6/24 rescue, from Baxter Park's perspective

[TJ aka Teej]

http://baxtertrails.blogspot.com/2012/07/on-june-24-we-conducted-rescue.html#more

On June 24, we conducted a rescue operation in the Park.
We use the term “Search and Rescue” or the acronym “SAR” to discuss these incidents. The term “Search and Rescue” clearly defines two separate and quite different actions - in reality, at Baxter Park we are fortunate to conduct mostly rescues and only occasionally, a search. The great majority of our “rescues” are most accurately described as "assists". We help a hiker who has sustained an injury, suffers from an illness or is beset by some other difficulty, back (and usually down) to the trailhead. In these hiker assists, we may provide some medical treatment in the form of taping, support or other help, and we almost always provide psychological assistance in the form of encouragement, understanding, information, a watchful eye and a listening ear. The key factor is whether or not the hiker is "stable" and able and willing to hike out under their own power, albeit sometimes very, very slowly.

The June 24th rescue was one of the small percentage of Baxter Park rescues that involve a hiker who is unable to walk under their own power. Hikers who find themselves in this situation often expect that a helicopter will be dispatched to pluck them from their distress and deliver them to the nearest hospital. The Maine Army National Guard and the Maine Forest Service have done just that in the Park many times over the years, but helicopter evacuations remain a very small percentage of the total evacuations conducted in the Park. There are several obvious reasons for the infrequency of helicopter rescues – helicopters are complex machines requiring continuous maintenance and a skilled pilot and crew, and the lack of either of these prevents a helicopter from taking off. The weather in the Park, which is often a contributing factor in an injury or condition requiring hiker evacuation, can prevent the safe operation of aircraft in the Park. Lastly, while they are a great tool for reaching remote locations to evacuate an injured or ill hiker, flying a helicopter involves a significant amount of risk to the pilots, crew and in the event of a crash, any ground personnel in the crash area. For this reason, the risk to the injured or ill hiker and to the rescuers involved in a litter evacuation must be great enough to justify the risk applied to the helicopter pilot and crew. There is no metric available to calculate this risk comparison, it is a judgment call made by the incident command structure in place at the time of the rescue. In general, the use of a helicopter should be considered if the injured or ill hiker is judged to be at risk to lose life, limb or sight. Otherwise, it’s time to set up the tent and make sure the hiker is comfortable, fed and hydrated and has time to recover. Sometimes a night of rest is all that's needed to complete an assisted evacuation the following day. If rest and food don't or won't suffice, it's time to get out the litter.

That brings us to June 24. The structural statistics of a litter carry in mountainous terrain often surprises people. Simply put, rescues are hard work and can often take a lot of people a long time to accomplish. The June 24th rescue started with a knock on Katahdin Stream Campground Ranger Betsy Dawkins cabin door at 1:30 am. Making the necessary contacts to begin the rescue process, gathering gear and hiking to the hiker, conducting an assessment of the hikers condition (all in horrible weather) and assembling the necessary support personnel on site took about 11 hours. By noon, approximately 40 people were at or on their way to, the hiker. This group included volunteers from various SAR groups throughout Maine who traveled to the site to assist. These dedicated volunteers work on their own time, use their own vehicles and often bring their own gear to the rescue. They often include individuals with the experience and technical rope skills necessary to move a litter with a 200 pound patient down a steep and rocky trail. The importance of their assistance in these efforts can not be overstated. On the 24th, the evacuation group included volunteers from Lincoln, Mount Desert Island, Mahoosuc and Wilderness Search and Rescue teams. The evacuation group also included personnel from Baxter State Park, Maine Forest Service, the Maine Warden Service and several individuals who were camping at Katahdin Stream and offered to help. All of these various groups and individuals worked under the supervision of the BSP Rangers who were directing the field evacuation effort. In this case, Ranger Isaac Needell ran the show.
Beginning around noon, this group of 40 people spent the next 11 hours moving the patient down the trail toward Katahdin Stream Campground. While the litter is being transported, the patient’s condition is carefully monitored and safety concerns of both the patient and the rescue team are considered. At Park Headquarters, other staff work to coordinate any additional support including more personnel, food, medical and shelter supplies, contact with the patient’s family or significant others and medical provider and eventual transportation to the appropriate medical facility.

It’s not hard to see that litter evacuations are a big deal. A rough estimate of the value of personnel time in the June 24th rescue is over $15,000. We recently purchased two new state-of-the-art titanium litters at a bargain price of about $2,000 each. On the positive side, somewhere around 20,000 people start out from a Katahdin-access trailhead each year. The overwhelming majority of our hikers make good decisions, are well prepared and complete their hike safely. Charlie Jacobi, Recreation Specialist for Acadia National Park once remarked about mountain hiking, “Going up is voluntary, coming down is mandatory.” For that small percentage that don’t know their limits, or aren’t prepared for the weather and difficulty of Katahdin, we will need to continue to be prepared to assist them complete the mandatory portion of their hike. We are fortunate to have such a strong and dedicated staff and such skilled and capable support. Another reason why we love Maine and Baxter State Park!

 

[Tim Seaver]

For that small percentage that don’t know their limits, or aren’t prepared for the weather and difficulty of Katahdin, we will need to continue to be prepared to assist them complete the mandatory portion of their hike. We are fortunate to have such a strong and dedicated staff and such skilled and capable support. Another reason why we love Maine and Baxter State Park!

Well that's a bit different than the NH attitude, isn't it? Almost as if they....expect to have to rescue/assist a "small percentage" of people?

How about that!

 

[sardog1]

So that we're clear: It's not the "NH" attitude, it's the attitude of the extremists who have seized control of the NH Legislature and refuse to fund this essential service in a rational manner. Plenty of us in NH are disgusted with the evolution of this issue.

 

[peakbagger]

Baxter also has a revenue source that is predominately funded by hikers. Although there is state oversight, they have control over their budget and can plan accordingly to fund events like this.

 

[Tim Seaver]

So that we're clear: It's not the "NH" attitude, it's the attitude of the extremists who have seized control of the NH Legislature and refuse to fund this essential service in a rational manner. Plenty of us in NH are disgusted with the evolution of this issue.

Thank you for that wonderfully worded clarification - I couldn't have said it better, and agree entirely. Hate the policy, not the peeps.

 

[Maddy]

Do we have any info on what the expense account looks like for Baxter rescues vs White Mtn rescues?

Also the numbers? How many rescues and what led to those rescues.

Injuries, lost, and unprepared hikers.

I know that both areas are very different but it would be interesting to see what the stats are for each one and what how the finances compare.

 

[una_dogger]

Thank you, both of you -- very much agreed.

What Clay said.

 

[MichaelJ]

Note that Baxter goes both ways.

Hiking Rules Section 2.2 “The Baxter State Park Authority may request reimbursement of search and rescue costs in cases of reckless hikers.”

Link

 

[Maddy]

Note that Baxter goes both ways.

Link

Was not aware of this.

 

[tomcat32]

If a person is reasonably prepared and following rules, Maine seems to foot the bill in Baxter. The only recent rescue I"m aware of that was billed to rescued party was someone that drove onto parts of the closed Park Tote Road and got stuck. Since they were on closed area of park road they were charged and probably fined too. I don't know if this is always the case, just what I have heard through the grapevine. The restricted access to Baxter trails probably has lowered the numbers of rescues needed. I have seen many unprepared people nonetheless. Particularly on Columbus day a few years ago, the summit was about 18F with winds gusting about 40MPH or so. Fog, Rime and light snow on tableland. 50s at bottom of mountain. I saw more than one poorly equipped person with no pack, wearing minimal clothes climbing Abol Trail.. I don't know if they summitted but I'm sure they were miserable if they did.

 

[RoySwkr]

In general, the use of a helicopter should be considered if the injured or ill hiker is judged to be at risk to lose life, limb or sight. Otherwise, it’s time to set up the tent and make sure the hiker is comfortable, fed and hydrated and has time to recover. Sometimes a night of rest is all that's needed to complete an assisted evacuation the following day. If rest and food don't or won't suffice, it's time to get out the litter.

Stabilizing someone in place is not unusual in cave and mountaineering rescues, but doubt NH uses this policy often.

 

[dug]

I would think it's easier for Baxter to 'police' who is there, since all the peaks and backcountry are contained within the park boundries and everyone (in theory) is registered). They know who is staying there. At least in NH, it's all spread out...there are highways, railroads, towns all in the middle of the access points. It's a little more difficult to know about some gamook waltzing through the woods unprepared.

Baxter has also been known to close peaks access on occasion. I would assume they would hit you with a fine if you needed assistance on a closed peak if you were so bold as to ignore the closure (ahem cough-cough).

 

[JacobH]

Note that Baxter goes both ways.

Link

What the heck I had the torches lit and the pitchforks ready and everything.