(TOWNSHIP OF PERTH SOUTH, ON) On Saturday January 03, 2014, shortly after 3 p.m., Perth County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers were called to Perth Line 26 west of Harmony, regarding a vehicle that had left the roadway and slid down a deep embankment.
Investigation revealed that a Montana minivan had been travelling eastbound on Perth Line 26 during a period of heavy snowfall. The driver lost control of the minivan as it was pulled onto the south shoulder. The van made contact with a delineator post and slid down a steep embankment. The van slid backwards and sideways while miraculously remaining upright.
The driver and the three elderly passengers, all residents of Ajax did not sustain injuries as a result of this collision. Two dogs that were in the vehicle were also uninjured.
Due to the age and physical abilities of the occupants it was not possible for them to make their way up the embankment. Police closed Line 26 between Perth Road 112 and Perth Road 113 for approximately an hour while the Township of Perth East Fire Department utilized ropes and rescue techniques to bring three of the occupants back up to safety. One elderly female passenger required to be placed on a Perth County EMS backboard sled allowing her to be pulled up to the roadway. A local towing company was able to tow the minivan from the embankment onto the roadway. Back on the roadway the van was examined and a determination was made that the vehicle could be safely driven away. The four occupants and the two dogs continued on their journey home.
This was an example of a cooperative tiered emergency response resulting in a happy ending.
