Gary Allen, Sr.

Wrangell, Alaska

Gary Allen was operating his crane off a barge in Shoemaker Bay attempting to place a 110-foot pole into the edge of the water bank. As he maneuvered the pole, it refused to swing the way he expected. Gary tried to fix the situation but the pole ultimately pulled the crane over, partially crushing the cab. Gary was stuck inside, hanging upside down with a broken leg. The situation quickly worsened when the crane slid off the barge, sinking in 12 feet of icy water. Gary took a deep breath as the cab filled. His foot was caught, but after a short struggle he was able to free it and swim to a beam of light that penetrated the water. Workers on the barge were horrified as they shouted “May Day” into a radio that was their only means of communication. By the time Gary surfaced, an ambulance had already started its five-mile run to the bay. His daughter, an EMT, had heard the emergency call and was by his side as the ambulance took him to the hospital. Gary has recovered and, according to his daughter, even hits the dance floor on occasion.

From Wrangell Medical Center (Wrangell, AK) to Bartlett Regional Hospital (Juneau, AK)