A maintenance worker was in stable condition Thursday (Nov. 14) after a 30-foot fall into a water tower in Port Fourchon.
Coast Guard Sector New Orleans evacuated the injured worker from the 145-foot-tall water tower Thursday evening (Nov. 14). He was later taken to University Hospital in New Orleans.
The man apparently lost his footing and fell 30 feet into the tower, receiving a significant gash on his head and possibly suffering a skull fracture, according to the Coast Guard.
A firefighter initially climbed into the tank to treat the man after the fall, the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard Air Station was contacted by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and deployed an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and crew to retrieve the man, according to the statement.
Air Station New Orleans pilot Lt. Ken Rockhold said the crew had to work within a “very, very small confined space” to rescue the worker. The man was hoisted by the helicopter from a 2-foot-wide catwalk on top of the water tower.
“Our frequent, standardized training really helps us out in these unique situations,” Rockhold said.
Curt Isakson is a 35 year veteran of the fire service. Curt is currently a Battalion Chief for Escambia County Fire Rescue. Previously worked 9 years with the Pensacola Fire Department where he was assigned as the Company Officer on Rescue 31. Curt’s fire service experiences started at a young age as a Junior firefighter with the Midway Fire Protection District and rose through the ranks to Captain. He has worked in volunteer, career, and combination departments.
Curt has held all ranks up to Battalion Chief and been assigned to operations, training, inspections, and was Chief of Special Operations for 7 years. Curt owns and operates County Fire Tactics that covers a very diverse range of fire service topics, as well as Firefighter Rescues, a site that documents rescues made by firefighters around the country.
He has annual contracts with numerous departments to provide standardized monthly training for these departments that respond daily together under an automatic aid agreement. Curt teaches nationally to include; FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Orlando Fire Conference, Atlanta Fire Conference, Bowling Green State University, and owns/operates the annual HROC, COBC, WOTF, CFT ODP on Pensacola Beach. He is a Florida Certified Fire Officer, Instructor, Inspector, Arson, and FLUSAR.
