Train rescue.During the past four years, Massachusetts residents James Ahern and nephew John "Jack" Ahern have served with the Paramedic 3 unit of Boston Emergency Medical Services Boston Emergency Medical Services (BEMS) provides advanced life support (ALS) and ambulance transport for the city of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. BEMS is a department within the Boston Public Health Commission, and employs around 300 emergency medical technicians (EMT) and . On August 16, 2002, they responded to an emergency call involving a man who was pinned beneath a subway train at the Chinatown Station of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is "a body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts [1] formed in 1964 to finance and operate most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater (MBTA MBTA Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 MBTA Model-Based Tracking Algorithm ). When they arrived, they found a man in his 40s under the train that had struck him, with his torso and legs trapped in the train's undercarriage. With about three feet of crawl space crawl·space or crawl space n. A low or narrow space, such as one beneath the upper or lower story of a building, that gives workers access to plumbing or wiring equipment. Noun 1. beneath the train (and two feet in the tunnel wall area) in which to work, they inserted an IV (intravenous) line, and a tube to assist the victim's labored breathing. They were advised to leave the train pit for their own safety while Boston Fire Department The Boston Fire Department (BFD) provides fire protection services for Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The department serves approximately 596,000 people in a 47 square mile area of the city proper and additional mutual aid to 32 surrounding communities of the Greater Boston personnel attempted to lift the train, but opted instead to stay with their patient. Jacks were put in place, and for 20 minutes workers tried in vain to raise the train. The effort had to be suspended until heavier jacks could be brought in. At one point as it began to move, the train shifted toward James Ahern and the victim, yet Ahern continued to ventilate ventilate, v 1. to provide with fresh air. v 2. to provide the lungs with air from the atmosphere. v 3. to open, to free, as in to openly express one's feelings. and shield the injured man despite the very real possibility that they could both be crushed. Eventually, the fire department workers were able to lift the massive apparatus high enough for John Ahern to crawl back under and resume assisting his uncle in extricating the victim. Once free, the paramedics rushed the man to a nearby hospital. On May 23, 2003, the Aherns received the first annual Moore Medical Valor Award, given to heroic emergency medical service (EMS) personnel by the Connecticut-based Moore Medical Corporation. And on March 22 of this year, they each received a Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor For other medals of the same name, see . The Medal of Valor (O't Ha'gvora, Hebrew: עיטור הגבורה) is the highest Israeli Military decoration. (the nation's highest national award for valor by a public safety officer) from President Bush. The award was created by Congress in 2001 to honor those who, without regard to personal safety, act "above and beyond the call of duty," and with "exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind," in an "attempt to save or protect human life." |
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