An evening potting flowers could have taken a tragic turn if it wasn’t for the trained response by Blairs Fire and Rescue, who successfully extricated a woman from a collapsed deck.

The incident occurred Wednesday, May 22, at about 7:25 p.m. at the home of John and Sandra Blair on Carson Jones Road.

Sandra said she was sitting on the deck, potting flowers like she does every spring. John arranged the pots around her on the table and had gone into the house when he heard an unusual sound.

John rushed to the door and saw Sandra, still in her chair, but located within the collapsed deck material. The deck, which was about 12 feet from the ground, had a concrete patio underneath, said John.

John immediately called 911 and was told Blairs was on the way.

“I thought when it first happened, I truly thought it was an earthquake. There was no warning,” Sandra said, adding that she initially thought there was no hope she would be rescued.

“I was absolutely convinced of it,” she said.

When Blairs arrived, they found the deck at the rear of the house had partially collapsed and Sandra, who has limited mobility, was trapped within it. Crews began to shore up the deck to prevent it from collapsing further, while a crew member was lowered from the roof to place Sandra in a rescue harness.

Sandra was secured to the aerial ladder truck and raised from the collapsed deck using a rope system from a high attachment.

“All at once I was up in the air moving, that was a little strange,” she said. Once pulled from the deck, Sandra was quickly lowered to safety.

Sandra was fully evaluated by EMS providers and in the end, reported that she only has a bruise on each hand.

“I have nothing but praise. They were absolute miracle workers, everyone one them knew what to do,” said Sandra of Blairs Fire and Rescue.

“The response was excellent,” said John.

Blairs Fire and Rescue responded with one command vehicle, two engine companies, one ladder company, one paramedic level ambulance, one support vehicle, and 16 personnel.

The rescue effort was successful due to diligent training, and the equipment is owned and operated by Blairs Fire and Rescue. Crews are trained in all aspects of technical rescue, including structural collapse and rope rescue. Combined, this allowed for a successful outcome.