PGFD Personnel Honored for Rescuing Man From Mulch Machine

Firefighters, paramedics, technical rescue personnel were honored Monday for their role in safely extracting a man from a piece of heavy equipment last spring in Laurel.

On April 21, 2012, responders from the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department were dispatched to the 5400 block of Van Dusen Road after a 911 caller said a worker had become pinned in a mulch colorizing machine.

After assessing the man's situation, the department brought in a wide array of emergency resources and specialists to perform a "complicated and intense rescue" of the man, later identified as Larry Marshall Potter, 60, of Maysville, WV.

The procedure included "hauling systems, EMS Care, safety systems, liaisons, air monitoring, landing zones, and manual support," according to the PGFD.

In all, approximately 50 emergency personnel worked to resuce Potter, who was eventually extricated and treated at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Despite suffering servere injuries to his legs, he is expected to make a full recovery.

In July, Potter stopped by the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department to thank the responders who had saved him.

For their efforts, a long list of PGFD responders were honored with Unit Citations Monday at St. Joseph's Station 806 in Springdale.

The decoration "is the highest award bestowed to a group for their combined actions at the scene of an incident where teamwork is put to the test in life or death situations."

"Their ability to work as part of a team was a significant contributing factor in the successful mitigation of this incident," the department wrote. "Their actions reflect favorably upon themselves, the Fire/EMS units assigned to this incident and to the department as a whole."

The following members of the PGFD were honored:

Incident Command

• Assistant Fire Chief Adon Snyder
• Assistant Fire Chief Dennis C. Wood
• Technical Services Battalion Chief Steven E. White
• Firefighter/Medic Battalion Chief Joseph A. Cardello
• Paramedic Battalion Chief Kristen R. Angell
• Firefighter/Medic Captain Brian J. Frankel
• Firefighter Lieutenant Jeffrey R. Pinkett
• Citizen Services Unit William McNeel
• Volunteer Safety Officer Dave McGill

Technical Rescue 806 – St. Joseph's

• Fire Captain Steven Gallagher
• Firefighter/Medic Jonathan W. Bender
• Firefighter Tammy Acosta
• Firefighter Michael J. Kiefer
• Firefighter/Medic Leonard F. Collins
• Firefighter/Medic Technician Jamieson P. Scarlata

Technical Rescue 847 – Fort Washington

• Firefighter/Medic Captain Anthony P. McCormick
• Firefighter Technician Michael J. Bell
• Firefighter Brian S. Goldfeder
• Firefighter/Medic Gilbert L. James, Jr.

Technical Rescue 814 – Berwyn Heights

• Volunteer Assistant Chief Chase Fabrizo
• Volunteer Captain Ryan Wagner
• Firefighter/Medic Lieutenant Ryan G. Adkins
• Firefighter/Medic Technician Rodney L. Bolen
• Firefighter/Medic Bryan M. Anderson
• Firefighter Evander M. Davis
• Volunteer Firefighter Mark Grant
• Volunteer Firefighter Scott Pierce
• Volunteer Firefighter Nathan Collins

Fire/EMS Station 841 – Calverton

• Firefighter/Medic Lieutenant Jesse R. Constantino
• Firefighter/Medic Robert P. Roozen
• Firefighter/Medic Angela D. Kennedy
• Firefighter Michael W. Shackelford

Fire/EMS Station 810 - Laurel

• Volunteer Assistant Chief Duane Hull
• Firefighter/Medic Captain Lee R. Collins
• Volunteer Captain Wesley Burns
• Firefighter/Medic Richard E. Lawhorne
• Volunteer Firefighter Joe Baker
• Firefighter Christina M. McNeill
• Paramedic Stephen G. Chagnon
• Firefighter/Medic Edward G. Aldaco

Fire/EMS Station 831 - Beltsville

• Fire Captain Scott Kilpatrick
• Firefighter/Medic Ryan A. Stevens
• Firefighter Chad M. Staley
• Firefighter Michael W. Higdon

Fire/EMS Station 812 – College Park

• Volunteer Chief William Corrigan
• Firefighter/Medic Captain James M. Jiron
• Firefighter/Medic Daniel K. Frost
• Firefighter Brooke L. Thompson
• Firefighter Keith R. Therres
• Volunteer Firefighter Nicholas Lucianni