On Sunday, August 6th, at 05:42, the Esopus Fire Department and Town
Of Esopus, Volunteer Ambulance Squad were dispatched to a report of a one-car motor vehicle accident in the area of 711 Route 9W. The first arriving
unit was on the scene within five minutes and reported a single car off the
roadway with one patient still in the car. Due to the entrapment, a 2nd alarm
was requested for manpower and an ALS unit to respond. A medevac
helicopter was requested to go on stand-by but was not available.
Firefighters were able to extricate the patient from the car in twenty minutes
using Hurst tools, commonly referred to as the Jaws of Life. It took an
additional 10 minutes to bring the patient up to the roadway; the vehicle and
patient were located 15 feet down an embankment requiring low-angle rescue
techniques and ropes. Original reports stated there was a second patient; firefighters and police searched the woods for 30 minutes until additional
information was received, and the search was discontinued. The patient was
transported to Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie by Esopus
Ambulance, assisted by Mobile Life Support Services. Route 9W was closed
for approximately 2 hours during the cleanup and accident investigation.
While operating at this incident, Esopus Fire and Esopus Ambulance
were dispatched for a Motor Vehicle Accident involving a motorcycle in the
area of 46 Ulster Ave. One patient was transported by Esopus Ambulance to
Vassar Hospital. Ulster Ave was closed for approximately 45 minutes for this
incident.
Esopus Firefighters were assisted by the Town of Esopus Volunteer
Ambulance Squad, Mobile Life Support Services, the New York State Police,
and the Ulster County Sherriff’s Office.