McAlester Army Ammunition Plant firefighters Jarred Blansett and Michael Tomlinson provided life-saving assistance in a mutual aid response for a swift water rescue.
In the early morning hours on April 28, the MCAAP fire department received an assistance request for a man who was trapped on the roof of his pickup truck in the middle of a creek near his residence in Hartshorne, Oklahoma.
The powerful current of the creek lifted the vehicle off the roadway, causing it to travel downstream about 100 feet before coming to a halt on a tree. The victim was able to climb out of the submerged vehicle through the window and remain on the roof until help arrived.
Blansett and Tomlinson were called out to assist with the rescue.
Upon arrival at the scene, the duo noticed that a rescuer from a different department had already entered the water, so Blansett, who is a member of the Pittsburg County Emergency Management Taskforce and is extensively trained in water rescue, quickly put on his personal protective equipment while Tomlinson assembled the rope rescue equipment.
“I wanted to ensure I kept any unnecessary personnel from entering the water while I was tending to the ropes,” Tomlinson said. “My main focus was life safety and making sure everyone made it back home.”
Blansett waded into the creek alongside a firefighter from the Haywood Fire Department where they secured one side of a rope to the tree behind the victim while Tomlinson secured the other end of the rope to a tree on the bank. The quick thinking of the firefighters to establish the rope system ensured no one else would travel even further downstream.
Once the rope was secured on both ends, a small boat was ferried across the creek using the tether to safely retrieve both the victim and rescuers.
“With the weather conditions not being ideal, I just reverted back to my training and trusted it,” Blansett said. “These types of accidents can happen fast, so we worked quickly to get the victim and other first responders out of the water safely.”
Col. Gabe Pryor, MCAAP’s commander, gives kudos to Blansett and Tomlinson for the heroism they displayed.
“I am very proud of the quick response of our MCAAP Fire and Emergency Services team,” Pryor said. “Mutual support agreements are a great way to keep our installation and the surrounding communities safe.”
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