On Friday at around 11:00 a.m., a patient who accidentally fell into an approximately 14-foot-deep cistern on St. Croix was safely removed through a coordinated response involving V.I. Fire and Emergency Medical Services, St. Croix Rescue and Caliber Rescue, according to information provided by one of the responding organizations.
The incident occurred after the cover of the cistern had been removed, creating an opening through which the patient fell. The response required both emergency medical care and specialized technical rescue capabilities to safely reach and remove the patient from the confined space.
VIFEMS personnel handled the emergency response and patient care, while members of St. Croix Rescue and Caliber Rescue assisted with the technical rescue operation, according to Ben Torkelson, deputy chief of operations for St. Croix Rescue and co-owner of Caliber Rescue Team.
The operation brought together government emergency responders, nonprofit volunteer rescue personnel and specialized private-sector rescuers, with each group contributing different capabilities during the response. Most importantly, Torkelson said, the combined effort resulted in the patient being safely removed from the cistern.
The response also highlights the technical rescue resources available locally for emergencies that can require more specialized equipment and training than a routine medical response. Caliber Rescue, a St. Croix-based operation, lists confined-space rescue and high- and low-angle rescue among its specialized services. VIFEMS similarly identifies rescue operations, search and rescue and specialized responses to high-risk incidents among its responsibilities.
Torkelson said the rescue demonstrated how the territory's government emergency services can work alongside volunteer organizations and private-sector specialists when an incident calls for additional technical capabilities.
