ROUTE 299 AT LAURETTA DRIVE

At 13:02 hours on September 17, 2010 the Highland Fire Department was dispatched to a reported rollover PIAA on State Route 299 one-half mile west of State Route 9W. The New York State Police were the first unit on the scene and reported to Ulster 911, a two-vehicle accident; a car and a pick-up truck with the pick-up on its side with people still in both vehicles. Shortly thereafter the driver operator self extricated herself from the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. She was accompanied by a large dog, which was also removed from the vehicle. The operator refused medical attention at the scene of the accident.

Firefighters,Car 31 and Car 31-A arrived on the scene at 13:06 hours, found two other people remaining in the other vehicle, a Toyota Avalon, which had sustained heavy damage in the collision. The two vehicles had struck right front-to right front. The female passenger of the car was heavily entrapped by the damage to the right front which included intrusion into the passenger compartment by the crushed fender and door and distortion of the “A” post in and down on the occupant.

Heavy Rescue R31-60 and engine E31-30 responded with R31-60 arriving on the scene at 13:10 hours. It had already been determined to take the roof off the car to provide room for patient removal, but this was deferred just long enough to allow for removal of the male driver to a backboard and to a MLSS ambulance for immediate transport to St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie. While this was taking place firefighters removed the passenger door on the right side of the vehicle to facilitate patient access and in anticipation of a “dash lift” being performed.

Immediately after the driver was removed the roof of the car was removed and the dash lift was commenced. Due to the extensive crushing onto the patient and the complete destruction of the ”A” post structure of the lower passenger compartment it was further determined the patient would have to be removed over the trunk of the car. This required the removal of the “B” post and the seat back of the passenger’s seat. With this completed it was easier to move the patient to a spine board and transferred over to the complete care of MLSS Paramedics. All extrication actions were communicated with the MLSS Paramedic who was with the patient throughout the extrication. The extrication was completed in twenty-nine minutes. This seriously injured patient was also transported to St. Francis Hospital by Mobile Life Support Services (MLSS).

The New York State Police were the investigating agency and the Town of Lloyd Police assisted with traffic and at the scene. Both agencies had two cars each on the scene. The fire department responded with fourteen personnel and returned to service at 14:40 hours after assisting with clean-up of the vehicle fluids and automobile parts from the roadway.