Better to have it and not need it...and I didnt have it today :(

[jc1234]

My dog Jackson always carries a fairly well stocked medical kit when we go hiking. Its not that we are far from civilization at all, but there is no cell signal and medical help can only arrive by foot. There is no possibility of a medical team reaching us by helicopter or vehicle due to the lack of clearing through the trees and the terrain.

Today the trail claimed another victim while we were there. He fell off a cliff and to the bottom of a dry waterfall bed. He was alive but was not doing well at all. Nothing we could do other than advise friends of his how help would arrive (they were expecting to be choppered out).


I just sent Jackson's pack in to have longer straps put on this week, which is why we werent carrying medical equipment. Not that I could have done much, but we could have worked on stopping the bleeding. Hope the guy pulls through. We were going up and did see some rangers and paramedics heading down about 30 minutes later.

[crashdive123]

Hope he does OK.

[jc1234]

Hope he does OK.

me too...it was a really nasty fall. about 45 feet onto large jagged rocks / boulders.

[LowKey]

There was nothing you could do without the pack?
Have you had any training that would help you improvise?
Your post sounds like you kept on walking.

[jc1234]

There was nothing you could do without the pack?
Have you had any training that would help you improvise?
Your post sounds like you kept on walking.

I did keep on walking after a few minutes of advising his friends on S&R out here. There was a group of four medical students caring for him as best they could. None of them had any first aid gear. I asked them if they needed help and they waved me off. He was in shock at the time and since they didnt want my help and seemed to be doing a better job than I could have done, I didnt have much to offer.

There was a growing crowd of nosy people. I cant stand people like that and I didnt want to become one. I just wish I had our damn pack. Of all the times to not have it.

[NightShade]

You did best you could... Hope he pulls through!

[BENESSE]

Murphy's law strikes again JC.
For what it was worth, at least he had the med students around--a silver lining of sorts. You couldn't have done any more under the circumstances

[jc1234]

Murphy's law strikes again JC.
For what it was worth, at least he had the med students around--a silver lining of sorts. You couldn't have done any more under the circumstances

It just blows my mind that no one around had first aid gear. It was a real eye opener as to how unprepared people are (myself included on this particular day). Most people just assumed that this guy would be airlifted out. Onlookers were angry that there would be no helicopter. Even after I explained that there was no other way to the area but on foot, they still were shocked. I was shocked that they were shocked.

Someone even asked if an airplane could get in...umm...seriously lol?

[cowgirlup]

Most people just assumed that this guy would be airlifted out. Onlookers were angry that there would be no helicopter. Even after I explained that there was no other way to the area but on foot, they still were shocked. I was shocked that they were shocked.

Someone even asked if an airplane could get in...umm...seriously lol?

People assume everything is like it is on TV.
You never see the SAR teams carrying people out on strechers because that makes fo boring TV. Helicopters are much more dramatic and interesting.
And, they always come to save you when you get in trouble right?:innocent:

[jc1234]

People assume everything is like it is on TV.
You never see the SAR teams carrying people out on strechers because that makes fo boring TV. Helicopters are much more dramatic and interesting.
And, they always come to save you when you get in trouble right?:innocent:

Makes sense, sadly. I did hear that the guy was airlifted once they got him to a highway wide enough to support a helicopter landing. Strangely, none of this made the news. Hoping he is doing ok.

[Sarge47]

Makes sense, sadly. I did hear that the guy was airlifted once they got him to a highway wide enough to support a helicopter landing. Strangely, none of this made the news. Hoping he is doing ok.
So what did YOU learn from all this? :cool2:

[jc1234]

So what did YOU learn from all this? :cool2:

About the only thing that I learned (reinforced is a better term) from this whole ordeal is that I am neither paranoid or over prepared, its just that most other people I see are severely under prepared and completely reliant on others.

[your_comforting_company]

About the only thing that I learned (reinforced is a better term) from this whole ordeal is that I am neither paranoid or over prepared, its just that most other people I see are severely under prepared and completely reliant on others.

Amen to that!