San Francisco technicans didn't delay their operation to rescue a man trapped in a sewer pipe this past weekend.
Information published by local media indicated they waited for an OSHA permit before proceeding with the rescue.
Prior to any confined space rescue, the incident commander makes sure certain safety measures are in place.
"The phrase "Pulling a permit" in this application refers to the Incident Commander following the OSHA Confined Space Rescue requirements which outline safety measures and equipment, time rescuers are exposed to the space, air monitoring and other criteria," Justin Schorr, San Francisco Fire public information officer, explained in an e-mail.
As the observation is made in real time, there was no delay in the rescue.
Firefighters were alerted early Sunday by a person who heard someone screaming from a manhole.
The victim somehow got into the pipe which was 20 feet below street level. At some point, there was a downward drop in the pipe, and the man fell on his head. He was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries.
Susan Nicol | News Editor
Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues.
