(Brevard County, FL)- On Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at 10:35 a.m., Brevard County Fire Rescue (BCFR) responded to 8500 N. Wickham Road in Melbourne for a report of a critically ill worker who needed to be rescued from atop a 30-foot water tower on which he was working.
BCFR firefighters, including members of the department’s Special Operations team, responded to the water tower which sits adjacent to the Wal-Mart at I-95 and Wickham Road. On arrival, co-workers reported that a 54-year-old maintenance worker had fallen ill and required rescue.
Several members of the Special Operations team quickly ascended the tower and began emergency treatment as Truck 48, one of BCFR’s three 75-foot aerial ladders, were positioned for a high-angle rescue. As treatment continued, the crew worked quickly to rig a Stokes basket to the end of the ladder and ultimately brought the patient to ground level.
The patient, whose name is not being released at this time, was transported to Viera Hospital in critical condition. Co-workers of the patient told officials they were performing routine maintenance, including painting, on the tower when the patient became ill.