New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“As many in our community are aware, we had a significant motor vehicle crash in town last night.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the many people and agencies who stepped up to manage a very challenging incident. At around 4:50 pm last night, multiple 911 callers reported a crash that involved a garbage truck and a passenger car.
Police and Fire responded to the scene, finding 3 patients in need of medical care and transport. One of those patients was trapped in the garbage truck.
Lakeville Police Department photo.
Due to the severity of the entrapment and the injuries found among all the patients the following agencies were requested and dispatched:
• Middleborough sent Engine 3, Car 91, and an ambulance to the scene to support patient care and extrication operations. Freetown Engine 2 was dispatched to Ted Williams Camp to secure a landing zone for a medical helicopter. MedFlight landed at Ted Williams to receive care for a patient with serious injuries.
• Lakeville Engine 1 and Ambulance 3 responded to the initial alarm. Car 1 (O’Brien) and Car 2 (Garant) responded to the scene from home. A recall was transmitted for off-duty and on-call assistance; bringing Ambulance 2, Engine 2, and Squad 3 to the scene.
• Lakeville Police provided assistance at the scene and transported the Medflight crew from the landing zone to the scene.
• Lakeville A2 transported a patient to St Luke’s Hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening. The Middleborough Ambulance transported a patient to Good Samaritan Hospital with injuries that did not appear life-threatening.
• Firefighters from Lakeville and Middleborough worked for nearly an hour to extricate the last patient from the garbage truck.
Lakeville Police Department photo.
A call was made to Big Wheel Towing for a heavy wrecker to be sent to the scene without delay. Rescue crews were forced to use the wrecker to pull the garbage truck away from large trees that were preventing the driver’s extrication. Mike Cleary was the operator of the heavy wrecker, he is also a Lakeville Call Firefighter.
Once extricated, the third patient was transported to Ted Williams Camp in Ambulance 3 with significant injuries. There the patient was transferred to the helicopter for transport to Rhode Island Hospital.
While this response, like every other response, was not perfect; everyone from every agency came together to help these people on what was likely the worst day of their lives. The dispatchers, the police officers, the medics, the firefighters, and even the tow company all worked together to mitigate a very difficult situation.
Today we will reflect on what went well and what didn’t, we will make adjustments and be better prepared for the next one.
Thanks to all who answered the call and worked to save a life.”
Lakeville Police Department photo.
Original article:
“Chief Matthew Perkins reports that the Lakeville Police Department is investigating a crash involving a passenger vehicle and a trash truck that injured three people.
On Thursday, May 25, at approximately 4:50 p.m., Lakeville Police were notified by 911 call of a two-vehicle crash on Bedford Street in the area of Crooked Lane.
Officers responded and found two injured parties in a trash truck that had collided with a passenger vehicle, and an injured driver in the passenger vehicle.
The Lakeville Fire Department had to free one of the drivers, who was trapped in their vehicle for almost an hour.
The driver of the trash truck was taken by air ambulance to Rhode Island Trauma Center, while the driver of the passenger vehicle and a passenger in the trash truck were both taken by ambulance to local hospitals.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lakeville Police Department, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section.”-Lakeville Police Department.
This is a perfect example for why a County Fire/Rescue Department is needed for the future. As incidents become increasingly complex, coordinated responses of individuals ‘at home’ and assets from ‘other towns’ create delays. Seconds lead into minutes, minutes lead into crucial delays when a life is at stake. County departments provide a coordinated response immediately and in force with ‘on duty’ members, all similarly trained. These are facts, with LA County the highest example and many more around the Country. The management of this media might feel this idea is detrimental to their mantra and mission. The only detrement is a reduction of management and dispatch positions. Hope there is some courage to post it!