Press releases

Edina Fire Department’s auger rescue in Eden Prairie demonstrates benefit of mutual aid

Edina, Minn., Jan. 14, 2010 – In a demonstration of their mutual aid agreements, the Edina Fire Department assisted their counterparts in Eden Prairie in freeing a man whose arm had become trapped in an auger just days before Christmas.
 
Shortly before 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22, Eden Prairie’s first responders were called to the 6300 block of Carlson Drive (in Eden Prairie). There, they discovered the man, whose arm was trapped in the auger of a salt/sand truck.
 
Approximately 15 Eden Prairie firefighters, a number of police officers and Hennepin County paramedics arrived on the scene, but it was the Edina Fire Department’s special operations team that was able to use their specialized training to eventually free the man.
 
“Through mutual aid, we help our neighboring fire departments and they help us.” said Edina Fire Chief Marty Scheerer explaining the process in a nutshell. “It is impossible for every local department to be trained in every aspect of fire and emergency rescue. Instead, we all have our own individual expertise and special equipment that we can then use to assist other Cities.”
 
The rescue took approximately 35 minutes, and the man was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center after being freed. His injuries were reported as non life-threatening. According to Scheerer, an incident in which this type of rescue is required is very rare.
 
Edina’s special operations team is trained in technical and structural collapse rescues, as well as many other specialized rescue skills.  It is a regional asset for other departments in the area. Eden Prairie’s Fire Department specializes in water and ice rescues as well as “low angle” rescues on steep hills and cliffs.
 
“Having [Edina’s Fire Department] so close, and the fact that we work so well together is what made the difference,” said Eden Prairie Fire Chief George Esbensen. “All of the fire departments in Hennepin County try to use a common terminology and common way of doing things so that when we come together [through mutual aid] we are like one big department.”
 
Each year, Edina crews go out on 30 to 40 mutual aid calls and are on the receiving end of about the same number.
 
For more information, visit www.CityofEdina.com/Fire or call the Edina Fire Department at 952-826-0378.