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Karen Member
Joined: 22 Dec 2001 Posts: 2866 | TRs | Pics
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Karen
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Sun May 02, 2004 1:37 pm
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Incident Report, Heat Exhaustion, May 1, Vantage Vicinity
Our destination was the area between I-90 and the Columbia River east of the Vantage Bridge. The climbing area was to our east.
Unfortunately the hiking book was out of date and when we got to the parking area at the end of the road we learned we needed the Fish and Wildlife Department Permits which none of us had. In the past these lands had been public. I left a note on my car explaining the situation -- we had come from Seattle, did not know the permits were needed and apologized. I established a First Aid leader, TD, before we started the hike. It was a good choice: TD is an RN. We began hiking about 11:30 am. We hiked a gravel road (west) and soon met a fellow who said we were on private property. He was pleasant and gave us permission to hike there. He explained where his property began and ended and where the public property was located (closer to the river). He was gracious and warned us to watch out for snakes and have a good time.
It was a hot day in the 80s. Many people in our group, including this leader, are not young. However, everyone seemed well prepared with sun hats and those that needed them had poles or walking sticks. We made frequent stops for flowers and photography. We all agreed we wanted to do the uphill stretch before lunch by the Columbia River, an elevation gain of approximately 200 feet. Some of the other hikers were unhappy about hiking a road so when we came to an obvious road junction in open terrain I let everyone ramble where they pleased. I asked them to meet back at the junction within a half hour. In a little over a half hour everyone returned. In about Ľ of a mile from the junction we spotted a large, deciduous tree by the river that promised shade – ideal for lunch. I suggested we all head toward the tree as it was very visible in the open terrain.
JW, my co-leader, hiked down the road with EG following closely behind. Most others took the road but I hiked down cross-country parallel to the road and soon reached the tree. When I got there JW met me and said that EG wasn’t there. I suggested she was taking a party separation but I was wrong. She was nowhere to be seen. She had only been out of sight for five minutes and now she was missing. I called out her name and thought I heard a response. JW headed in the direction he had last seen her and in a moment was back shouting to us “We need help, there’s been an accident, EG has fallen.” I ran back to the tree and got RS and TD to come quickly to help. I also told the others to come as quickly as they could. When I got to the accident site EG was laying on her side, semi-conscious and vomiting. We didn’t know if she had fallen and broken her leg or whether it was heat exhaustion. TD was there tending to her, KW was filling out an accident report form (for Medics) and I called 911. The other hikers soon appeared and as if by magic small umbrellas came out of packs and we able to provide shade. We used hats and anything else we could find to create a breeze. TD was giving her fluids and tracking vital signs.
In a moment or two the property owner also arrived on the scene and made a call as well -- he went out and opened the gate so the Fire Department could get in. RS ran out to meet the fire department. This all happened at about 2:15 pm. In about 20 minutes the George Fire Department arrived with oxygen. They made use of KW’s notes and it was established that EG was suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Another call was dispatched to Quincy Valley Ambulance and arrangements made for her to be taken to Quincy Valley Medical Center some 20 miles east. The ambulance arrived shortly after the Fire Department. Medics rushed to her side, examined her, established that her vital signs were stable enough, rolled her over gently onto a stretcher (she was conscious) and into the ambulance where an IV was established. It was about 3 pm when we all left the accident scene. I ended the hike at this point and sent people on their way.
RS, JW and I followed the ambulance to Quincy. EG had no one to contact – RS was spending the night in the region and volunteered to drive EG home the following day. Dr. JR told us that EG was doing well and re-hydrating and said she could probably ride back with JW and me after they were certain she would be OK. EG’s appetite returned and as the fluids revived her she became her spunky self. She may be frail in body but not in spirit. Back at the accident scene when asked by the medics how long she had been out in the sun her response was “Apparently a little too long.”
At 6 pm we were able to leave the hospital with EG. Dr. JR said we should continue to handle EG carefully, and that she could expect to feel very tired and woozy for a couple of days but otherwise would be fine. She suggested we stop a few times along the way for bathroom stops and to get EG to walk around a little but not to stoop over. All went well. We got back to West Seattle about 10 pm. JW had driven to my house to car pool so he was able to take EG the rest of the way home. They both live in north Seattle about a block apart.
I called EG this morning (May 2nd) and other than feeling tired she is doing fine. I also called everyone else who helped. I also called the Chairwoman of the Naturalist Committee and gave her an accounting. She is mailing me a report form to fill out. I will send her a copy as well as a copy of that report to the Mountaineers.
Let it be known that excellent care was given by all involved ranging from the hikers, to the volunteer Fire Department at Quincy, the Quincy Valley Ambulance (attendants Doug and Robert), Dr. JR at Quincy Valley Medical Center, the RN, the cook who fed JW me a hospital dinner that was quite inexpensive and the owner of the private property we hiked on (he shall remain anonymous).
If I am ever injured, I hope I can be taken to Quincy – the care, warmth, and the kindness displayed by the attending physician and hospital personnel, the ambulance attendants and the volunteer Fire Department were incredible. They have restored my tottering faith in humanity.
Karen Sykes
stay together, learn the flowers, go light - from Turtle Island, Gary Snyder
stay together, learn the flowers, go light - from Turtle Island, Gary Snyder
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hikerjo Member
Joined: 05 Sep 2002 Posts: 752 | TRs | Pics
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hikerjo
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Sun May 02, 2004 3:23 pm
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Was one of the fire departments guys name Court?
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Bushwacker Comfortable
Joined: 28 Jun 2002 Posts: 834 | TRs | Pics Location: Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, Thailand |
"Wait by the river long enough and the bodies of your enemies will float by"...Sun Tsu
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Newt Short Timer
Joined: 21 Dec 2001 Posts: 3176 | TRs | Pics Location: Down the road and around the corner |
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Newt
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Mon May 03, 2004 4:46 am
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Glad all turned out well and wasn't more serious. Sounds like the response time was fairly.
Pretty flower.
Newt
[edit] Seems like it was a record breaking day in that too.
It's pretty safe to say that if we take all of man kinds accumulated knowledge, we still don't know everything. So, I hope you understand why I don't believe you know everything. But then again, maybe you do.
It's pretty safe to say that if we take all of man kinds accumulated knowledge, we still don't know everything. So, I hope you understand why I don't believe you know everything. But then again, maybe you do.
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nwMiner Member
Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 5 | TRs | Pics Location: WA |
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nwMiner
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Thu May 06, 2004 11:02 am
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Glad to hear that everything turned out alright for her and I'm also glad that your group was prepared. Being a once upon a time volunteer with
S & R, I have seen my fair share of hikers being hurt.
More hikers should prepare for the uneventful and it looks like your group did just that. Good Job.
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