CAPE MAY – Firefighters rescued a painter who was using a high lift to paint and change outdoor lights but got stuck about 50 feet in the air when the mechanical lift malfunctioned.
Cape May Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Eck said the department received a call at 6:28 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, about an individual working at the Angel of the Sea on Trenton Avenue. At some point, the lift malfunctioned, and the worker could not lower the mechanism.
“He was stuck 50 feet in the air, so our crew used the aerial ladder to reach him,” Eck said.
He said the worker was not in distress, and the firefighters were able to get a harness on him and safely transfer him to the aerial ladder, what the firefighters call a “pick off.”
Eck said the Fire Department has 17 people trained to do high-angle rescues; however, it’s not a common occurrence in Cape May.
“The department hasn’t done one for eight to 10 years, in my recollection,” he said.
The Fire Department was able to clear the scene by 6:47 p.m.
Pedestrian Safety Concern
Eck said turning back the clocks this past weekend means, of course, that it’s getting dark earlier, which means there is greater concern for pedestrian safety.
“Especially in the strong shoulder season,” he said, “we want people to be safe in traffic.”
Currently there are walking tours, including candlelight tours, going on in the city, with a lot of people out crossing the streets. Eck asks drivers to pay particular attention to pedestrians after dark.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
