Dramatic Louisville truck rescue

[William930t]

What an unbelievable rescue, something out of a movie but real. Big rig crashes through bridge railing and dangles precariously. Driver rescued after 40 minutes in this position. Big cheers to the first responder team, I know they have trained for this before, great job!! Feel good story, though first responders never get enough credit.

[Racerbvd]

[William930t]

How the entire big rig and especially the cab didn't break loose drop into the river needs further explanation. Fifth wheel locks must be super strong!

[wdfifteen]

“we are continuing to receive information as we get it.”

I guess they are trained to keep jabbering over the visuals whether they have anything to say or not.

[rfuerst911sc]

Wow that truck driver needs to buy a lottery ticket ! Job well done by the first responders .

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Wow that truck driver needs to buy a lottery ticket ! Job well done by the first responders .

I'd be buying new underwear first

Those first responders .... unbelievable .... bet they didn't train for that one .... simply awesome !

[greglepore]

She's very lucky that the tractor tandem on the driver side caught that observation platform, otherwise it would have been tragic.

[herr_oberst]

That was some piss-poor reporting. A grating reminder of 'reasons I no longer watch network television'.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Wow that truck driver needs to buy a lottery ticket ! Job well done by the first responders .

Guaranteed to lose. All of their luck for the year got used up in one shot.

[speeder]

She is on the phone as they wheel her to the ambulance, probably calling her boss. “Hey boss…the good news is, I’m okay!”

[Baz]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

That was some piss-poor reporting. A grating reminder of 'reasons I no longer watch network television'.

Yeah.....I had to switch to a different vid......



Driver is a military vet!

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by William930t

How the entire big rig and especially the cab didn't break loose drop into the river needs further explanation. Fifth wheel locks must be super strong!

One of the shows I watch is called Highway through Hell. It is about the heavy rescue on semis and trailers crashing and getting stuck in snow and ice in Canada. And yea, the tow pin on a semi is crazy strong. It pulls trailers that can be 100,000 pounds. I have seen them pull a semi out of a snow bank that is down a steep hill by hooking to just the trailer. The also pull them out from the front two pins on the bumper and the trailer just comes along, even dragging through the mud or snow piling up in front of a destroyed wheel.

The tow trucks are huge and have incredible pulling ability, and regularly have two huge 50 ton wreckers using multiple wench lines.

I just wish they would say some sort of price for the recovery. It has to be pricey.

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by KC911

I'd be buying new underwear first

Those first responders .... unbelievable .... bet they didn't train for that one .... simply awesome !

They trained for that, although not specifically. As a technical ropes cliff rescue member myself, we train by learning all possible anchor systems, knots, hitches, lowering systems, raising systems with mechanical advantage, etc. We've never used a crane, though. But it's similar to a helicopter rescue. Nice to see a good outcome.

[unclebilly]

Here are the things that amaze me...

The truck / trailer appear to be just balanced there. If it is wedged on those girders, it is barely wedged. They didn't bother to tie it off before rescuing the driver.







I'd love to know how they retrieved the truck and trailer. This is not obvious to me and I cant find any pics or videos on the interwebs...

Regardless, that is one lucky lady truck driver.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by ckissick

They trained for that, although not specifically. As a technical ropes cliff rescue member myself, we train by learning all possible anchor systems, knots, hitches, lowering systems, raising systems with mechanical advantage, etc. We've never used a crane, though. But it's similar to a helicopter rescue. Nice to see a good outcome.

Yeah .... I should have inserted the word "specific" in there to clarify . Unbelievable training and figuring out each unique situation .... kudos to you and to them !

"Today class .... we're gonna dangle this 18 wheeler off this bridge for you to train on how to perform a miracle .... so please pay attention"

[URY914]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

One of the shows I watch is called Highway through Hell. It is about the heavy rescue on semis and trailers crashing and getting stuck in snow and ice in Canada. And yea, the tow pin on a semi is crazy strong. It pulls trailers that can be 100,000 pounds. I have seen them pull a semi out of a snow bank that is down a steep hill by hooking to just the trailer. The also pull them out from the front two pins on the bumper and the trailer just comes along, even dragging through the mud or snow piling up in front of a destroyed wheel.

The tow trucks are huge and have incredible pulling ability, and regularly have two huge 50 ton wreckers using multiple wench lines.

I just wish they would say some sort of price for the recovery. It has to be pricey.

I like watching that show too. Wife hates it. Makes me want to drive to BC and run up the Coquihalla Highway. (in the summer)

[unclebilly]

Lots of miles back and forth in the Coke ever since it opened in 1986.

That show overdramatizes everything.

I was one of the first on the scene of a horrible wreck between Kamloops and Merit a few years ago… someone burned to death.

[VINMAN]

I hate to armchair quarterback and I'm not sure that I am missing something but, it really concerns me that they did nothing to tie-back that trailer. That's one of the first things I would have done before putting one of my guys near it.

.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I hate to armchair quarterback and I'm not sure that I am missing something but, it really concerns me that they did nothing to tie-back that trailer. That's one of the first things I would have done before putting one of my guys near it.

.

I thought the same thing. Imagine if it slipped and started moving as the rescuer was pulling her out.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

I hate to armchair quarterback and I'm not sure that I am missing something but, it really concerns me that they did nothing to tie-back that trailer. That's one of the first things I would have done before putting one of my guys near it.

It is funny what I miss…while it makes perfect sense after you guys wrote about it, stabilizing the semi, had never occur to me.

BTW, if you are armchair QB where this stuff is concerned, I, uh, am a strollerchair QB