Jackson Fire Department’s ingenious approach to I-40 bridge incident
JACKSON, Tenn. — We spoke with the Jackson Fire Department to learn more about an interesting and intuitive way they responded to an incident that occurred on March 13th.
Using a ladder truck with a bucket attached to the end, they were able to position it under the bridge and under the individual.
While under the bridge, the team in the bucket had spotters monitoring the individual’s behavior and giving hand signals telling the crew in the bucket to move left or right.
Battalion Chief Russell Downen says, at times, the individual would get agitated and they would have to retract the ladder to conceal it from him.
“In case he fell while running up and down those crossmembers on the bridge, we wanted to be there so instead of falling 30 feet he would have fell six or seven feet,” said Downen.
Downen says the idea to utilize the ladder truck in such a unique way was within the realm of common sense.
He says the Station Five firefighters who responded are specially trained in confined space and high-angle rescues.
“With the high angle rescue and confined space, learning the aerial truck and it’s capabilities, these guys train a lot and I think it’s one way that it shows itself on how well they were able to do the other night,” said Downen.
The situation was resolved without injury and no further details have been released at this time.
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SEE ALSO: UPDATE: I-40 standstill resolved, no injuries says THP
