ROCKLAND – Almost the entire summer went by before Rockland EMS needed to assist individuals at the Breakwater, according to Asst. Chief Adam Miceli. Now, twice in two days, their transport “Mule” has been utilized at the city landmark.

At 5:52 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 23 a third party reported a woman who’d fallen while walking near the lighthouse. Five responders answering the call packed the woman into a litter. That litter was then strapped to their “Mule” contraption, which consists of a steel frame on top of an all-terrain tire. 

Upon arrival to the parking lot, the individual refused further EMS assistance.

A different crew used the same contraption two days prior for another Breakwater assist. That event occurred on the afternoon of Monday’s eclipse. Whether the individual was there for the eclipse was unknown to Miceli, who was one of the responders.

The Mule, used mostly for the Breakwater, is about two years old, and the benefits are noticeable.

Most of the weight is on the wheel, and then everybody else steadies it, Miceli said.

“It used to take us eight or ten people to get somebody off the Breakwater,” he said. “We can only carry for so long.”

Now, a crew of at least four responders is needed – three if absolutely necessary – A good thing since a second Rockland EMS crew was dispatched to another request simultaneous to Wednesday’s Breakwater fall.

Five or six people is better since an extra person is needed to carry equipment.

Rockland has also taken the contraption, which can carry at least 350 pounds, to a couple lift assists in Thomaston, as well as an incident involving CMP, according to Miceli.

Sarah Thompson can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com