Short-Haul Evacuation
August 7, 2008
Mist Trail, Emerald Pool
At 1:45pm on August 7, Yosemite Dispatch received a 911 report of a 12-year-old female who sustained a 100 foot sliding fall on the Silver Apron of Emerald Pool, immediately upstream of Vernal Fall on the Merced River. Search and rescue resources immediately started to her location for medical evaluation and a possible carry out. Medical personnel located her on river right (the far side of the river from the Mist Trail) of Emerald Pool. She was conscious but in severe pain.
Further assessment revealed that she might have a fractured pelvis and/or femur. The carryout team was on scene with the patient, however decending the steep Mist Trail is not the preferred method of evacuation for patients with unstable fractures, which can quickly become life threatening. A decision was made to short-haul the subject from the Silver Apron.
Helicopter 551 flew from Crane Flat Helibase to the Awahnee Meadow, picked up rescuer Ranger Dov Bock, and short-hauled her to the patient’s location. Rescuers on scene had prepackaged the patient which allowed for an immediate pickup and flight back to the Awahnee Meadow. The patient was then transferred to a waiting air ambulance at 4:42pm and flown to definitive care.
Source: David Pope
Edited by Nate Knight
H551 short-hauls rescuer and patient back to the Awahnee Meadow. Photo: David Pope.
Ranger Dov Bock and the patient on their final approach into the Awahnee Meadow. Photo by David Pope.
EMS personnel transfer the patient from the litter to PHI's flight backboard. Photo by David Pope.
Yosemite emergency personnel load the patient into PHI's aircraft. Photo by David Pope.