Newsletter

Friday, July 29, 2011 4pm Today was a busy day for the Shrewsbury Volunteer Fire Department and the York County ATR Team.  Shrewsbury is one of four fire departments that comprise the ATR Team. 

At approximately 2pm the York County ATR team was dispatched to assist units with a reported water rescue at Cordorus State Park lake.  Reportedly there were multiple people in the water secondary to a collision.  Units from Hanover EMS and Station 47 arrived and after investigating discovered there was no rescue and placed the box in service. 

At approximately 4pm York ATR was again dispatched for a reported barn collapse with possible entrapment.  Units from Airville Fire Department (Station 55) responded and on arrival found a partially collapsed barn with multiple cattle trapped.  York ATR units arrived and after meeting with the barn owners and Chief 55 a plan of action was put in place to save as many cattle as possible.  Personnel from York ATR began placing braces in the collapsed area and made it safe to enter and determine what cattle were still alive.

Approximately 6 cattle trapped were removed by ATR members after an extensive operation to gain access to them.  There were a reported 10 more cattle in the collapsed area and believed to be deceased.  Personnel from Harford County, MD Technical Rescue Team assisted York County personnel.  Due to the heat and humidity personnel were rotated during the operation.  At approximately 7pm owners of the barn determined all living animals that were trapped have been removed and no other animals could be saved.  Crews on location began gathering equipment and making the barn as safe as possible for the owners to operate. 

During the barn collapse, resources from York ATR were dispatched to Cordorus State Park for a second water rescue incident which became an involved water incident.  At approximately 9:30 pm operations were still in progress.

York County ATR Team is comprised of personnel from Shrewsbury, Dover Township, Yoe FD, and Hanover Fire Department.  Members are certified in Building Collapse, Trench Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Ice Rescue, Rope Rescue and Confined Space Rescue Incidents.  Our members are certified to National Professional Qualifications standards in these disciplines.  The York County ATR Team responds to York County incidents as well as the South Central Task Force region for technical rescue incidents.