Kennedy Hot Springs Mission DEM #01-0647 March 25, 2001

Report submitted by: Alan Givotovsky

25 March 2001

18:15 OL Page from Pierce Co DEM for assist on carry out of an injured 29-year-old male hiker in Snohomish County.

18:29 Group Page from Gus Bush to TMRU for response to above mission.

Responding to the Cache and traveling in the Unit's truck: Randy Brake, Ben Constance, Jason Miner and Rod Scott (driver).

Responding in personal vehicles and meeting at the site: Alan Givotovsky (OL), Marianne Kaufmann, Piro Kramar and Tim Pierson.

After collecting two of our litters from the last mission (a helicopter evacuation of two victims of a plane crash near Greenwater) the folks in the rescue truck met the other four responders at the rendezvous site on Forest Road 23 (White Chuck River Road) southeast of Darrington. Sno County had set up a chuck wagon at this site with hot drinks and food being prepared for transport up to base.

Parking was tight at base so Alan, Marianne and Piro piled into Tim's rig and followed the truck to base at milepost 8.5. Road conditions from base to the trailhead were quite poor and several Sno Co vehicles transporting rescuers had already gotten stuck. A snowplow had begun working this upper section of road and all teams at base were put on hold while Sno Co teams in the field worked toward the patient. By midnight the plow was done but reports were that the road was still in poor shape. Rather than risk our rescue truck getting stuck, Sno Co rigs with chains all around transported Ben, Jason, Randy and Rod along with members of other teams. Tim chained up his Nissan Pathfinder, which did a fine job through the deep slushy snow.

Our team joined a contingent from Snohomish and Seattle MR and hiked by headlamp up the trail toward Kennedy Hot Springs. About 20 minutes before reaching the patient we encountered an injured Sno Co rescuer hobbling down the trail back toward base. He indicated that the patient was packaged and being moved down the trail. As Tim Pierson's ankle was sore, he offered to accompany the injured Sno Co rescuer back to base.

Upon our reaching the patient it was determined that he had been assessed, treated and packaged under the guidance of two Sno Co EMT's. His left leg was severely injured but no life or limb-threatening injuries were discovered.

The Accident

Bill Brown, a resident of Lynwood, had spent Saturday night with some friends at the Kennedy Hot Springs. On Sunday, about 12:30, they began heading back to their vehicles. While crossing a bridge piled with four feet of snow Bill fell into the river below. He immediately realized his left leg was completely unstable. His friends assisted with keeping him warm and dry; they also contacted the authorities to initiate the rescue. The weather began deteriorating with rain and wet snow.

The Evac

Sno Co SAR traveled 5.5 miles with a litter and fat wheel to the Hot Springs area, reaching Bill about 23:30. By 02:00 Monday he was packaged and on the trail. Shortly thereafter our team caught up with the initial responders. The evac was fairly straightforward with several stream/bridge crossings and a few logs in the trail to negotiate. The majority of the trail was heavily snow-covered so four pullers dragged the litter in front with a brake rope tended at the back. Haulers rotated on a regular basis.
Near the midway point we began hitting patches of dirt and eventually mounted the wheel. This worked for awhile until we came to more snow and a final bridge crossing, so we dismounted the wheel. Finally we hit consistent bare trail again and the wheel was reattached to the litter. What a savings that wheel was but I really feel for the folks that carried it all the way to the patient and then half way back again before we actually used it. consistent bare trail again and the wheel was reattached to the litter. What a savings that wheel was but I really feel for the folks that carried it all the way to the patient and then half way back again before we actually used it.

Anyone who has played the patient during training knows how disorienting and uncomfortable an extended litter ride can be. Add to this a truly painful injury and it must be quite an ordeal. Well, you wouldn't know it was that big a deal for Bill Brown. He had nary a complaint on the entire ride; he was one tough guy and it made the haul a lot easier.

The End is Near

By 08:15 we had reached the trailhead and transported Bill to the waiting vehicles for the drive back to base and then transfer to a Darrington Fire aid unit. I think it is safe to say that every rescuer involved was fairly happy to see that trailhead and the end of a long mission. [In particular, I was relieved this was not a repeat of our last assist in this area during August of 1999. I had just reached the trailhead after a 15-mile walkout with John Wilson from Everett MR. We were informed that a second mission for a boy with a leg crushed between boulders had begun a few miles away, so off we went to help with that one.]

During this mission forty-six people were deployed in the field, including members of Snohomish County SAR and mountain rescue units from Everett, Olympic, Seattle, Skagit and Tacoma. That seems like a lot of people but, as we have learned in the past, it takes a lot of folks to drag a litter a long distance even over relatively easy terrain. As usual, the different units worked very well together; the evacuation was smooth and efficient.

Tim had to get back to town and the real world but the rest of the TMRU team rendezvoused at a restaurant outside Darrington for debriefing and a well-deserved breakfast.

Moral of the Story

This was a very successful mission and TMRU members performed with the utmost professionalism. Bill has indicated that he has bone chips and torn ligaments in his knee that will require surgical fixation. He has expressed his sincere thanks for all the assistance he received. Finally, he reviewed several important points that effected his survival. First, he wasn't alone-his friends actually initiated and helped with the rescue. Second, he had the necessary equipment to get himself warm and dry after the accident. These are points we should keep in mind as we educate the public about mountain safety.

Thanks again to all team members participating in this mission, job well done.

What follows is an email from the subject of this mission to the team members who rescued him, Editor

Yes, it was a grueling trip for everyone. It really amazed me on how many people were willing to put themselves through what they did to get me out. Pulling a litter 5.5 miles down trail while sinking in snow isn't fun. Those guys/gals would pull till they had nothing left, and then a few more would take over till they were spent, and they just kept trading off. It was very strenuous, and I'm sure hard on their backs. Not only that, they were up ALL night, hitting the trailhead at 7pm Sunday night, and we got out at around 8:45am Monday morning. I wouldn't expect any of those people to show for work.

The whole experience made me realize that there are still plenty of good people out there in the world. Its easy to get a jaded view after Kerry's Jeep getting stolen, school shooting, Mardi Gras going crazy, etc. The Search and Rescue people really brought back my faith in people in general. The punishment they put themselves through to save my life literally brought tears to my eyes. They really touched my heart, and I'll never forget what they did for me. As I said earlier, I'll never be able to thank them enough, nor ever be able to repay them for what they did for me. It really takes a special type of person to do what they do. No one can ever appreciate what they do until you're in a situation where your life depends on their help.

Right now I'm trying to find out who was all involved because I want to formally thank them, maybe buy them all dinner, or something. I didn't get a chance to tell them how much they meant to me, because once they got me off the trail, I was whisked off to an ambulance and taken to the hospital.

Any information you can get, let me know. They all deserve a follow up! These people are everyday heros that nobody really hears about!

Sincerely,

Bill Brown

©Copyright 1999 Tacoma Mountain Rescue