On Wednesday, August 8, 2007 at 10:25 AM, 4 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 2 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 1 EMS Battalion Captain and 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 33 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Captain I Elton Johnson responded to a Man Trapped Beneath a Vehicle behind 8450 Van Nuys Boulevard in Panorama City.

According to witnesses, a young adult woman backed her vehicle onto an 81 year-old Arleta man walking in the parking lot behind Washington Mutual Savings. Though brought to a stop by the screams of bystanders, the woman's compact vehicle remained on top of the badly trapped the man.

The swift response of Neighborhood Firefighters was promptly supplemented by an enhanced rescue assignment, which thankfully proved unnecessary, as first to arrive Engine Company 7 made deft use of the heavy lift pneumatic bladder from their apparatus to free the man.

Raising the vehicle and rescuing the non-breathing octogenarian - who briefly retained a pulse, Firefighters assisted his respirations as LAFD Paramedics commenced Advanced Life Support measures during rapid transport to the Trauma Center at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills.

When LAFD Paramedics departed the hospital at 11:10 AM, the gravely injured man was still fighting for his life.

The motorist, who was visibly upset but not apparently injured, was interviewed by Los Angeles Police Officers from the Valley Traffic Division, who are handling the investigation.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department