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Show Tribute to fire department Editor's Note: this letter was sent to Gene Anfinson, city councilman over public safety and also submitted to the Public Forum. Dear Mr. Anfinson : On Wednesday the 10th of December 1980, a truck-tractor and semi-trailer loaded with sheet steel overturned west of Musket Shot Springs on U.S. 40. The driver was alive but pinned in such a manner that any movement whatever could be critical. Hot leaking fuel was burning his skin, and he was upside down with his right side pinned into the dirt, his neck pinned against the door frame, his right leg pinned between the dashboard and console, the steering wheel shoved up into his stomach to the point it had cut off all circulation to his lower body, and both legs and his neck were pinned in such a position that any more strain would have certainly broken both legs and his neck. These few details are to partially acquaint you with the problems at hand while trying to extricate this driver. I'd like to compliment Dewey Paulson and the men from the Vernal Fire Department for the way they performed, per-formed, in this very trying situation, i Over a period of three hours of intense stress, the driver was extricated without giving him any more injuries than he already had. In this situation, it would have been very easy to give into instincts and just start lifting the tractor trac-tor and tearing pieces away to get to the driver. If that had been done, the driver would have certainly been seriously injured in-jured or killed in the process. Your people peo-ple acted with great restraint, excellent common sense, uncommon ability and great effectiveness. Their responsiveness respon-siveness to the needs of each changing moment was exceptionally competent and their work was a credit to themselves, their department and to Vernal City. Sincerely, SGT. KEN LAWTON Utah Highway Patrol Vernal, Utah |
