Thornton, CO, Firefighters Discuss Challenging Rescue

July 2, 2024
A man stuck in a Thornton storm drain was rescued by crews as bad weather approached.
t's something Thornton firefighters train for.
 
And that practice paid off in a big way this past weekend when a man found himself stuck in a storm drain. 
 
Firefighters Richard Gaddis and Forrest Oldham were the ones to suited up and went down into a maze below the street. 
 
"We train for situations like this, we train extensively for situations like this, but I have never been involved in something like that before," Oldham told 9 News. 
 
Gaddis explained: "A long umbilical cord tube, about 300 feet worth of hose, we attach to and got an outside air supply."
 
The difficult part came when they realized how far in the man was stuck. They were at the limit of their lines -- 550 feet.
 
In addition to the equipment and techniques, the team also had another thing to keep in the forefront -- Mother Nature.
 
"Command was watching the weather the whole time we were down there, cause heavy rains would have flooded the area we were in. And, we would have been leaving expeditiously," Oldham said.
 
Gaddis said the two were in about two inches of water.
 
"The initial tube was large enough for both of us to get through. But, you're crawling on your hands and belly, moving your elbows, and you’re hoping things open somewhere and thankfully it did."
 
The operation that took several hours to complete was deemed successful.
 
The victim was transported to a hospital for undisclosed injuries. 

About the Author

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.