On Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 12:38 AM, 8 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue, 3 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Battalion Chief Chris Kawai responded to a High Rise Rescue at 6464 W. Sunset Bl. in Hollywood.

Firefighters promptly arrived to a 12 story high rise, to find four persons clinging to near vertical scaffolding eight stories above ground on the East side of the building.

One of the scaffolding cables malfunctioned, causing a side of the platform to quickly plunge, resulting in the workers sliding to the end of the scaffolding which was then being held by only one cable. Firefighters darted into action and broke out a window on the eighth story to begin a Rescue Operation to free the victims. LAFD’s elite Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) specialists headed the precise operation.

Meanwhile Paramedics and EMT’s readied themselves on the eighth floor to care for their anticipated patients. Thanks to the joint effort of all 71 firefighters the victims were successfully rescued in just 46 minutes from the time dispatched.

Two males, ages 40 & 46, were transported to local hospitals for non-life threatening injuries, while the other two victims required no medical treatment. All were thankful for the life saving response of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Submitted by Erik Scott
Los Angeles Fire Department