A driver was injured Wednesday morning when his car left the road on High St (Rte 133), rolled over and struck a utility pole.
The crew of Engine 2–Firefighters Jeremy Dalton, Mike Sikora and Blake Emerson–arrived on scene near 280 High St at 9:43 am to find the vehicle on its side against a large tree. Another, small tree needed to be cut down by chain saw to give rescuers room to go to work with hydraulic tools and cut a portion of the vehicle away. The driver, who was alone in the car, was then packaged for transport by Action Ambulance for transportation to Beverly Hospital. A firefighter drove the ambulance while paramedics tended to the patient in back. Off-duty firefighters were called in to man the Central Street station and respond to another medical emergency while Engine 2 was tied up.
“It was a well-executed rescue conducted in difficult circumstances,” said Ipswich Fire Chief Paul Parisi. “A compromised electrical pole, trees and brush that needed to be cut out of the way, and low staffing all contribute to the challenges of this extrication. It’s a real credit to our members and the time they spend training in order to stay proficient with their tools and their skills.”
As always, this successful operation was accomplished through the teamwork of several agencies. Besides Action Ambulance, Ipswich Police were on the scene to manage the resulting traffic issues and investigate the crash. The Electric Light Department was quick to respond to stabilize and later fix the damaged utility pole.