The Troy Fire Department used several tools to free a motorist trapped in a pickup truck after it slammed into a tree early Tuesday morning, Nov. 20.
Firefighters were dispatched to the crash on Rochester Road, south of Square Lake Road, at about 7 a.m.
“Weather conditions at the time were snow- and ice-covered roads, making response to the incident treacherous, and operations at the scene very challenging,” said Chuck Riesterer, assistant fire chief, in a statement.
With the driver’s door pinned against the tree, firefighters used the hydraulic Jaws of Life to open the passenger’s door, and to force the passenger’s seat away from the patient, providing more room to maneuver. After a few minutes, it was determined this would not provide sufficient access to the patient.
Simultaneously, a crew worked on the driver’s side to attempt to remove the back door to gain access to the patient. When this proved inadequate, A & M Towing Service pulled the vehicle away from the tree to provide better access to the driver’s door while the patient was stabilized by paramedics from Alliance Mobile Health.