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911 call released of Bellevue window washers rescue
First responders from Bellevue and Redmond coordinated an aerial rope rescue after strong gusts trapped the workers 532 feet in the air at the Amazon Sonic building on 108th Avenue Northeast. Both workers were brought to safety.
BELLEVUE, Wash. - Newly released 911 audio captures the urgent pleas for help from two window washers who were left dangling 39 floors above the ground in high winds outside an Amazon building in Bellevue last week.
First responders from Bellevue and Redmond coordinated an aerial rope rescue after strong gusts trapped the workers 532 feet in the air at the Amazon Sonic building on 108th Avenue Northeast. Both workers were brought to safety.
High winds trap workers on 39th floor
What they're saying:
The incident unfolded last Friday as commuters were heading home from work. Whipping winds battered the two workers against the west wall near the top floors of the high-rise.
During the emergency call, a dispatcher struggled at first to hear one of the workers over the wind as he reported they were stuck and needed immediate rescue.
"We're window washers on, ugh, where the [expletive] are we? 555 Bellevue. Sonic. Amazon Sonic. We need to get rescued," the worker told the dispatcher, according to the audio.
WA firefighters rescue window washers stuck over 500 feet above ground
The agency said that its rope rescue technicians were deployed to help the window washers reach the ground. Firefighters estimated that the window washers were stuck about 532 feet above ground.
As the wind continued to hit the workers, the caller explained he could no longer stay on the line because he needed both hands to hold on. When asked how high up they were, the worker estimated they were between 32 and 42 floors above the street.
Multi-agency rope and drone rescue
Local perspective:
Firefighters and specialized rope rescue teams from both the Bellevue and Redmond fire departments responded to the scene.
To assist crews working hundreds of feet in the air, the Bellevue Police Department deployed a drone to provide real-time aerial visuals of the stranded workers. Video from the Redmond Fire Department showed rescue crews working together to safely secure and retrieve the pair.
Push for dedicated fire department drone
What you can do:
Following the multi-agency effort, the Bellevue Fire Foundation announced it is raising $100,000 to purchase a drone specifically for the Bellevue Fire Department.
You can donate to the foundation's cause here.
Foundation officials noted that having dedicated aerial equipment could assist fire crews during similar high-angle rescues in the future.
The Source: Information for this story came from the Bellevue Fire Department, Redmond IAFF Local 2829 Facebook pages and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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