A man was revived and flown to a trauma center after being electrocuted and falling from a ladder while working on a cable line in the Shenandoah Farms area on Thursday, July 18.
Warren County Fire and Rescue (WCFR) responded to the incident on Wendy Hill Road, where the worker was reportedly struck by electricity suspected to have arced from a nearby powerline due to high humidity in the air. The shock caused the worker to fall approximately 25 feet from the ladder he was using.
Coworkers quickly rushed to help and found the man in cardiac arrest. Bystander CPR was performed immediately, and when emergency medical personnel arrived, they were able to restart the man’s heart. EMS crews provided advanced life support at the scene and determined the patient needed trauma care due to the severity of his injuries.
AirCare 4, based in Front Royal, transported the patient to MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
“We applaud the quick actions taken by the patient’s coworkers. Without their help, the outcome probably would’ve been different,” said Fire Chief James Bonzano. “This incident highlights the critical importance of being CPR certified. Every second counts, and having the knowledge and skills to perform CPR can make the difference between life and death.”
Units responding to the call included Ambulance 6 (Shenandoah Farms), Engine 4 (Linden), Medic 10 (North Warren), and Battalion Chief 1.
WCFR offers monthly CPR courses, which can be found at www.warrencountyfire.com/635/events.
Information from a release. Edited by Dan McDermott.
