An adult male was seriously injured in a single vehicle MVC in the 5900 block of Cottageville Hwy. (US Hwy 17-A) just north of Merrick Dr., Friday evening 31-March at 19:07. The southbound Toyota Solara dropped off of the roadway, over-corrected and went down an embankment striking a tree in the driver's door. The adult male driver suffered multiple traumatic injuries and was trapped in the wreckage. Several bystanders and an off-duty St. Paul's Firefighter stopped to render aid. Click here for additional information.
A Roadside community family was displaced after a fire in their home caused heavy damage to the building Thursday afternoon 30-March at 18:13. Fire-Rescue units arrived at the rural area at the end of Gopher Lane to find the single story block residential structure approximately 25% involved with flames visible from the roof in the rear of the home. The homeowner advised he was outside when a neighbor alerted him to the fire. He attempted to extinguish the fire, receiving smoke inhalation. Click here for additional information.
At 16:17 Thursday afternoon 30-March, a south bound tractor trailer truck on I95 at the 68 mile marker suffered a front tire blow out. The driver lost control and entered the wooded median. The truck drove through the median, striking a large tree and several smaller trees causing damage to the chassis and box trailer. The truck continued south, entered the northbound lanes and came to rest on the northbound shoulder with the trailer blocking one northbound lane. Click here for additional information.
A Virginia man died in a single vehicle high speed MVC on I-95 at Exit 57 South bound Thursday afternoon 30-March at 12:40. The south bound Hyundai left the roadway, struck the cable barrier and returned to the roadway, the car returned to the median, drove through the cable barrier and struck a tree, then became tangled in the cables. The car caught on fire in the engine compartment. Several other motorists stopped to assist. They were able to force open the doors and remove an adult female passenger. Click here for additional information.
An adult male received multiple traumatic injuries in a single vehicle MVC in the 2400 block of Ritter Rd, west of Catholic Hill Sunday morning 26-March at 01:19. The west bound 2015 Dodge pickup truck crossed into the east bound ditch and struck a large tree causing extensive damage to the pickup truck. The adult male driver was trapped in the wreckage. Fire-Rescue units arrived to find Ritter Road blocked by the damaged truck and debris. Firefighter-Paramedics began treating the man's injuries, while other crewmembers stabilized the truck and used Holmatro Rescue Tools to extricate the man. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue, Animal Services and the Sheriff's Office conducted a short parade honoring a 2 1/2 year old toddler who spotted a trapped canine last week and alerting his daycare worker. The animal was stuck in the cold water where an old dock had collapsed. Firefighter-Paramedics rescued the animal. The two year old boy was presented with a Certificate and a plush stuffed teddy bear. All the children at the daycare center were given Fire-Safety hats and were able to tour the emergency vehicles. Click here for additional information.
Three people were injured, one critically in a three vehicle MVC on Beach Road at Shady Oaks Ln. Friday morning 24-March at 07:53. An eastbound Chevrolet pickup truck failed to negotiate a curve and struck a westbound DOT belt loader. The belt loader operator drove off of the road in an effort to avoid the collision, but the pickup truck struck the loader, damaging a rear tire. The truck then lost control and struck a westbound DOT pickup truck head-on in the eastbound lane.Click here for additional information.
A Florida man is fortunate to be alive after a high speed MVC on Interstate 95 near the 47 mile marker northbound. The accident occurred at 19:47 in front of the Rest Area. According to witnesses, a Toyota pickup truck was traveling northbound in the median side lane when traffic began to stop, due to construction near the 48 mile marker. The pickup truck made an abrupt move across both lanes toward the shoulder. The vehicle struck the rear of a slowing tractor trailer, driving under the trailer. The collision caused heavy damage to the small pickup truck which stopped in the breakdown lane. Click here for additional information.
A fire in a workshop caused substantial damage to the metal building, tools, equipment and two vehicles Tuesday afternoon 21-March at 14:01. The shop owner advised a heater was left on in the building and spread to nearby materials and flammable liquids stored in the building. He noticed smoke coming from the building and attempted to extinguish the fire before calling 9-1-1. Engine 10 arrived to find heavy smoke conditions in the building. Two handlines were deployed to the structure. Firefighter-Paramedics cut a portion of the garage door and entered the building to extinguish the fire. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue responded to a residential structure fire in the 19700 block of Augusta Hwy (SC Hwy 61) Tuesday morning 21-March at 07:40. Engine 36 arrived to find smoke coming from the eaves on all sides of the singlewide mobile home that had an addition. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed two handlines to the building to combat the fire. The cause of the fire is believed to have been electrical in nature and started in a wall between the mobile home and the addition. The flames spread up the wall and into the attic space, then across the roof. Click here for additional information.
A Charleston man was critically injured in a single vehicle, high speed MVC in the 12000 block of ACE Basin Parkway (US Hwy 17) north of Balchem Lane Monday evening, 20-March at 20:05. The southbound Honda CR-V struck the guard rail in a curve causing the driver to lose control of the small car. The vehicle flipped over multiple times, ejecting the unrestrained driver. The car crossed back over both southbound lanes, the median and both northbound lanes before landing on its roof in a swamp. Click here for additional information.
A 14 x 24 storage building was destroyed and a several acre woods fire spread into nearby woods at a residence in the 200 block of Field Creek Road Sunday afternoon 19-March at 14:53. Engine 18 arrived to find the storage building fully involved and the fire spreading into the woods. Multiple handlines were deployed and a tractor from the Forestry Commission was requested. Fire-Rescue units were on the scene for several hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Click here for additional information.
An adult male was critically injured in a single vehicle MVC in the 1600 block of Featherbed Road Friday afternoon 17-March. At 18:03, 9-1-1 was notified of the collision. Fire-Rescue units arrived a short time later to find a small Nissan pickup truck that had collided with several trees. The truck received heavy front end damage and the unrestrained adult male driver had been thrown into the back seat of the truck. The man suffered multiple injuries. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue responded to the pond at Lakeshore Subdivision Wednesday morning 15-March at 11:06, for a report of a dog trapped in the water. Firefighters were directed to an old dock behind 414 Lakeshore Drive. The dock had collapsed into the pond and they found the dog clinging to a portion of the dock. The canine appeared to be trapped in the debris from the collapsed wood, but its head was above the water. Crews were able to manipulate the animal to free it and carried it back to the shore. Click here for additional information.
A drop-in was held at Station # 19 Wednesday 15-March for Jeff Laney and Janet Laney who will both be retiring Friday 17-March. Firefighter-EMT Jeff Laney has served the Fire Service in Colleton County since the mid 1980s (38 years), originally serving as a volunteer with the former Colleton Rural Fire Dept. He filled every role in that department from Firefighter to Chief until Colleton Rural was incorporated into Fire-Rescue in 1994. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue trained on the assembly of an inflatable tent structure and connected office Wednesday morning 15-March at Station 19. The portable facility was designed to be used as a drive through vaccination tent, but has the potential for many other uses. The main tent is the size of a two car garage and has an open interior. There is a separate small office with a connecting walkway. The unit is portable and carried in an enclosed trailer. Click here for additional information.
We congratulate Firefighter-EMT Demetrius Gilyard and his wife Jacqueline on the birth of their first child, Zoey Ari Gilyard, who was born 13-March. Zoey was 7 pounds, 3 ounces and 20 inches long. Mom and daughter are doing fine.
The final day of the week-long statewide exercise was held Saturday, 11-March. The last day generally encompasses communications as Counties and State agencies utilize alternate means to communicate with each other. During disasters, normal methods of communications are sometimes disabled or damaged. Colleton tested all backup communications systems, portable repeaters, the backup 9-1-1 Center, and all radios covering most frequencies from Amateur/HAM Radios, low band to 800 mHz and satellite. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue responded as mutual aid to assist the City of Walterboro Fire Dept. with a working fire in the "C" building of Hillcrest Apartments located at 518 Sniders Hwy. at 16:30, Friday afternoon 10-March. The fire in the eight unit, two story structure was reported to have heavy smoke coming from the building and the possibility of entrapment. Firefighters encountered heavy fire conditions on arrival. Crews deployed multiple handlines to extinguish the fire. No one was found to be trapped in the building, however one resident was evacuated from a first floor apartment. Click here for additional information.
The County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated Thursday as part of the Statewide Exercise. The acticaition had many of the Counties partners participate in a simulated Cat 4 hurricane and a nuclear incident in the midlands which closed several major evacuation routes in the State. The Exercise involved most Counties and many State agencies and was part of the Statewide Exercise which involved the entire week. Click here for additional information.
A Hendersonville man died in a single vehicle MVC in the 1600 block of Ritter Road, east of White Hall Road, Wednesday evening, 08-March. The accident was reported at 19:48. A westbound minivan, crossed into the eastbound ditch, striking a large pine tree. The Honda Odyssey van suffered extensive damage and the driver was trapped in the wreckage. Firefighter-Paramedics arrived to find the van upright partially in the roadway. Most of the driver's side of the van had been torn from the vehicle. Click here for additional information.
An unattended woods fire spread to several properties in the 100 block of Platinum Street, Wednesday afternoon 08-March at 15:12. The first callers to 9-1-1 reported the woods fire and a second caller advised an outside storage building was on fire. The incident was upgraded to a structural response. Smoke from the fire affected the nearby Veterans Victory House nursing home. Engine 19 arrived to find the several acre woods fire and a storage building well involved. Click here for additional information.
An adult male was critically injured when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a pickup truck in the 11000 block of Augusta Hwy. (SC Hwy 61) near Oakman Branch Road, Wednesday afternoon 08-March at 14:27. Witnesses advised the northbound motorcycle was passing another vehicle when it struck the pickup truck nearly head-on. The truck driver drove off of the road to avoid the collision, but the motorcycle sideswiped the truck. The bike then lost control and slid across both lanes of the highway. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue in conjunction with Animal Services, conducted a simulated large animal rescue at the Animal Services facility on Poor Farm Road Wednesday morning 08-March. The drill was part of the Statewide Exercise with participating agencies throughout the state conducting various exercises and training drills for their responders. This scenario involved a horse that had fallen into a water filled ditch. Responders dealt with the injured animal and had a veterinarian on site to assist. Click here for additional infomormation.
As part of the Statewide Exercise, Colleton County conducted a week of training exercises in conjunction with other local and State Agencies including EMD. Rocky Tucker and Eric Turner from State EMD were in Colleton all week and participated in the drills. Tuesday, 07-March, included a simulated overturned tanker truck with a mass casualty incident. Firefighter-Paramedics had to mitigate the incident, which involved large quantities of anhydrous ammonia. Click here for additional information.
Two people were injured and one man perished after he was ejected from a vehicle in 1200 block of Jonesville Ave, Saturday afternoon 04-March. At 17:32, 9-1-1 was notified of a single vehicle, high speed accident in the 1200 block of Jonesville Ave. The callers advised the car had flipped over and at least one person was ejected from the car. It appeared the car was traveling at a high rate of speed and lost control after clearing a curve. The Shelby Mustang entered the ditch, suffered heavy damage and was found on the driver's side. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue hosted the 12th annual Emergency Services Softball tournament Saturday 04-March at the Colleton County Recreation complex. This is the 12th year for the fundraiser. Eight teams from Lowcountry First Responders participated. They and their families enjoyed a beautiful Spring day competing for the win. The first place team was 22 Too Many (Parris Island Marines). Click here for additional information.
An adult male was injured in a fall at home and suffered severe injuries Friday afternoon 03-March at 12:45. He was found unconscious. Fire-Rescue Medic 1 began treating the man at his residence, then transported him emergent to the helipad at CMC. He was transferred to the CARE Flight crew and flown to the Trauma Center at Trident Medical Center in North Charleston. Click here for more information.
An adult male died from injuries he received in a single vehicle MVC on Interstate 95 near the 44 mile marker southbound, Thursday morning 02-March. 9-1-1 received one report of the accident at 01:46, advising a vehicle was in the woods. Medic 13 arrived to find the 2007 Chrysler 300 in the median covered with trees and vines. After a short period, Firefighter-Paramedics were able to access the patient and determined he was deceased and trapped in the car. Additional Fire-Rescue units were assigned to the response. The Coroner's Office was also requested and responded to the scene. Click here for more information.