On Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 11:27 am, the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company, Kent & Queen Annes Rescue Squad and Kent County EMS was dispatched to an entrapment in the 5200 block of Johnsontown Road. This is located in the Quaker Neck area of Kent County, Maryland.

Information provided by dispatch indicated a male victim had been working on a mower deck. The jack stand supporting the mower deck had slipped, subsequently pinning the victim's hand underneath. Upon arrival, crews found the patient conscious and alert, and confirmed his hand was pinned. A closer assessment of the situation revealed the situation was more serious then first believed. When the mower deck fell, the patient's hand was caught between the deck and the jack stand. As a result, the patient's hand was impaled on the jack stand.

As paramedics stabilized the patient, crews worked quickly to extricate the patient from his precarious situation. Using a ladder off the Rescue Truck as a lever to quickly lift the deck, cribbing to support it was put in place. Using first a bottle jack, then ultimately lifting the deck manually, the patient's hand and jack stand were removed from beneath mower deck.

Because of the serious nature of the injury, a helicopter from Maryland State Police Aviation was requested. Because of the delicate structures within the hand, it was determined to leave the jack in place and allow surgeons to remove it. Consequently, the patient and the jack stand were airlifted to the Hand Center at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The condition of the patient is not known.

A technical rescue like this is always unique and challenging. We thank everyone who helped extricate the patient and ensure his timely transfer to a specialty medical center for definitive care. It truly was a team effort. We're also thankful the patient's family was on-scene. They provided a level of emotional support to the patient during this difficult time.

Emergency Organizations:

Chestertown VFC
Kent & Queen Annes Rescue Squad
Kent County EMS
Maryland State Police Aviation