Las Vegas Rescue Workers Talk

Members of the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Technical Rescue Team watch as Public Information Officer Tim Szymanski speaks during a press conference following the team’s rescue of four window washers that got stranded outside the 35th floor of the Vdara Hotel.

High-risk rescue at Vdara makes for an ‘excellent day on the job’ - Paramedic Ray Spigner dangled over the side of the Vdara Hotel some 550 feet in the air early Wednesday afternoon. News helicopters circled around him and the 100-degree summer heat emanated from the windows. His life rested in the hands of an 800-foot rope and his fellow firefighters on the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Technical Rescue Team working the equipment to lower him. Below him, four window washers waited, stranded outside the 35th floor in a window washer’s basket. Their fate and safety rested in his hands.

The first of three members that would help lower the stranded to safety, Spigner was tasked with assessing their health and safety before taking the first man to safety. He couldn’t have had more fun. “It’s fun. It’s what we train for,” Spigner said. “We train every day for stuff like this, so there’s no worries. You trust your equipment, people and training.” The Technical Rescue Team specializes in rescuing people in high-risk emergencies like flash floods, car crashes and structural collapses, among others. On Wednesday, the 12 firefighters on shift were charged with a rare and exciting task — lowering four stranded window washers on the side of Vdara to safety.

The team received a call for help from the Clark County Fire Department at 11:53 a.m. When they arrived on scene, they devised their plan. They decided to lower the stranded washers onto a third-floor rooftop because it was closer than the hotel’s roof. Fire Captain John Hurley said it was a standard rope rescue. Hurley said they may not receive many calls like this, but they are trained for it. Two months a year, they practice rescues off the side of a training building and other local hotels and casinos. “These are low-volume, high-risk calls,” Hurley said. “They don’t come in often; that’s why we train frequently for them.”

Spigner went first. When he reached the men, he said they were calm, a little thirsty, but not in any immediate danger. After delivering some water, he attached a harness to the first person and together they were lowered down. Paramedic Scott Freel followed next. He said the window washers' calmness made the rescue easier. “That’s what made it less stressful,” Freel said. “These guys were all in good health, they weren’t scared, used to heights. My guy literally jumped off the thing on the way down.” Freel said the height, heat and people gawking at the rescuers with their cellphones through the hotel windows barely registered on his radar. He was too focused on his task at hand, and searching for something to grab onto in case things go crazy, to notice.

After nearly three hours, paramedic Andrew Osborn was tasked with taking the last man. That’s when they ran into their first and only snag — the man had to use the bathroom. “I asked him if he needed water,” Osborn said. “He said no, he needed the bathroom.” Still, Osborn and the rescue squad could not have hoped for a better day. “Excellent day on the job,” Osborn said. “It’s the day you live for.”

Investigation continues into window washers crane jam: Nevada safety regulators are investigating why a crane holding four window washers malfunctioned Wednesday, leaving the men stranded 35 stories high outside of the Vdara Hotel at CityCenter, a state official said Thursday. Steve Coffield, chief administrative officer with the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said his organization is investigating why a mechanism that raises and lowers the washer box malfunctioned. Coffield had no additional comment, citing an ongoing investigation.
The window washers called 911 shortly before noon. The last worker was rescued by 3 p.m. Rescuers with the Las Vegas and Clark County fire departments stationed themselves on the Vdara's roof, more than 50 floors high. From there, one firefighter at a time rappelled from the roof to the workers and brought them down to safety. The first firefighter to reach the workers gave them water. The window washers and firefighters communicated through cellphones. None of the window washers were injured.

Las Vegas Window Washer Rescue Details

Hanging in there: Four window washers were stranded outside the 35th floor of the Vdara Hotel at CityCenter in Las Vegas for several hours on Wednesday after their work platform appeared to be slipping. Click to enlarge.

Window Workers Rescued Outside Vdara Hotel: Las Vegas and Clark County firefighters rescued four workers trapped on the outside of the Vdara Hotel at CityCenter Wednesday afternoon. Two of the workers were washing windows and the other two were replacing broken and damaged windows. The workers were trapped on the west side of Vdara on the 35th floor. The workers called 9-1-1 after becoming concerned when their platform equipment didn't operate as planned. The fire department received a call about noon and developed a plan to rescue the workers by sending one member of the high-angle rescue team at a time from the roof of the hotel to the basket where the workers were, county spokeswoman Stacey Welling said. The workers were placed in a harness and lowered one at a time to the roof of a third floor landing area. The rescue took two hours with the final worker being brought down at 3 p.m. There were no reports of injuries. MGM Resorts owns Vdara. Company spokeswoman Yvette Monet said the situation will be reviewed by hotel safety officials as part of the company's standard policy.

Firefighters rescue four trapped Vdara window washers: Four men who became trapped while washing windows outside of the 35th floor of the Vdara Hotel at CityCenter on Wednesday afternoon were safely rescued by firefighters who rappelled from the roof to the workers and brought them down one by one. The unidentified window washers, three in their 40s and one in his 20s, called 911 shortly before noon after the mechanism that raises and lowers the washer box they were in malfunctioned. The last window washer was safely strapped into a harness and, while connected to a firefighter by a rope, was brought down to the third level of the Vdara shortly before 3 p.m. Medical personnel awaited the workers, who were all reportedly in good health.

Although the high-rise drama might have seemed like heroics to onlookers, Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said the group of firefighters from his agency train every day for such a mission. The firefighters compose the Technical Rescue Team that specializes in swift-water rescues, high-angle rescues, such as the one performed Wednesday, and cave-in rescues, Szymanski said. "We've got the best team," Szymanski said, noting the unit is the only one in Southern Nevada. "They already know what to do because they've been practicing constantly." In all, 24 firefighters, including Clark County personnel, were on the roof of the Vdara, which is more than 50 stories high, Clark County Battalion Chief Eric Poleski said. The four men stuck outside the Vdara were on the west side of the building, unseen by the legion of tourists on the Strip. Yvette Monet, a spokeswoman for MGM Resorts International, said in a statement that officials are investigating why the crane that held the window washers malfunctioned. "We appreciate the excellent efforts of the Fire Department personnel," she said. "The matter will be reviewed by hotel safety officials as part of the company's standard policy." Poleski said rescuers had cellphone contact with the window washers from the beginning.

The first firefighter who rappelled down to the workers at 1:15 p.m. brought them water. So, although the summer heat was intense, the workers stayed hydrated throughout the three-hour ordeal, Poleski said. Poleski said the rescue was methodical because all of the window washers were in good health, and rescuers knew that. While standing on Frank Sinatra Drive between the Bellagio and Aria as the last window washer was rescued, Poleski said no step was skipped in the rescue process. "This equipment is set up, double-checked and triple-checked before anybody goes over the edge," he said. "It might seem like this is taking a long time. ... Right now, because everyone is doing well, we're being very methodical and very careful and doing things on a very step-by-step basis." Poleski said the rescue mission, although unorthodox, went off without a hitch. "Its not in human nature to lower yourself off the side of a building," he said, adding, "I feel really good about it."

Dramatic rescue shows dangers of window washing job: Las Vegas is known for putting on some spectacular shows. Today, the show was high above on the 35th floor of the V Dara hotel on the strip. Window washers were stuck, and there was no way to get down, forcing a dramatic high rise rescue. 35 stories up in the air, stuck for several hours in 106 degree weather, but they had no choice but to wait after their platform stalled. And they thought it was slipping. Firefighters had to be called in to perform the rescue. There really was no other choice because the window washers could not get the platform to work. They spent 3 hours rigging ropes and descending from the roof of the 46 story hotel to get the men in a harness, and lowered them to a landing below. One by one they were brought down. In the end the firefighters were able to get everyone down safely. They were all checked out for dehydration because of the heat, but they were all okay. This situation has to be what every window washer in the world wants to avoid in their career. FOX 10's Troy Hayden talked with Kenneth Piposar of Abseilon USA, who trains firefighters to do vertical rescues.

Fire Department completes rescue of workers at Vdara: A heroic rescue took place today at the Vdara and News 3 has obtained video shot by a viewer who said he was praying the rescue would end successfully. News 3's Denise Rosch is among the many who watched the whole thing play out. MGM Resorts issued this state regarding Tuesday's rescue: "Clark County rescue teams completed a successful rescue of four workers who were in a crane lift basket at Vdara's 35th floor. No one was injured. We appreciate the excellent efforts of the fire department personnel. The matter will be reviewed by hotel safety officials as part of the company's standard policy."

Four window washers were rescued by firefighters Wednesday after they were stranded for several hours outside the 35th floor of a Las Vegas Strip high-rise hotel. Clark County and Las Vegas firefighters spent three hours rigging ropes and descending from the roof of the 46-story Vdara Hotel to harness and lower the workers one at a time to a landing area below. Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said firefighters were summoned about noon after the men reported that their work platform appeared to be slipping. No injuries were reported.

The Vdara is one of several glassy CityCenter complex hotels built by MGM Resorts International and Dubai World. The surrounding 67-acre development opened in December 2009, with the Aria, Veer and Mandarin Oriental hotels, a casino and the upscale Crystals shopping and restaurant complex. The flawed Harmon hotel and condominium tower never opened. Hotel spokeswoman Yvette Monet said the workers' platform apparently stalled due to a mechanical malfunction. The first firefighter to reach the men brought bottled water, officials said. The National Weather Service reported temperatures at 104 degrees and winds a moderate 10 mph at nearby McCarran International Airport at the time.

Television viewers watched the rescue live on local television. Las Vegas fire spokesman Tim Szymanski said the city's high-angle rescue team trains regularly for similar situations. In March 2009, firefighters rescued two window washers who suffered minor injuries when a cable holding their platform snapped during gusty winds outside the Wynn Resorts-owned Encore Las Vegas. Both men were wearing safety harnesses, and were pulled to safety through a 15th- floor window, while the platform slammed against windows facing the Vegas Strip and rained broken glass onto a swimming pool area below.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue speaks to Action News about Vdara rescue (Las Vegas, NV) - Those aren't the only men who are speaking to Action News. We're also hearing from the heroes of the day. Those who risked their lives to save the stranded workers. Dropping down off the side of a 57 floor building is not what most would call a regular day on the job. "When you go over the edge, I mean, you look down, and it's high, but it's fun. That's what we're there for. It's what we train for," says City of Las Vegas firefighter/paramedic Scott Freel. These are all men on the heavy rescue team for the City of Las Vegas. Wednesday they were lowered to a window washing basket to save 4 men stuck on the 35th floor. "The problem wasn't with the actual out rigger it was more with the mechanical situation on the lift itself," says Captain John Hurley.

Quickly the team set up and started the rescue. "On this particular roof we had to bring anchors out of the stairwell and bring two of those out one for the main, and one for the belay," says Captain Aaron Downing. "They all seemed like they were in fine shape. They were just hot and thirsty. So we gave them some water. We attached a pick off harness to them and then lowered it down," says another fire fighter/paramedic Ray Spigner. All four men were treated and released without injuries. A successful operation thanks to the "Heavy;" their truck that has pretty much everything the team needs to save anyone in Southern Nevada from any disaster or emergency. At this height the rescuers say they barely notice the people inside Vdara taking phone video. Happy for a job well done, these guys look back at the day with satisfaction. This heavy rescue team is one of three platoons ready to assist throughout Southern Nevada. They worked with Clark County Fire and Rescue on this operation.

This accident today turned out to be serious injuries for painters.