Monday, February 4, 2013 Units were operating on location at a Working Barn Fire in Little Britain, PA on Wednesday night.


Upon arrival firefighters found horses in the barn.  Efforts to rescue the horses were made by the property owners, firefighters and EMS crewmembers.  This resulted in panicked horses running uncontrolled on the fire scene.  One horse ran from the barn directly at EMT Maryann Mahan.  The horse hit EMT Mahan full force and crushed her against a fence.  This was witnessed by her fellow EMS Crewmembers EMT Jessica Jackson, EMT/Paramedic Phil Mahan who is her husband and EMT Mallory Mahan who is her daughter.


The uninjured Mahans worked with fellow rescue workers to package and transport their wife/mother/patient to the Trauma Center of Lancaster General Hospital where she is being treated for a collapsed lung, multiple broken ribs and other injuries.

All horses were successfully rescued from the barn fire.


1.  Members of the same family who serve together on a crew must be

prepared for the worst.


2.  Crews must be prepared to continue to render aid with the loss of a

crewmember.


3.  Large animals such as horses present unique hazards even to the

experts


4.  You can do the right thing and still get hurt.


5. The challenges of serving as an officer will often be unexpected.