Bystander held patient’s head above water until rescuers arrived
By Heather Ruenz
Staff Writer
In what City of Delavan Fire Chief Tim O’Neill described as “one of the more unique calls” he’s responded to, a 14-year-old is reportedly doing well following a freak accident at a pier on Delavan Lake on Saturday night.
The teen had been swimming in the lake and when she returned to the pier, she attempted to get out of the water at the end of the pier. When she stepped on a support under the pier – where a downward, angled piece meets a vertical post – her foot got caught in the narrow area.
But that wasn’t the worst part, according to O’Neill.
“When she stepped down, she was pinned by the wood, which she may have been able to get out of, however, a nail impaled her foot (toe) and that trapped her,” he said.
O’Neill said a bystander helped by holding the girl’s head out of the water until emergency crews arrived.
“Once we got there, we were able to put a life preserver on her and that helped keep her head out of the water so paramedics could attend to her while firefighters worked on the pier,” he said.
According to O’Neill, a saw couldn’t be used on the pier because of the vibration it would have created so it was determined the best option was to use the Jaws of Life. It was the first time O’Neill had been part of a rescue that used that piece of equipment under water.
“In the training we were told it could be used under water but I was a little nervous to be honest. It performed as advertised, I’m happy to say,” he said. “And while we thought we’d have to take a piece of wood from the pier with the patient, that wasn’t necessary as the Jaws sliced right through it and she was freed.”
O’Neill said he was on the pier along with the paramedics during the rescue and it was a challenge to visualize what had happened.
“The firefighters who were in the water were explaining it to me,” he said.
In addition to police, who were on the scene before rescuers, O’Neill said he also appreciated the Town of Delavan Fire and Rescue Department, which took its boat out and stayed nearby.
“That was a nice reassurance to have them there, for the situation and the safety of our crews who were in the water,” he said.
Despite all that happened during the call, O’Neill said it took only eight minutes from the time of their arrival until the teen was freed.
“She’s fine and I’m glad it all turned out,” he said.
