On Tuesday, a tower technician was rescued from atop a 150-foot Viaero Wireless-owned cell tower in Fairmont, Nebraska. Photo: York Fire Department
Although media reports said that the York, Nebraska Fire Department and other agencies helped to extricate a tower technician whose hand was reported to have been pinned by a mounting frame on top of a cell tower on Tuesday in Fairmont, York Fire Chief Tony Bestwick informed Wireless Estimator on Wednesday that it was the worker’s crew members who went into action to facilitate the rescue, lowering him to emergency personnel.
“The tower crew was well trained on emergency procedures and was able to lower the victim to our aerial platform,” said Chief Bestwick. He clarified that “No emergency personnel were ever on the tower.”
It is unknown whether the technician’s hand was pinned by the down-tilted sector frame or if he was injured while working on it.
Following the rescue, which took about two hours, the unnamed worker was airlifted by StarCare for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
Chief Bestwick said, “Everything went smoothly. We were able to communicate with Fairmont Fire and get the aerial set up to assist. Air Ambulance was called because we did not know the full extent of his injuries. All in all, it was a good outcome.”
The 150-foot self-supporting tower, erected in 2019, is owned by Industrial Communication and Wireless, Viero Wireless’s real estate and management arm.
The workers were likely Viero tower technicians.
Neither company responded to a request for additional information.