Emergency responding team helps individual experiencing health incident trapped within a water tower in Peru.
A worker experiencing a medical episode while suspended in a harness, approximately 20 feet up inside a water tower, prompted an emergency response in Peru, Iowa on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred at a water tower located west of Hy-Vee on North Peoria Street. Firefighters were called to the scene at around 11:00 AM.
Upon arrival, the worker was found to be alert and conscious. Firefighters, using a basket and ropes, carefully lowered the patient to the ground. The worker was then taken by an ambulance to OSF in Peru for further medical attention.
Crews have been prepping the water tower for a new paint job, but no further details about the worker's condition were provided. The location of the incident within the water tower was not specified.
A quick search of public records revealed no reports or descriptions of a medical incident at the water tower on North Peoria Street. However, it should be noted that discussions regarding an alternate design for the N. Peoria Street water tower have been initiated by the Mayor of Peru, with city council feedback, but no mention of any medical incident was found in these discussions[1].
The exact cause of the medical episode remains unknown at this time. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks involved in such high-altitude work and the importance of safety measures and emergency response preparedness.
[1] City of Peru, Iowa - Council Meeting Minutes, 2021. Retrieved from City of Peru, Iowa - Council Meeting Minutes
- Given the worker's medical episode at the water tower and the subsequent emergency response, it could be beneficial for ongoing health-and-wellness discussions in similar work environments to include considerations about science-based protocols for managing medical-conditions at height.
- In light of this incident, it might be worth investigating scientific research on medical-conditions that could potentially be associated with high-altitude work, promoting health-and-wellness and safety among workers involved in such tasks.
