Throgs Neck Bridge Rescue - 12/19/2007
(L to R) Lt. Aldo Adissi, FF Michael Fassino, FF Steven Hardwick, FF James Skelly and
FF David Collado of Squad 61 with a stokes basket they used to save a
construction worker on the Throgs Neck Bridge.
Firefighters from the Bronx and Queens came to the rescue on December 19, saving a construction worker who was trapped by falling scaffolding as he was standing on safety netting more than 20 feet above the roadway of the Throgs Neck Bridge.
“All that we were thinking about was keeping the incident from escalating and keeping everyone safe,” said Lt. Aldo Adissi from Squad 61. “It was definitely a group effort by all the companies involved.”
Members of Ladder 167 and Squad 61 were among the first to arrive on the scene at around 1:45 p.m.
Firefighters from Ladder 167 extended their aerial ladder to the victim and members from all responding units, including Rescue 3 and Battalion 20, climbed to the victim. They quickly packaged and stabilized the victim, who had injured his leg.
Members of Ladder 54 extended their bucket ladder and firefighters moved the victim to the bucket and lowered him to the roadway safely. Although the victim was in a great deal of pain, firefighters said he was smiling as he was lowered.
EMS members transported the victim to Jacobi Medical Center in stable condition.
“This is an evolution that we practice on a daily basis,” said Firefighter David Collado of Squad 61. “There’s more pressure when it’s the real deal, but everything went really smoothly.”