Cape Wide News for Wednesday January 30th, 2013

Two-car rear-ender sends two to hospital

Dog succumbs despite Yarmouth ice rescue
YARMOUTH - The Yarmouth Fire Department reports that at 10:26 a.m., they received a 911 call for a dog trapped on the ice near 1 Driftwood Lane, South Yarmouth. Shortly before YFD’s arrival bystanders said they could hear and see the dog in the middle of Follins Pond.

The shift on duty had just arrived at Halfway Pond off West Yarmouth Road for an Ice Rescue Drill. Each year the shifts all train on ice rescue techniques using the Ice Rescue Sled.

The crews quickly responded to Driftwood Lane, along with Animal Control Officer Rick Nelson and Department of Natural Resources Lt. Bill Bonnetti, and deployed the Ice Rescue Sled followed by a firefighter on a borrowed kayak. Working together the two Firefighters struggled an estimated 900 feet from shore to find the dog. It was exhausting work due to the salt water ice not supporting the weight of the rescuers. Using the paddle with a spike in the end they had to pull a few feet at a time. Once the two firefighters reached the dog the crews on shore quickly pulled them in using the tethered rope.

The dog, a one-year-old American Bull Dog, was placed on an animal stretcher provided by Yarmouth’s Animal Control Officer Nelson, who transported the dog to Hyannis Animal Hospital. When pulled from the icy water the dog had not been breathing for a while and, unfortunately, he did not survive.

One Firefighter who worked tirelessly was taken to Cape Cod Hospital for evaluation. Further information is not available at this time but we expect a full recovery.

Yarmouth Fire Department wants you to know that it takes four inches of ice to support a person and salt water ice is never safe to walk on.

Media release and photos furnished by Yarmouth Fire    




Man charged with 2nd offense OUI after Yarmouth crash
YARMOUTH - In our coverage of crashes during the Sunday night snowfall, we reported on a vehicle vs pole on White's Path in Yarmouth. Yarmouth Police report they have charged the driver in that crash with operating under the influence of liquor (2nd offense). When Police Officers Christopher Marino, Nicholas Ambrosini, Gordon Gibbons, Matthew Sheehan and Sean Geary and Yarmouth Firefighters arrived, they found a red 1987 GMC pick up in the roadway severely damaged with a utility pole sheared off at the base supported by live primary wires in the roadway.

The scene was secured, traffic diverted, and the driver Caleb F. Childs, 23, of Harwich was treated for non-life threatening injuries and subsequently transported to Cape Cod Hospital by Yarmouth Fire Department ambulance.

A follow-up investigation was conducted by Yarmouth Police Patrol Officer Nicholas Ambrosini at Cape Cod Hospital which determined Childs to be intoxicated. Childs will be summonsed to court for OUI liquor (2nd offense), operating negligently to endanger, and marked lanes violation.
Media release furnished by Yarmouth Police 

Yarmouth Police maintain daily presence at all schools
YARMOUTH - Yarmouth Police report that as part of their overall strategic plan and commitment to making Yarmouth the safest community in the region, Yarmouth Police officers have established a strong daily random police presence at every Yarmouth School every day of the week. This plan has received very positive feedback from students, parents, faculty and administrators. The officers appreciate the opportunity to meet and greet everyone and send a clear message of safety, solid community partnerships and excellence in policing.
Media release furnished by Yarmouth Police
 

YARMOUTH - The Yarmouth Police Department participated in a meeting Monday morning at Mattacheese Middle School as part of a special MassDOT program that educates children and adults on the importance of walking and biking to school safely. The program also includes a plan to seek Federal funding to build sidewalks that will allow children and adults to safely walk, jog, or bicycle on Higgins Crowell Road. Currently there are no sidewalks at all on the busy roadway but there are several beautiful walking and bike paths in the area of Mattacheese School and Marguerite E. Small School. Their goal is to connect them together on Higgins Crowell Road to improve safety and physical fitness for everyone.

The meeting was attended by a tremendous group of people representing the Massachusetts Department of Transportation as well as the Yarmouth Department of Public Works, the Yarmouth Parks and Recreation Department, the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District, the Yarmouth Department of Public Health and Barnstable County Regional Government.
Media release furnished by Yarmouth Police

YPD, D-Y, Independence House team to stop domestic violence

YARMOUTH - Everyone in this photo came together Monday afternoon and testified in front of the Yarmouth Board of Health regarding domestic violence and sexual assault and ways to stop it and prevent it in the future. The group was seeking $12,000 in grant funding from the town of Yarmouth to help support the ongoing work of Independence House and the new 'Nicholas Xiarhos Mentors in Violence Prevention' program at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School.