The city’s new Ladder 2 truck, less than two weeks on the job, made its first rescue when firemen went atop Harrison Ferry Mountain to save a man who suffered a medical emergency.
According to McMinnville Fire Chief Kendall Mayfield, the ambulance service received a call on Harrison Ferry Mountain concerning a medical emergency.
“The man had passed out,” said Mayfield, noting the man was on the second floor of a building that was under construction. “They couldn’t get him down so they asked us to come up and help.”
The city responded with its Ladder 2 truck through mutual aid. The department is allowed to help in other areas outside the city limits through a mutual aid agreement.
When they arrived, firemen extended the ladder to where it was even with the second floor where the man was located. They were then able to place him in a mobile carrying stretcher and walk him across the ladder to the firetruck from the second floor.
Mayfield said the Harrison Ferry mission Thursday was the first rescue the new ladder truck has accomplished, although it has been used in firefighting capability as recently as the Rafael’s Italian Restaurant fire on Wednesday.