SASKATOON — The Saskatoon Fire Department made a high-angle rescue on Friday afternoon, Sept. 30, at the overpass on Taylor Street.
The SFD received a call at 12:57 p.m. that a female was hanging off the overpass on Taylor Street over Circle Drive. It is not known how the female managed to get herself outside the chainlink fence.
One fire engine, a ladder truck, a rescue unit and the Battalion Chief were dispatched with the first arriving crew at 1:01 p.m. seeing the female hanging over the freeway.
The scene was secured with the help of the Saskatoon Police Service. SPS officers stopped traffic to create a safe space for the fire crews to work and to also ensure the safety of the motorists.
SFD’s Ladder 8 set up its ladder truck at 1:05 p.m. to prepare for the rescue. A firefighter, who was secured to the chain link fence, entered the area to reduce the risk of the female falling.
Other firefighters maintained verbal contact with the female while another was secured in the basket of the ladder truck and got positioned close to the female.
When the female attempted to move away from the ladder truck, the firefighter who was secured to the fence pinned himself and the female to the chain link.
They positioned the ladder truck under the firefighter and the female to bring her into the bucket. The female was brought down safely to the ground without incident at 1:11 p.m.
The scene and the female were turned over to SPS and the SFD notified their partners at the City of Saskatoon that firefighters had cut the chain link fence to allow access.
The repair to the fence will be followed up while no injuries to the female, motorists, firefighters or police occurred as a result of this rescue.
