Crescent Township Volunteer Fire Department

This email below was copied to Crescent Township Commissioners by Fire Chief Scott in a "simple" recap of services provided by Crescent Township Volunteer Fire Department during a recent vehicle crash.  This group of men and women do not seek the spotlight, preferring instead to do the job they are trained to do and then go back to their job or family.  

My intention is not to embarrass anyone but to offer a salute to each and every one of them.  Merely saying "Thank You" seems insufficient but it is all they would humbly want.

THANK YOU CTVFD and Chief Scott.

Dr. Jerry L. Keller-Crescent Township Commissioner 

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TO MY HEROES:  On December 17, 2012 at 1311 hours the Crescent Township Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a single vehicle crash with injuries and entrapment in the area of 234 Spring Run Road in the Township of Crescent.  All available firefighters responded to the incident with many leaving their work assignments.  Station 129 Engine-1, 129 Rescue, 129 Fire Police, and Chief 129 responded to the scene.  Upon arrival at the scene, a young woman was found unconscious and trapped in her vehicle with serious life threatening injuries following a violent crash into a utility pole.  129 Rescue personnel immediately sized up the scene and began rescue operations.  This was an extremely difficult rescue operation due to the severe damage to the vehicle, and total entrapment of the operator of the vehicle.  Emergency Medical personnel from Valley Ambulance Authority recognized the need for a "rapid extrication", and our rescue personnel met those needs.  The only pathway for extrication was the driver side of the vehicle which necessitated a complete removal of the driver side of the vehicle from "A" post to "C" post including both front and rear doors.  Deploying high powered hydraulic rescue tools, the 129 vehicle rescue team established a pathway of extrication within 13 minutes from the time our rescue vehicle arrived on scene.  Within 18 minutes, the patient was packaged and on board a Valley ambulance.  Station-197 assisted with establishing a landing zone for an air ambulance medical helicopter which flew the patient to a Pittsburgh trauma facility.  The young woman is expected to recover from her injuries, although it is uncertain of the extent of her brain injuries.  In any event, this young woman and her family are able to celebrate the holiday season together because of the heroic efforts of our rescue team.  This rescue would not have been possible without our dedicated training efforts and the proper equipment needed to facilitate this rescue.  I commend each and everyone of you who made this rescue a success, and I am proud to serve as your Chief.  When we save a life such as in this incident, it reminds us all why we are in the business as professional rescuers.  You should all be proud of your accomplishments throughout the year.  Often times the work we do goes unnoticed to many in the community, but I am certainly proud of you and the work you do all year long.  It was also reassuring to know that we had professional rescue assistance available from Station-197 if needed.  Chief Scott