Two people fall far from open windows

The Edmonds Fire Department was dispatched to 111 calls in and around Edmonds the week of June 30 – July 6, which brings this year’s call volume to 2,644. Medical crews evaluated 72 patients; fire crews responded to 39 incidents.

Medical Responses

Two medical emergencies this week involved patients who had fallen out of windows.

A 47-year-old fell from a three-story window, landing on his feet approximately 30 feet below on the pavement. The patient was ambulatory immediately after the fall but was lying down when the aid unit arrived. Due to potential injury, the patient was transported to Harborview Medical Center.

The second patient fell 15-to-20 feet out of a second-story window while working on a window covering. The patient did not lose consciousness, but was transported by private carrier to Harborview because of the severity of impact upon landing.

Windows pose a hidden danger to children, especially in the summer. Remember, window screens are for bugs; they will not prevent a child’s fall.

The use of window guards in homes where small children live or play is an effective deterrent to window falls. They secure into the sides of a window frame and are sold in different sizes to fit any window. Guards must also allow for easy escape from the window in case of an emergency, while being difficult for young children to open. Visit www.windowguard.org for more information.

Fire Responses

One July 1, Marine 16 was dispatched to investigate a reported overturned boat that was floating about a mile northwest of the Edmonds ferry dock. The responding crew found the abandoned, ten-foot vessel drifting in the shipping lanes. To prevent additional calls and a collision with other watercraft, Marine 16 towed the vessel and secured it to the Port of Edmonds fuel dock where the boat’s owner was advised to recover it.

The ladder truck was dispatched on July 2 to help find a missing underwater diver off the Mukilteo Pier. Edmonds crews were cancelled when the diver was located on the beach.

Later that day, a high tide reportedly marooned a female and two children on the breakwater. The beach-goers were rescued prior to the engine crew’s arrival.