An Emsworth public works employee was pulled from the narrow confines of the borough’s pump station Wednesday morning after passing out due to an apparent lack of oxygen.

Rick Cummings of Bellevue -- himself an experienced emergency responder as a volunteer firefighter and former chief of the Bellevue Volunteer Fire Co. -- found himself on the receiving end of rescue services. According to Emsworth Council member Paul Getz, Cummings was performing routine maintenance on the pump station -- situated along Route 65 near the Kilbuck line -- when he lost consciousness. Fellow worker Dan Kester was observing from above.

Getz described the pump station entrance manhole as being about 34 inches in diameter, leading down about 8-10 feet to the first level comprised of a mesh floor, and then down another 30 or so feet to the equipment that pumps sewage from the borough into the ALCOSAN main.

Getz said that Kester actually was able to get Cummings from the lowest level to the first level.

NorthWest EMS Chief Dave Gallagher said that gave his crew a tremendous assist as they worked to rescue Cummings.

Rescuers first measured the oxygen levels in the station and found them to be dangerously low. They set up a fan to channel fresh air into the manhole while working to erect a rope system that would be used to pull Cummings up to ground level.

NorthWest medics Matt McDanel and Scott George -- who also wear the hats of Avalon Police officer and Ben Avon volunteer firefighter, respectively -- donned small air tanks and entered the manhole to assess Cummings’ condition and get him hooked up to the rope system.

Cummings was unconscious when brought to the surface, and quickly was taken by ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital.

Getz said that the pump station has a fan that is designed to exchange air in the underground chamber and prevent the back-up of methane gas. He did not know why oxygen levels had dropped.

The pump station is scheduled to be replaced to comply with the mandates of a federal consent order
involving Western Pennsylvania municipalities. Getz said that the new station will be completely above-grade, constructed on a nearby level area along Route 65. Getz said that work will begin once final approval is received from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).