show, once a firefighter, always a firefighter!

Also glad to hear that the TRT is available to M/A depts. when requested! Glad to hear that all the agencies got there quick and got the guy out and sounds like he'll be okay. As we all know, many trench collapses end in fatalities.

Capt36, thanks again for the info and you guys did a hell of a job!

[Lieut2 0]

White Plains Fire has a manned Heavy Rescue Company, They are trained and equipped in Water and Ice Rescue, Rescue Tech. Basic, Advanced Trench, Building Collapse, Advanced Ropes, Confined Space, FAST, and CFR. Besides Rescue #88 the city shop is currently constructing a Collapse Unit (U-#1) from a old engine, similar to the Yonkers Unit. They are also available through 60 control and will respond anywhere they are requested.

Edited January 17, 2006 by Lieut2

[capt36 9]

White Plains Fire has a manned Heavy Rescue Company, They are trained and equipped in Water and Ice Rescue, Rescue Tech. Basic, Advanced Trench, Building Collapse, Advanced Ropes, Confined Space, FAST, and CFR. Besides Rescue #88 the city shop is currently constructing a Collapse Unit (U-#1) from a old engine, similar to the Yonkers Unit. They are also available through 60 control and will respond anywhere they are requested.

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Thanks again to the WPFD for their assistance with the rescue (E66 and TL6 and D/C Cullen). The GFD members took basic trench with YFD and advanced with WPFD. Hats off to all Depts. who made my job easier that day.