A Probie's First Callout- Part 3

"Hi, my name is Jason, I'm an EMT with ________ county search and rescue, what hurts?"

"My leg.... where's the helicopter?"

"Dude (yes, I called a patient dude...oops), there's no helicopter tonight, we're carrying you out."

"Oh shit"


I've certainly done better assessments in the past than I did that night. With my right foot and ass hanging off a 15 foot drop, the wind kicking up, and the excitement of my first night on the mountain I was scattered during my initial assessment.

'Shit, do I check his leg out first or give him a head to toe, what about vitals, god damnit- stop moving your head, how am I going to do all of this without exposing him to the elements?'

Kenny damn near smacked me up the head and I got my shit together in about 20 seconds. Talking= ABCs, a quick head to toe revealed no abnormalities except his ankle, and Kenny started on some vitals.

The kid's ankle was bad. Not quite bone sticking out of the skin bad, but bad enough that I lost a pedal pulse in his foot as it swelled to the size of a nalgene bottle. We splinted it and hoped for the best. I know EE hates them, but I love SAM splints, especially in situations like this. One posterior and plantar on the foot, the other medial and lateral under the heel and both shaped as best as possible around the foot/crus made for a fine splint with the requisite duct tape. I put my spare socks on the patient (they are XXL just to fit over a splint) and we wrapped him back up in the survival sack.

At this point, we had a dilema. Everything was in place for a potential spine injury that couldn't be cleared via the NEXUS criteria- MOI, intoxication, and a distracting injury. But, we had no C-collars, no KED, and no Bean Bag. We packed the patient's head into the litter with his boots, our first aid kits and a jacket, put a helmet on him, and I taped it all in. Was it perfect? No... but it worked. I've already placed both an adult and peds C-Collar in my pack...

Skip forward 10 hours and 25 assisted belays later. The eight of us were black and blue from tripping down scree and being torn off the litter team by scrub. Backs were strained, eyes were scratched, hands were bleeding, and everyone was hungry. I have no doubt that this is what 90% of resuces are all about- and I loved it.

I had taken to 5min catnaps while the next belay was being set up. I have a wonderfull talent (wonderfull for EMS at least) in which I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime. The patient was quiet, cooperative, and docile even as we were cussing at the trail and struggling to lift him over downed trees and stumps.

We loaded him into the ambulance at 7:30am the next morning as the sun was coming over the peaks behind us. I gave the bullet to the medic (who looked far to warm, comforatable, and well rested having slept in our command post all night) and we all hid from the TV cameras.

After the debriefing I ate $16.32 worth of food at a breakfast diner and collapsed onto my girlfriend's couch (which may still stink because of it). It was, without a doubt, everything I had expected a mountain rescue to be, and I loved it.

I don't want anyone to get hurt in the hills... but I like knowing that if they do we'll be there, again, to get them out.