6/2/13 - Leslie extrication, Kirby east of Oak

On Sunday, June 2, 2013 at approximately 6:45 PM, the Leslie Fire Department and Lansing-Mason Ambulance Service were dispatched to a one vehicle crash near the Leslie Fire Station at Oak and Kirby near Leslie. Updated information advised responders that there was a patient trapped that could not even be seen in the vehicle. Leslie Fire command requested the Ingham Co Sheriff Rescue Squad be dispatched to assist. On arrival, firefighters found an Oldsmobile 4 door sedan that had lost control, gone off the road, started to roll over and struck a tree impacting the roof first. The vehicle was on it's left side and had actually wrapped around the tree, encapsulating the lone occupant inside. Personnel could communicate with the conscious patient, but were unable to access or see him when they first arrived. Ambulance personnel requested a helicopter respond, but the closet one was responding to another incident in a neighboring county. Dispatch then chose to request Lifenet helicopter out of Saginaw which arrived nearly an hour into the incident. Rescue personnel quickly determined the best access to free the patient would be to cut through the bottom of the car. This lengthy, intensive extrication process took almost two hours before enough of the vehicle could be removed from around the victim to free him. The patient remained conscious and responsive throughout the extrication. Command reported the patient had been extricated at 8:34 PM, and within 15 minutes he was being transported by helicopter to the local trauma center.