PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. LEONARD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Port Republic, MD – A tree trimmer who was critically injured after falling from an undetermined height Monday morning, June 20, in Calvert County is apparently going to survive his injuries, a spokesman for a state utility reported.
The work accident occurred around 9 a.m. under power lines located about one to two miles from Rosemary Drive and Wash Hance Road in Port Republic. Several emergency responders were dispatched to the scene to conduct a technical rescue.
According to St. Leonard Volunteer Fire Department Safety Officer Norman Bauer, since the injured man was down a hill, the incident command staff decided to do an aerial hoist. Two Maryland State Police (MSP) helicopters were used — one to hoist the injured man out of the area where he fell and the other to fly him to a trauma center.
“Once the patient was raised to the top of the hill and onto flat land, Medic 105 [from Calvert Advanced Life Support] and [MSP helicopter] Trooper 7’s flight medics stabilized the patient and worked with crews to package the patient,” Bauer stated. “Trooper 7’s crew coordinated with [MSP] Trooper 6 to hover above the clearing approximately 100 feet away and the patient was transported via a Gator to the site. Trooper 6 lowered the hoist and flight medic and the patient was secured. The patient was hoisted to Trooper 6 and transported to the shock trauma center.”
According to Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) spokesman Aaron Koos, the tree trimmer was doing subcontractor work for one of the utilities vegetation management contractors. The worker’s name is not being released at this time.
Koos told The BayNet that the injured worker was flown to a shock trauma center in Baltimore and at last report his condition has stabilized and he is improving. According to Koos, the man is expected to be released from the hospital soon.
“We always perform vegetation management and BGE appreciates all that our employees and contractors do for our customers,” said Koos. “Safety is our utmost priority.”
No details of what caused the accident have been divulged at this time. At least one deputy from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office was at the scene to investigate the incident.
For previous reports on this incident visit /articles/0616/treeworkerinjuredduringworkaccident.html
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com.