Agricultural Rescue And Woods Fire

On November 23rd at 09:14 hours the Honey Brook Fire Company was requested to assist a local farmer with a cow that fell into a manure pit on Cambridge Road in Honey Brook Township. Honey Brook Chief 33 (Messner) arrived to find a yearling in an enclosed manure pit with roughly 2 feet of manure in it.

Chief 33 assumed the Cambridge Command and requested Lancaster County Squad 51 from the Bart Fire Company. The Bart Fire Company has a harness specifically configured for large animal rescues of this sort. Rescue and Squad 33 arrived and immediately began ventilation and air monitoring of the confined space. An attempt was made to pump out the manure but was not successful. Crews reassessed the situation and a decision was made for a confined space entry to get the cow over to the access to be able to be lifted out. A crew of 2 donned Tyvek suits and SCBA with another 2 on standby with the same equipment. After some coercing and 2 crews rotating in and out the rescuers were able to get the cow harnessed and lifted out with no injuries at 11:20 hours. After considerable decontamination all units were cleared by the Cambridge Command. The Bart Fire Company gave the Honey Brook Fire Company one of their harnesses as we have had several rescues of this sort in the last couple of years. Thank you Bart!

Honey Brook later assisted the Salisbury Township Fire Company of White Horse (49) on a woods fire on the Welsh Mountain off Michelle Drive in Salisbury Township Lancaster County. 49 units were working a 1/2 acre of woods burning 1000 ft behind a residential housing development. Chief, Brush, Squad, and Engine 33-5 responded with 14 personnel. The fire was contained and 33 cleared after being in service for 90 minutes.