A woman has died after a dog attack Wednesday at an animal-boarding facility in Phoenix, police said.
The attack occurred at Canine Country Club and Feline Inn near 24th and Washington streets, police said.
The woman, who was not identified, had significant injuries from bites and was found in a dog exercise area, said Sgt. Jonathan Howard, Phoenix police spokesman.
The 59-year-old woman volunteered for a rescue group called Akita Advocates, said Jose Santiago, a spokesman for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, which also responded to the scene. He confirmed that the dog involved in the attack was an Akita.
"She was here potentially to socialize the animal to prepare it for adoption when the attack took place,'' Santiago said. "No one actually witnessed the attack.’’
Akita Advocates Relocation Team Arizona, which is based in Glendale, issued a statement on Facebook.
"She passed away while helping rehab an orphaned Akita in the hopes of him becoming adoptable," the post read.
The group also said that out of respect of her death, they would not be answering any questions.
Phoenix police had not confirmed the woman's name as of Wednesday night.
Santiago said a worker at the facility was walking on the grounds when he noticed the dog running free, covered in blood. The worker then found the woman severely injured on the grounds, Santiago said. Workers were able to secure the dog and call 911.
Police responded at 2:44 p.m., Howard said.
Howard said the woman was rushed to a hospital, where she died.
Santiago said the dog was owned by Akita Advocates, which told county officials it intends to take possession of the dog on Thursday and then put the animal down.
Santiago said the county agency will follow up to make sure that takes place, and if it doesn't, the county would investigate further and possibly confiscate the dog.
Greg Donahue, owner of Canine Country Club and Feline Inn, talks about the death of a volunteer who was attacked by an Akita on Dec. 20, 2017. Ryan Santistevan/The Republic
Santiago said Canine Country Club and Feline Inn works with various rescue groups to house animals that are being prepared for potential adoption or for shelters that run out of room. Santiago added that Animal Care and Control also uses the facility at times to house animals.
Greg Donahue, owner of Canine Country Club and Feline Inn, said no one who works at the facility reported seeing the attack.
"It looks like the dog turned on her,'' he said, adding that the woman was a volunteer who visited the facility several times a week for the past few years.
“It’s so tragic,'' he said. "A lot of upset people who’ve never seen anything like this, ever. We’ve never had more than a nip. And this is unbelievable.’’
Donahue said he wasn't sure how long the dog had been at the facility.Police were at the scene investigating Wednesday afternoon.
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Akita Advocates was started late in 2004 to help find homes for
displaced Akitas. Since that time, we have rescued over 200 dogs and
found new, loving homes for them. We are a very small group of
dedicated volunteers for whom rescue is a full-time second job.
However, we have a passion about helping dogs who cannot help
themselves.
AARTA is a non-profit organization. We are members of CABRA (Coalition
of All Breed Rescue AZ), PACC911 (an umbrella organization that sets up
adoption events throughout the county), and are recognized as one of
ACA’s rescue groups (Akita Club of America).
About Us
AARTA is a 100% volunteer organization existing soley on donations. We work for Akitas who need our help in our "spare" time.
All of our volunteers have pets, families, homes, and jobs of their own, and do this work simply for the love of the Akita breed. Check the AARTA Flyer to find out more about us.
Person killed in apparent construction accident on the corner of Graham Rd in Pine Twsp.
PINE TOWNSHIP, PA (KDKA) — A construction worker was killed Wednesday afternoon when a utility pole fell on top of him in Pine Township.
Around 2:30 p.m., police say the 39-foot traffic light pole fell onto 25-year-old Victor Boytos, of West Mifflin. The accident happened on Graham Road, at the intersection of Wallace and Warrendale roads in Pine Township.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner was called to the scene, and traffic was at a standstill.
Northern Regional Police say Boytos was killed when the pole came crashing down on top of him.
According to police, crews were using a crane to put up new traffic light poles in the area when the chain from the crane broke and fell on top of the worker. He was pronounced dead on scene.
Other lights were installed across Warrendale and Wallace roads at the three way intersection.
Later in the evening, a worker was sent to the scene to put up orange netting to secure the site.
The township manager says the worker that was killed is not a township employee. He says the roads are state roads, so the installation was being completed under a PennDOT-issued permit and the developer brought in their own contractor.
Officials with PennDOT said they won’t be able to find out who the developer is until Thursday morning.
OSHA is also investigating the incident, and police say they’re meeting with them on Thursday morning as well.
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PINE TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
One man is dead after a utility pole fell on top of a 25-year-old worker in Pine Township on Wednesday.
Officials identified the man as Victor Boytos, 25, of West Mifflin.
Police said workers were installing new traffic lights at the intersection of Warrendale Road and Graham Road when one of the polls holding traffic lights fell on top of him.
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PINE TOWNSHIP, Pa. -
A 25-year-old man was killed after being hit by a falling utility pole.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Officer identified the victim as Victor Charles Boytos.
Boytos was part of a crew doing some work in Pine Township on Graham Road.
Northern Regional Police Officers and the Forensics Investigations Unit were focused on a spot where that pole came down and killed Boytos.
The construction accident happened at the corner of Graham and Wallace Roads just before 3 p.m.
Northern Regional police told Channel 11 crews were trying to install a new traffic signal.
They were in the process of putting it up with a crane when the chains holding the pole broke.
The 39-foot pole crashed down onto Boytos.
Police told us it's unclear If this was a failure of the machine, but the investigation is ongoing.
OCEA has been notified.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR —
North Little Rock’s electric utility says a worker died Wednesday morning while responding to a call of a wire in the roadway.
North Little Rock Electric says 53-year-old Doug Thurmond’s injuries were consistent with an electric shock. The utility says Thurmond was a journeyman lineman who’d worked 17 years for the department.
The utility says an internal investigation into the accident is underway, but that the wire was in the road after a vehicle accident.
North Little Rock Electric General Manager James Bray says Thurmond was an exceptionally skilled lineman and that the utility is “devastated” for his family’s loss.
Statement from the City of North Little Rock
North Little Rock Electric is deeply saddened by a tragic accident this morning resulting in the death of a great friend and 17-year employee. Doug Thurmond was a journeyman lineman with our department. The joy he brought to his colleagues and those he served will be sorely missed. Doug was 53 years old and is survived by his wife, Lisa and his son, Michael.
The internal investigation into this accident has begun. Here are the basic facts as we understand them this morning:
Around 6 am this morning Doug was dispatched on a call for a streetlight wire in the road due to a vehicle accident. Emergency personnel were notified around 7am. His injuries were consistent with electrical shock.
Statement from Mayor Joe A. Smith
My heart is aching today for Lisa, Michael, and Doug’s whole family. Our linemen do a dangerous job and we too often take for granted the service they provide. Doug was the definition of a true public servant. He would work in uncomfortable conditions so we could keep our lights on and be warm and safe in our homes. We owe Lisa and Michael the prayers of our city, the gratitude of our community, and the knowledge that we are heartbroken for their loss.
Statement from James Bray, General Manager of NLR Electric
Doug was a friend to so many here at NLR Electric. He would go above and beyond and was often commended for his job performance. Doug’s skill as a journeyman lineman was exceptional and everyone in our service area has at one point or another benefitted from his outstanding work. Doug was a man of faith, he lived his faith, and our prayers are now joined with his entire faith community. Michael has lost a father and Lisa has lost her husband. We at North Little Rock Electric are devastated for their loss.
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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR —
A longtime employee of the North Little Rock Electric Department died on the job Wednesday morning, the city said.
Doug Thurmond, 53, was a "journeyman lineman" and had worked for the department for 17 years, according to a statement posted to Facebook.
He died from injuries consistent with electric shock, the city said. He was reportedly dispatched on a call about 6 a.m. for a streetlight wire in the road due to a car wreck near the intersection of Karrott Street and Broadway, the city said.
The department is investigating his death.
"Doug was a friend to so many here," James Bray, general manager of the North Little Rock Electric Department, wrote in the statement. "We at North Little Rock Electric are devastated for the loss."
Mayor Joe Smith also released a statement.
"Our linemen do a dangerous job and we too often take for granted the service they provide," Smith said. "Doug was the definition of a true public servant. He would work in uncomfortable conditions so we could keep our lights on and be warm and safe in our homes."
Musculoskeletal Health Research to Benefit Couriers, Messengers, and Baggage Handlers
Posted on December 19, 2017 by Emily Warner, MA and Jack Lu, PhD, CPE
In October 2017 the NIOSH Musculoskeletal Health Cross-Sector program published the first blog in a series to highlight musculoskeletal health research at NIOSH. With the holiday season coming to an end, this blog—the third installment in the series—will discuss how best to promote musculoskeletal health to reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among baggage handlers, mail carriers, and package delivery persons. Because manual lifting and material handling are considered the main risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders, individuals who transport our baggage, parcels, and mail could benefit from recent advances in wearable robotics, lift assist machinery, and ergonomics auditing applications.
In 2015, there were approximately 7 million employees in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (TWU) industries. TWU workers in Air Transportation (which includes baggage handlers) and Couriers & Messengers (i.e. mail and package delivery persons) experienced especially high rates of MSDs1. Job-related tasks in these professions require workers to repeatedly bend, reach, and twist in confined spaces to handle and lift potentially heavy and/or awkwardly-shaped objects. Of every 10,000 workers in 2015, an average 133 couriers/messengers and 211.6 air transportation workers (approximately 5% of which were baggage handlers) reported a musculoskeletal disorder1. Workers in these industries that developed MSDs missed upwards of two months of work2.
The following ergonomic guidelines for job-related manual material handling tasks in baggage handling and postal processing can help workers avoid symptoms of MSDs (e.g. pain, stiffness, swelling, numbness, or tingling in muscles or joints):
- Plan the workflow to eliminate unnecessary bending, reaching, twisting, and lifting;
- If you can, use lift-assist devices and equipment to handle heavy, awkwardly shaped, and/or large volumes of baggage, packages, and mail;
- Redesign workstations and workflow so that you can use the assistive equipment you need.
NIOSH is the only federal entity responsible for conducting research and developing recommendations to prevent work-related injuries across all TWU occupations. The establishment of the Center for Workers’ Compensation Studies (CWCS) in 2013 enhanced NIOSH capacity to research the causes and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders among TWU workers.
Some of the mechanical lift devices or new technologies developed to help prevent MSDs may introduce new risks for workers. See the recent blogs on exoskeletons and robots in the workplace. NIOSH and others must continue to evaluate these new technologies to help ensure that workers are protected. The new NIOSH Center for Occupational Robotics Research (CORR) will provide scientific leadership to guide the development and use of occupational robots that enhance worker safety, health and well-being.
We would love to hear from you in the comment section below about how you have used NIOSH musculoskeletal health research to promote musculoskeletal health and address musculoskeletal risk factors in the fields of baggage handling or mail/package delivery. If you have questions or concerns related to the material in this blog post that you would like to bring to our attention, please leave your comments below.
Emily Warner, MA , is an ORISE Fellow in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology.
Jack Lu, PhD, CPE, is a Research Ergonomist in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology and Manager of the NIOSH Musculoskeletal Health Cross-Sector Program.
Missed the first and second blog installments in the Musculoskeletal Health Research at NIOSH series? Read them now:
Blog Series to Highlight Musculoskeletal Health Research at NIOSH
Musculoskeletal Health Research to Benefit Temporary Retail Workers
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities: Case and Demographic Characteristics for Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away From Work. Last Updated December 7, 2016. https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcdnew.htm
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. NIOSH Program Portfolio: Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities. Updated July 28, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/twu/default.html
