Mountain Biker Had to Be Rescued from Forest

Biker rescued from forest
By Mark Bowen
Comment
AMBULANCE crews had to trek miles into a forest in challenging
conditions to reach a mountain biker in severe pain in Herefordshire.

The crews trekked almost two miles in failing light and pouring rain
to reach a man who had come off his mountain bike in Mortimer Forest.

The ambulance service was called to the incident at 7.45pm last night
after a 22-year-old man was thrown over his handlebars and complained
of severe pain in his lower back.

advertisementParamedic Simon Burrows, said: "When we arrived it was
clear that we would need to get the man off the hillside on a
stretcher but there was no easy access.

"The ambulance got to within about half a mile of our location up a
track but couldn't get any further.

"One of our concerns was the rain. It was drizzling as we walked up to
the patient but it then started raining continuously. We were able to
keep the man warm using thermal blankets but it was becoming a
concern."

"Equally concerning was the light. It held for about 45 minutes, but
the whole incident took almost two hours so in the end we were working
in the dark."

A man cycling with the patient was able to give the ambulance crew
good directions to the scene. Ambulance staff then got to the man
using one of two four-wheel-drive vehicles supplied by the Severn Area
Rescue Association (SARA) who brought the vehicles up the track to the
location of the accident.

"With their help we were able to get the man onto a scoop stretcher
and then load him onto one of the four-by-fours and get him down to
the ambulance," Simon said.

The man was then taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for further
assessment and treatment.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

Stranded hikers rescued

WASHINGTON COUNTY - A Nellis Air Force military helicopter this
afternoon helped spot three hikers stranded overnight Monday on snowy
Pine Mountain.
The men, equipped with overnight camping and hiking gear - in
addition to a cell phone and GPS unit - lost the trail they were
hiking after a storm moved in Monday.
The trio was found about 3 p.m. Tuesday in good health and flown
off the mountain to the search and rescue command center, where they
were reunited with their families.
Members of the Washington County Search and Rescue team were
joined Monday by a local helicopter to locate the hikers. Later in the
day, Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada sent an Apache medical helicopter
to assist in rescue efforts.
Despite several attempts made by the Nellis crew late into the
night, heavy snowfall and poor visibility hampered the rescue attempt,
Washington County Sheriff's Lt. Jake Adams said.

Boo hoo.

I'm reminded of the hiker that had to cut his own arm off with a Swiss Army
knife so he could reach his cell phone to call for a helicopter to come get
him fromt he side of a cliff.

People do sports and get hurt. Big deal.




"Mike Vandeman" wrote in message
news
Biker rescued from forest
By Mark Bowen
Comment
AMBULANCE crews had to trek miles into a forest in challenging
conditions to reach a mountain biker in severe pain in Herefordshire.

The crews trekked almost two miles in failing light and pouring rain
to reach a man who had come off his mountain bike in Mortimer Forest.

The ambulance service was called to the incident at 7.45pm last night
after a 22-year-old man was thrown over his handlebars and complained
of severe pain in his lower back.

advertisementParamedic Simon Burrows, said: "When we arrived it was
clear that we would need to get the man off the hillside on a
stretcher but there was no easy access.

"The ambulance got to within about half a mile of our location up a
track but couldn't get any further.

"One of our concerns was the rain. It was drizzling as we walked up to
the patient but it then started raining continuously. We were able to
keep the man warm using thermal blankets but it was becoming a
concern."

"Equally concerning was the light. It held for about 45 minutes, but
the whole incident took almost two hours so in the end we were working
in the dark."

A man cycling with the patient was able to give the ambulance crew
good directions to the scene. Ambulance staff then got to the man
using one of two four-wheel-drive vehicles supplied by the Severn Area
Rescue Association (SARA) who brought the vehicles up the track to the
location of the accident.

"With their help we were able to get the man onto a scoop stretcher
and then load him onto one of the four-by-fours and get him down to
the ambulance," Simon said.

The man was then taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for further
assessment and treatment.
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are
fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

On Apr 26, 10:49 am, "Jeff Strickland" wrote:
Boo hoo.

I'm reminded of the hiker that had to cut his own arm off with a Swiss Army
knife so he could reach his cell phone to call for a helicopter to come get
him fromt he side of a cliff.

People do sports and get hurt. Big deal.

Sure you're not thinking of the guy hiking the The Maze in Canyonlands
when a boulder fell and pinned his arm? Supposedly he decided to take
drastic action after he ran out of water and figured that he was going
to die from dehydration.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...amputate_x.htm
http://outside.away.com/outside/feat..._200308_1.html

On 26 Apr 2007 07:39:16 -0700, Olebiker wrote:

Stranded hikers rescued

WASHINGTON COUNTY - A Nellis Air Force military helicopter this
afternoon helped spot three hikers stranded overnight Monday on snowy
Pine Mountain.
The men, equipped with overnight camping and hiking gear - in
addition to a cell phone and GPS unit - lost the trail they were
hiking after a storm moved in Monday.
The trio was found about 3 p.m. Tuesday in good health and flown
off the mountain to the search and rescue command center, where they
were reunited with their families.
Members of the Washington County Search and Rescue team were
joined Monday by a local helicopter to locate the hikers. Later in the
day, Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada sent an Apache medical helicopter
to assist in rescue efforts.
Despite several attempts made by the Nellis crew late into the
night, heavy snowfall and poor visibility hampered the rescue attempt,
Washington County Sheriff's Lt. Jake Adams said.

No date?
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

On Apr 26, 9:25 pm, Mike Vandeman wrote:

No date?

Not that it is relevant, but it was in The Deseret News this past
Tuesday, April 24.

On Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:54:04 +0000 (UTC), Beej Jorgensen
wrote:

Mike Vandeman wrote:
wrote:
Great reason to ride with a buddy.
Oh, yeah, a buddy also injured would be a big help....

Good point, and I think I see what you're getting at. Since having both
riders injured is potentially a very dangerous situation, it would be
safer if we increased the total number of riders on the trail.

That's like saying that if you lose one arm, it's a good idea to throw
good money after bad, and cut off the other arm as well.

If it's unsafe for ONE person to mountain bike, then it's twice as
unsafe to double the number of people at risk. DUH!

-Beej
--
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to
humans ("pure habitat"). Want to help? (I spent the previous 8
years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

Please don't put a cell phone next to any part of your body that you are fond of!

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:54:04 +0000 (UTC), Beej Jorgensen
wrote:

Mike Vandeman wrote:
wrote:
Great reason to ride with a buddy.
Oh, yeah, a buddy also injured would be a big help....
Good point, and I think I see what you're getting at. Since having both
riders injured is potentially a very dangerous situation, it would be
safer if we increased the total number of riders on the trail.

That's like saying that if you lose one arm, it's a good idea to throw
good money after bad, and cut off the other arm as well.

is that the best you can do? that's pretty close to the worst analogy i
have ever heard.


If it's unsafe for ONE person to mountain bike, then it's twice as
unsafe to double the number of people at risk. DUH!

!= doubling the risk.


-Beej