Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers were able to locate the arm of a Caltrans contractor who lost the limb in an accident Thursday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Department reported.
At 1:45 p.m., the man was standing next to equipment that was clearing brush on Highway 76 west of the I-15 on Gird Road. A loose cable in the area got caught in the machinery. The cable snapped the worker’s arm as it went by him. The impact launched the man’s arm into the air.
25 Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers and two dogs were immediately activated as part of the recovery team. There is a three-hour window to re-attach the arm. The search team found the limb at 3:00 p.m., 50 yards away from the machinery. It was placed in ice and saline and flown by Sheriff’s ASTREA to Palomar Medical Center.
One of the nurses at the hospital’s emergency room came up with the idea to call Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, which activated the unit. Cal-OSHA is investigating the accident.
