| Author |
Message |
bush_pilot
Member
Post Number: 35
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 1, 2004 - 12:56 am: | 
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Points to consider if you ever need a medivac flight out of the back country.
-Try and move the patient to a location where the helicopter can land, a wide beach, a large flat rock, anywhere that is free of trees for about 60 feet. The side of a river or lake is best since it gives us an area to approach and depart. Do not put the patient right beside the landing area, she makes a very big wind, also keep the area clear of packsacks, PFD's anything light that can be blown around. Remember never move a patient if you suspect a neck or back injury.
-Make yourself visible when you see the helicopter. You may think you're the only party on the Sturgeon River but believe me there will be several others. It may seem obvious to you on the ground that you have an injured person but it is difficult from the air. Valuable time is wasted searching a river or lake for the patient. So please jump up and down wave your arms, consider a small smoky fire. We love GPS co-ordinates
-The paramedics are very highly trained and can do alot for an injured or sick person right in the field. From Lady Ev Lake to the emergency room in Sudbury is only 25 minutes.
-Consider renting a Sat phone. I know it takes away from the rugged individualist, escape from it all experience, but consider the consquences if someone in your party has a heart attack. An hour to the emerg or a day.
(Message edited by Bush Pilot on May 1, 2004) |
paul_hammersten
Member
Post Number: 42
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 1, 2004 - 4:47 pm: |
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Bush Pilot...I would have to strongly! agree with what you write - " Consider renting a Sat phone. I know it takes away from the rugged individualist, escape from it all experience, but consider the consquences if someone in your party has a heart attack. An hour to the emerg or a day. "
And paradoxically I can write that I am glad I tripped in the day before reliable communications. [ and thankful no emergencies happened on one of my trips ! ]
I have not forgotten to post my story about flying with James...it a long one.
Best
Paul
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tripper_dave
Member
Post Number: 13
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, May 2, 2004 - 4:05 pm: |
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An excellent post from the perspective of the recuer Bush Pilot. People need to be aware of the issues that one faces when flying in to aid someone.
And the reply on the use of a sat-phone by Paul is right on the money too.
A few years ago we paddled the Missinaibi and took a ELB (Emergency Locator Beacon) with us. Although it may have helped had an emergeny cropped up, the use of a sat-phone would have proven far more useful.
With a sat-phone you can call and relay info on your location, the local weather conditions, the condition of the injured person and the seriousness of the injury as well as receive information from a medical professional on how to stabilize the injury until help arrives.
I'm all for experiencing the outdoors without the baggage of civilization but if there's a tool available to the wilderness paddler that might save a life, I'm all for it.
Dave |
temagami_bob
Member
Post Number: 2
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 - 3:09 pm: |
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Temagami's ambulance service will respond to calls throughout the Temagami backcountry. If you are in a place where a float plane can land but a helicopter cannot, they can still respond. Often primary care paramedics will attend to patients from the location of the accident, fly them by plane to a helipad (such as at Camp Wanapitei or in Temagami town), where the advanced care paramedics from the air ambulance take over. To call for an ambulance (either air or land) in Temagami, call 705-569-3434 or go through an operator. |
bush_pilot
Member
Post Number: 37
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 - 4:26 pm: |
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Good points Bob thanks. There is also a helipad on Bear Island, please don't tie up boats and canoes at it, it's in front of the band office. |
brian
Moderator
Post Number: 181
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 - 8:48 pm: |
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So how does the rescue scene work? Can you call 911 for the backcountry?
I presume Temagami ambulances will only travel on roads. But will they travel on any logging road? And if so, what about behind the gates?
Are the medivac helicopters like ambulances that are called to emergencies by the dispatcher? Do they also do search and rescue? And what kind of weather will they fly in? |
gudwulf
Member
Post Number: 2
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 - 10:29 pm: |
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Have already experinced a LifeFlight experince and can truly say that ones such as bush_pilot are very Special People. My question, following Brian's, is 911 or zero (0) better to call if using a sat-phone in someplace outside of Temagami, such as Lady Evelyn park? If you tie up at Bear Island, does Medi-Vac wait until after the band concert is over before landing... and Paul ~ looking forward to your posting about James. |
bush_pilot
Member
Post Number: 38
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 - 11:49 pm: |
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When the need arises in the back country it is best to call Temagami Ambulance, their dispatcher will get the wheels in motion and determine what resources are available. They may send Temagami paramedics by flaotplane or in the land ambulance or they will dispatch the helicopter or usually both land and air. The dispatcher also knows the availability of the helicopter, it may be on another call. Remember try and be as precise as possible regarding your location whether for the helicopter or float plane. Don't tell the dispatch you have a heart attack victim on the Lady Ev river and leave it at that. I was once sent to an "island in Georgian Bay" no kidding. And again when you do see the aircraft draw attention to yourself.
I'll let Temagami Bob respond about the land ambulance, I know I have seen land rigs down some pretty awful roads.
The air ambulance does not do search and rescue. It will only be dispatched if there is a patient and a general location. If a party is over do on a trip then the OPP or Military does a search.
During daylight hours in the summer the helicopter can fly in pretty poor weather, however if you can't see the tops of the hills due to low ceilings don't expect an airlift. At night the only landing sites are Bear Island or Temagami.
Re Bear Island helipad, the helicopter won't land if there are boats at the pad. It is too dangerous due to flying PFD's etc caused by the downwash, which also makes a mess of boat tops.
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temagami_bob
Member
Post Number: 3
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 6, 2004 - 2:13 pm: |
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Unsure whether 911 or 0 is better via sat phone or cell phone in the backcountry. Perhaps that question is best left with your phone service provider.
Temagami Ambulances will travel bush roads within reason. Of course, they can't be of help to anyone if they get stuck in the middle of nowhere. As for going behind gates, ambulances could legally do that, but practically speaking it is unlikely that someone with the key to the gate will be there in time.
In short, if you are accessible by road, floatplane, or helicopter (weather depending), paramedics will get to you. When, exactly, depends on the situation. |
tsm
Member
Post Number: 16
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 5:05 pm: |
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bush_pilot
I was at the canoe show in Ottawa in early March, enjoying Kevin Callen's slide show. He was telling us about a group they met up with on the Sturgeon. I don't remember all the details, but apparently a member of this group was injured and needed to be evacuated. When the air ambulance arrived, another group comprised of girls flagged down the helicopter, delaying the process of evacuating the patient.Were you the pilot? I seem to recall that this first group that didn't require the helicopter, were given a bill? Can you elaborate on this?
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bush_pilot
Member
Post Number: 41
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 10:29 am: |
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tsm
No I wasn't the pilot but I know about the call or one similar to it last summer. It's the one that prompted me to start this thread. The night shift got the call while it was still daylight, when they got to the Sturgeon River there where several parties camped on the river but no one waved the helicopter down. They flew up and down the river several times looking for the patient, they became very frustrated because they didn't know which party had the injured person. When they finally did find the patient it was getting dark, low on fuel and thunderstorms approaching. The call turned into a real mess.
I can't imagine the girls getting a bill, we are not in the habit ofstopping and asking someone
for their mailing address. Btw if you are a Canadian citizen the cost ofthe flight is covered by your prov. health plan, if you are a foreigner you better have health insurance or you'll get one big bill!
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tsm
Member
Post Number: 18
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 9:21 pm: |
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bush_pilot
We were up on Temagami's Ferguson Bay on the weekend and saw a yellow SAR helicopter fly by on one occasion, and saw a smaller white helicopter fly by on at least 2 occasions. Anything you know about? |
bush_pilot
Member
Post Number: 42
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 - 9:26 pm: |
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I don't know of anything that was going on in that area. Maybe the yellow one was MNR on flood patrol as apposed to fire patrol. |
tsm
Member
Post Number: 19
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2004 - 4:40 pm: |
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bush_pilot
The yellow 'copter was a dual rotor aircraft, either a Lab or a Chinook I would think. |
Temagami general