By Karla Wennerstrom

The Eden Prairie Police and Fire departments were called to Lawn Ranger in Eden Prairie at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, where a man’s arm was trapped in an auger.

The business, at 6390 Carlson Drive, did not comment on the incident.

The auger was in the bed of a salt/sand truck, according to information from the city of Eden Prairie.

“It took about 35 minutes to free him, and he was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center,” according to the release. “He was conscious at the time he was taken by ambulance, but that is all we know about his condition.” The injuries were reportedly not life-threatening.

About 15 firefighters responded, plus police officers, Hennepin County paramedics and several members of the Edina Fire Department.

Fire Chief George Esbensen said the story of the day was the mutual aid relationship with the Edina Fire Department, which is specially trained in this type of rescue.

“The reality here is that things like what happened, where somebody is enpinched in an auger, are very low frequency but very high specialty kinds of calls,” Esbensen said. “For every fire department to be skilled in every possible thing that we do is not really possible.”

He said the Edina technical rescue team is a regional asset for other departments in the area to call when this type of unusual 911 call comes in.

“We’re fortunate that they happen to be right next door,” Esbensen said.

Eden Prairie specializes in water and ice rescue and low angle rescue, as when someone has driven off a road down an embankment and rescuers must use ropes or other means to get to the site and then safely extricate the person and get them back up a steep hill, sometimes using ropes and pulleys.

“We also have a life safety unit … for dealing with weapons of mass destruction, biological weapons and chemical agents,” Esbensen said.

“The story of the day is efficient use of regional resources and expertise,” Esbensen said. “We have seamless relationships with neighboring departments, all of which have special services.

“When we all show up at a scene together we can act as one fire department,” he said.

“That just makes for a smooth fire scene.”