Congratulations to Firefighter/Paramedic Erin Baez on successfully obtaining her National Registry Paramedic certification. FF/P Baez is assigned to the Station 9 Platoon on "B" Shift.
At 20:20, Monday evening 27-August, a 24 yr. old Cottageville man perished in a single vehicle MVC on Jefferies Hwy (US Hwy 15) near Longleaf Drive. A Toyota Corolla was traveling south on Jefferies Hwy at a high rate of speed, when it dropped off of the southbound shoulder at Longleaf Dr. The driver overcorrected, lost control and crossed over four lanes before entering the northbound ditch. The car began to slide sideways, then struck a culvert pipe and began to flip over as it collided with a power pole roof first. Click here for additional information.
Three people were injured in a single vehicle roll-over MVC in the 12000 block of Cottageville Hwy (US Hwy. 17-A) Saturday afternoon 24-August. At 18:23 a southbound SUV left the roadway and flipped over three times, trapping the occupants. Two adult females received multiple traumatic injuries. A 1 year old male, who was safely secured in a child seat, received only minor injuries. It was reported that the driver may have suffered a medical emergency just prior to the crash. The passenger attempted to steer the vehicle to safety without success. Click here for additional information.
A shooting incident at 100 Sniders Hwy., Colleton Heights Apartments, left one man deceased, Saturday morning 24-Aug, at 10:29. Firefighter-Paramedics on duty at Station # 1 four blocks from the scene, heard multiple gunshots from the direction of the apartment complex. They drove over to the area and were on the scene when 9-1-1 received calls and dispatched the shooting. They and Law Enforcement Officers from Walterboro Police and the Sheriff's Office, found a semi-conscious adult male laying on the ground. Click here for additional information.
At 09:38 on Friday morning 23-August, a southbound Toyota Sienna minivan left Interstate 95 just before Exit 57. The van drove behind a guard rail and plummeted over the embankment crashing head-on on to Bells Hwy. below the Interstate. The van then overturned receiving heavy damage. Four children and two adults from New Jersey, all unrestrained, were injured. One female child and an adult male received critical life threatening injuries and an adult female suffered serious injuries. Click here for additional information.
A 16 year old male was critically injured in an ATV accident Wednesday afternoon 21-August at 18:28. The accident occurred in the 200 block of Knights Ave. The ATV flipped over several times, struck a fence and ejected the driver. He was not wearing a helmet and suffered a suspected head injury and other traumatic injuries. Firefighter-Paramedics treated him at the scene, then transported him emergent to the helipad at Colleton Medical Center with additional personnel on board to assist with his care. Click here for additional information.
At 11:14 on Tuesday 20-Aug, a neighbor spotted a fire behind a residence in the 100 block of Dahlia Street. Flames were above the roof and a column of black smoke could be seen two miles from the scene due to the burning fiberglass tub. Callers to 9-1-1 reported two canines inside the home. Engine 26 arrived to find a hot tub behind the residence well involved with the vinyl siding on the back of the home melted. Several windows had broken. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed one 1-3/4 handline to the back of the home and quickly cooled the structure, before extinguishing the hot tub. Click here for additional information.
An adult male was seriously injured in a high speed single vehicle MVC in the 900 block of Quail Drive, Wednesday afternoon 14-August at 17:26. He was driving a small Chevrolet pickup truck, traveling northbound on Quail Drive, when he failed to negotiate a curve, over-corrected and lost control of the vehicle. The small truck crossed both lanes of traffic twice, before entering the southbound ditch and striking a tree. The vehicle sustained heavy damage and the unrestrained driver was trapped in the wreckage. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue units responded to I-95 at the 68 mile marker southbound for a motorcycle MVC Sunday afternoon 11-August at 15:00. A southbound motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed, struck the rear of a slower moving U-Haul trailer. The motorcycle driver lost control and was ejected from the bike, which caused him to slide down the highway. He was wearing a helmet, but suffered multiple traumatic injuries. An Army medic and two off duty Firefighters stop to render aid. Click here for additional information.
Following historic rainfall related to Hurricane Debby, historic flooding inundated the Lowcountry Region, including Colleton County. Other areas of the State were also affected. The Edisto River at Givhans State Park reached 17.3 feet Saturday evening flooding roads and homes along Augusta Hwy (SC Hwy.61), Peirce Road, McDanieltown Road and Camp Buddy Road. Water levels have not been recorded this high since 1945. Click here for additional information.
An adult male received life threatening injuries in a single vehicle MVC on I-95 near the 47 mile marker southbound just south of the Rest Area, Friday morning 09-August at 10:21. The small car was traveling south, when it left the roadway at a high rate of speed, entered a water filled ditch and overturned, trapping the driver. The male driver suffered multiple injuries. Firefighter-Paramedics stabilized the car, then used Holmatro Pentheon rescue tools to remove a door to gain access to the victim. Click here for additional information.
The State of South Carolina and the Lowcountry Region experienced historic flooding as the result of Hurricane Debby, which skirted the gulf coast of Florida before making landfall in the bend, then crossing into Georgia. The storm entered the Atlantic, skirting the Georgia and South Carolina coasts during the weekend. The slow moving storm brought an abundance of rainfall to the State, as well as tornadoes and wind damage. The record setting rainfall drenched the State causing a historic flooding event. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue responded to a structure fire in the 100 block of Emerald Street Wednesday afternoon 07-August at 15:33. During heavy thunderstorms related to Hurricane Debby, a fire broke out in a utility room at the residence. Firefighter-Paramedics found the fire had damaged the hot water heater and some pvc plumbing. The fire was quickly brought under control and damage to the home was minimal. No injuries were reported during the incident. Click here for additional information.
A fire under a residence in the 16000 block of ACE Basin Parkway, caused damage to the home Tuesday afternoon 06-August at 16:57. The caller to 9-1-1 reported seeing flames under the home. Engine 6 arrived to find a fire burning from a small LP line under the house. Firefighters shut off the LP at the tank and deployed one hand line to extinguish the fire in the crawl space. Damage to the home was minimal. Crews had to remove a small portion of a wall in a closet to reach the fire. No injuries were reported. Click here for additional information.
Medic 14 and Medic 20 assisted the Town of Edisto Beach Fire & Police units when two EF1 Tornadoes struck the island at 21:42 Monday 05-August. Units were dispatched to the business district and the area around the 100 block of Palmetto Blvd when the first tornado touched down. Several homes and businesses were damaged with people trapped inside two homes. Firefighters were able to rescue the occupants and luckily no one received any injuries. While on the scene of the first incident 9-1-1 calls were received reporting a second tornado in the 2700 block of Palmetto Blvd. Click here for additional information.
At 15:01, on Monday 05-August, during a thunderstorm, part of Hurricane Debby, Engine 26 and Medic 26 were working a single vehicle MVC on I-95 at Exit 57 southbound. The Engine was in the acceleration lane behind the accident blocking and protecting the scene, while Firefighter-Paramedics treated and loaded the injured parties. Traffic was moving slowly, when a Freightliner semi truck failed to slow down. The semi truck struck the rear of another semi causing heavy damage to both vehicles. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue's Emergency Management Division along with several ESF agencies met on Sunday to prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Debby. Tropical Storm Debbie is expected to develop into a hurricane prior to making landfall in the Florida pan handle. Tropical Storm Debby is expected to bring historic and catastrophic rainfall to the Lowcountry, with initial projections of 20" to 30" of rainfall accumulation. Click here for additional information.
A residence in the 1600 block of Red Root Rd was destroyed in an afternoon fire that occurred Saturday 03-August. At 15:03, a caller to 9-1-1 reported the home was well involved. Engine 18 arrived minutes later to find the singlewide mobile home approximately 80% involved with fire coming from all sides of the building. A vehicle parked next to the home was also well involved. The residence was located well off of the road, behind several other homes. Engine 18 deployed several handlines to the building. Click here for additional information.
Fire-Rescue responded during a thunderstorm to a reported lightning strike at a residence in the 10700 block of Jefferies Hwy, (US Hwy 15) Friday 02-August. Engine 5 arrived to find no visible exterior signs of fire, however there was a light haze and the smell of smoke inside the home. Upon investigation, Firefighters found a fire under the floor of the utility room which had damaged the structure. Crews were able to extinguish the fire and lessen the damage to the building. No injuries were reported during the incident. Click here for additional information.
A Florida man was critically injured in a single vehicle MVC on I-95 near the 58 mile marker southbound at the Mount Carmel overpass, Saturday afternoon 03-August at 17:33. The southbound Toyota pickup truck left the roadway, struck the end of a guardrail and lost control. The vehicle began to flip over several times, struck a DOT camera post and a large adversary sign before landing on its roof. The driver received multiple life threatening traumatic injuries. Firefighter-Paramedics treated the man at the scene. The CARE Flight medical helicopter could not fly due to poor weather conditions in the area. Click here for more information.