There’s nothing quite like the feeling of invincibility that comes with youth. You’re virile and you can see the possibilities of life sprawled out in front of you. All of that energy can make you giddy or even goofy with excitement. A group of New York high school students were evidently riding just this type of wave recently.
But their moment of after-school horseplay led to a serious and gruesome injury for a 15-year-old boy in Queens. Thankfully, firefighters were there to help treat the boy and ensure that he was able to live to tell this remarkable tale.
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Officials believe that a push between two boys turned into a shove, ABC 7 reported. Eventually, the boy fell backwards. In the scuffle, a friend landed on top of him and the peg in a wrought iron fence pierced the child’s leg. The firefighter rescue team reported to the scene and worked quickly to save the teen.
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They began by cutting the fence. Interestingly, that same rescue team practiced using band saws just last week.
They put those refreshed skills to work on the boy, who was temporarily stationed on Himrod Street in Ridgewood, Queens. Firefighter Jason Shoemaker explained the process. “We started with this smaller one,” he said. “Then turn it on. The piece of metal go in here. Rest of team passed batteries to me so we can use them.” They moved up to larger bandsaws until the fence piece broke off.
The firefighters made sure to keep the fence and the boy’s leg together. “We cut the vertical bars going up. Three of them,” said FDNY Lt. Mark Martinez. “Then we cut the horizontal top piece to keep everything in one piece so this way, you can transport it all together so you’re not injuring the person more.” Officials took the boy and a portion of the fence to Bellevue Hospital.
Assistant Chief John Sarrocco said this is all in a day’s work. “We don’t just put out fires. This is an example of what we do every day,” he explained.
The whole rescue mission took 10 minutes. The teen is listed in stable condition.
