At 1615 hours, Rescue Squad 14 and Chief 14A (McCoy) were alerted to the 2900 block of Powder Mill Road for the motor vehicle accident, with a supplement stating there was an overturned vehicle with entrapment. Units from Company 41 (Calverton) arrived and confirmed they had one overturned with one trapped.

Rescue Squad 14 arrived and immediately started stabilizing the vehicle, and Chief 14A was assigned the “Extrication” group. The squad crew stabilized the vehicle with two struts, two ratchet straps from the vehicle to the rescue squad, and step chocks. Once stabilized, posts were cut and the roof was flapped down to provide patient access. The driver was loaded into an awaiting ambulance and transported to a local trauma center. Rescue Squad 14 was ready for service at 1652 hours.

On January 29, 1988, then Deputy Chief Jim Yvorra was killed in the line of duty when he was struck by a car while operating on an accident scene on I-495 at Good Luck Road.

Jimmy was a friend, teacher, coach, and mentor to many at the Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department. As with others who have gone before us, his work has made us who we are today. He has been missed and will never be forgotten. Rest in peace brother.

At 1413 hours, Rescue Squad 14, Chief 14 (Fusco), and Chief 14A (McCoy) responded to 3500 East-West Highway, in the parking lot of Prince George’s Plaza Mall, for the pedestrian trapped underneath a vehicle.

Rescue Squad 14, Chief 14, and Chief 14A arrived and surveyed the scene. During their size up, a female was found pinned underneath an SUV. Rescue Squad 14 immediately started extrication efforts by constructing multiple box cribs to stabilize the vehicle. Once initially stabilized, hydraulic spreaders were placed under the vehicle to lift the vehicle off the patient, and additional cribbing was added to fill the void. With the SUV lifted off the ground, the victim was removed from under the vehicle, loaded into an awaiting medic unit, and transported to a local trauma center.

Company 14 packed up and cleared the scene at 1445 hours.

At 1020 hours, the rescue assignment was dispatched for southbound Interstate 95 at Sandy Spring Road. Units arrived on scene to find one pinned in a taxi cab under a tractor trailer. Battalion Chief 6 arrived, established Command, and requested Rescue Squad 14 as the second rescue squad.

With a second crew in quarters, Rescue Squad 14R responded along with Rescue Squad 14 and Chief 14A (McCoy). Company 14 arrived on scene and immediately went to work, and Command assigned Chief 14A “Extrication”.

With the entire front of the taxi cab pinning the driver under the rear of the tractor trailer, both squads worked to remove the doors and roof to provide patient access. Additionally, air bags were setup, ready to be used if lifting of the tractor trailer was necessary. With the doors and roof removed, two spreaders were used to lift the dash off the patient’s legs. Once the dash was lifted, the driver was removed from the vehicle, and loaded into Maryland State Police Trooper 2 for transport to a local trauma center. Company 14 was ready for service at 1127 hours.

At 0532 hours, Rescue Squad 14 was alerted to the outerloop of the Capitol Beltway at New Hampshire Avenue for the personal injury accident. Rescue Squad 14 arrived to find a vehicle on its roof with three trapped. The squad crew stabilized the vehicle and quickly extricated the three patients. All three were transported to local trauma centers, and Rescue Squad 14 was ready for service at 0614 hours.

At 1500 hours, Rescue Squad 14 was alerted to the 3800 block of Irongate Lane, in Bowie, for the house fire. Units arrived to find fire showing from a garage attached to a house.

Rescue Squad 14 arrived, was assigned RIT, and assisted opening the structure to establish additional points of egress. The fire was quickly knocked and Rescue Squad 14 was ready for service at 1535 hours.

Five members from the Berwyn Heights VFD made the long trip up to Boston, MA, to pay their final respects to fallen Boston Fire Department Lieutenant, Kevin Kelley. Lt. Kelley, a 30-year veteran of the department, was killed in the line of duty when the ladder truck he was riding went off the road and collided into the side of a high-rise building. Three others on the ladder truck also sustained injuries, but are not considered life threatening. Emergency service personnel from all over the northeast turned out to honor this fallen hero.

At 1549 hours, Truck 14 was alerted to the 11700 block of Montague Drive, in Laurel, for a reported basement fire with possible children trapped. Units arrived on scene to find heavy smoke and fire showing from a two-story, split level, single family dwelling.

Truck 14 with 6 volunteers arrived and immediately went to work. The interior crew conducted a search and vented as they completed this task. The exterior crew threw ground ladders and ventilated numerous windows. All searches turned up negative, and the fire which started in the basement and extended up to the second floor, was quickly knocked. Truck 14 was held for overhaul and was released at 1743 hours.