Emergency Personnel Save Nine-Year-Old From Tree
Akirah Mackerl is helped out of a tree by Oskaloosa Firefighter Captain Dan Hoy on Tuesday afternoon. (photo by Ginger Allsup/Oskaloosa News)
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Tuesday afternoon wasn’t much different than most for nine-year-old Akirah Mackerl who took to her backyard tree for a little adventure after school.
But shortly after 4pm on Tuesday, the call for help went out, and Oskaloosa Fire Department and Oskaloosa Police Department responded to 614 4th Ave West, to find Akirah approximately 20 foot up the tree, and unable to help herself back down.
Akirah loves to climb trees, but on Tuesday afternoon, she took on a little more adventure than she was planning on when she made her way to a place she felt uncomfortable with.
Oskaloosa Fire Captain Day Hoy, wearing a harness, climbed the tree with a chainsaw to clear some branches, in an effort to allow them to use a ladder to reach Akirah.
Paramedics from Mahaska Health Partnership Emergency Services talked with Akirah to help keep her calm and informed as to what was going on. This was especially important when the tree branch she was clutching would start to shake as Hoy was making his way up.
Megan Williams, mother to Akirah, said that “she was climbing the tree like normal.” Initially, Megan’s brother tried to help Akirah, but that wasn’t working, so Megan made the call for help.
Akirah was helped from the tree about 30 minutes after emergency personnel arrived, and a large hug between mother and daughter was Akirah’s first action after arriving on the ground from the firefighters ladder.
The rescue of Akirah from her favorite tree took the work of the Oskaloosa Fire Department, Oskaloosa Police Department, Mahaska Health Partnership Emergency Services and the Mahaska County 911 Dispatchers.
Akirah Mackerl is helped out of a tree by Oskaloosa Firefighter Captain Dan Hoy on Tuesday afternoon. (photo by Ginger Allsup/Oskaloosa News)
Akirah Mackerl runs to mom for a hug after being helped out of a tree by Oskaloosa Firefighter Captain Dan Hoy on Tuesday afternoon. (photo by Ginger Allsup/Oskaloosa News)
