Canby Firefighters Execute Difficult Jaws of Life Recovery

The firefighters had a job on their hands; keeping the car from tipping over during the unusual rescue operation.

Photos courtesy: Todd Gary/Canby Fire

(CANBY, Ore.) - Canby Fire District rescue team members responded to a rollover accident this morning on 99E north of Canby. The circumstances with the rolled car proved to be a challenge.

Deputy Fire Marshal Todd Gary says firefighters arrived to find the vehicle on its side in a unstable position.

"They immediately worked to stabilize the vehicle using ropes and large pieces of wood cribbing, while others tended to the medical needs of the driver. "

He says they where then confronted with the question of how to extricate the driver from the vehicle. Firefighters today carry many serious extraction tools, for good reasons just like today's.

Gary said, "Firefighters skillfully used the Jaws of Life to take the top off of the car so the patient could be easily removed."

As the photos show, the firefighters were able to keep the car from tipping over during the unusual rescue operation.

The driver of the car was transported to a local hospital by Canby Paramedics. Canby Fire had responded to the scene of the rollover crash with 2 engines, 1 medic and a Battalion chief.