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From today's online Littleton Courier:
Pemi Valley Search and Rescue chalks up its first mission
by John Serpa write the author
07/06/2005 - FRANCONIA—The Pemigewassett Valley Search and Rescue Team successfully performed its first assignment last Wednesday, when team members carried an injured hiker off of a popular trail in Franconia Notch.
Janine Palmer, 55, of Old Lyme, Conn., was hiking with her daughter, Kathryn Ashcraft, on the Old Bridle Path when Palmer fell and fractured her leg. The incident occurred just below the Appalachian Mountain Club's (AMC) Greenleaf Hut.
"She was hiking down the trail when she got to a slabby section that was wet from recent rain," said Gareth Slattery, captain of field operations for Pemi Search and Rescue. "She slipped on [the slab], injuring her leg, and was unable to bear weight and come down under her own power."
Ashcraft quickly returned to the trailhead at Lafayette Campground and phoned for help. "I would give our performance an 'A' on this one... it was about as easy a carryout as we're going to have. The next one won't be quite as easy."
Sugar Hill Fire Chief Allan Clark, who serves as director for the team, said he received the call from New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game around 3:45 p.m. on June 22.
It was Pemi Search and Rescue's first call since it was established earlier this year.
According to Clark, about 20 of the team's 52 members responded to the call.
"We had probably a few more than we needed, but we were concerned about the potential for some pretty nasty thunderstorms, which would have delayed the response, putting us into the night," Clark said. "So we were happy to have extra people on the scene."
Clark remained positioned at the trailhead parking lot and coordinated the rescue effort.
"When I got to the scene, I explained to [Palmer's daughter] that it was going to take us a while to get adequate personnel and it was going to take us a while to carry her down," Clark said. "People sometimes think you can just do it in 15 minutes, but it doesn't work that way."
The rescue team started up the trail at about 4:30 p.m. After trekking approximately three miles, team members reached Palmer at 6 p.m., according to Clark.
"She was in good spirits but in a lot of pain, when we found her," Slattery said. "She said she had done the same hike numerous times before; it was one of her favorite hikes."
A crew from the AMC had splinted Palmer's fracture prior to the Pemi Search and Rescue team's arrival, and the carryout began at approximately 6:15 p.m.
Clark said the team made it back to the trailhead at 8:45 p.m., where the Franconia Life Squad was waiting to transport Palmer to Littleton Regional Hospital.
"I would give our performance an 'A' on this one," Clark said. "For our first time, it couldn't have been better because it was about as easy a carryout as we're going to have. The next one won't be quite as easy."
Slattery agreed with Clark's assessment, adding that team members looked like they had been working together for years.
"I also participate with Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, a well-respected team based in Gorham," Slattery said. "The rescue went as well as any carryout I've done with AVSAR."
Prior to the formation of Pemi Search and Rescue, incidents in the western White Mountains were handled by AVSAR, or other teams based far from the area.
Slattery said last Wednesday's events demonstrated the need for a search and rescue team available to cover the western Whites. He added that the team has an excellent handle on carryouts.
"The people that we have are involved in emergency medical services, fire departments and other search and rescue teams, so they've done things like this before," Slattery said. "Plus, they're outdoor enthusiasts, so you just put all those ingredients together and you have a group of naturals."
Clark said six officers from Fish and Game responded as well as four people from the AMC.
[email protected]
Pemi Valley Search and Rescue chalks up its first mission
by John Serpa write the author
07/06/2005 - FRANCONIA—The Pemigewassett Valley Search and Rescue Team successfully performed its first assignment last Wednesday, when team members carried an injured hiker off of a popular trail in Franconia Notch.
Janine Palmer, 55, of Old Lyme, Conn., was hiking with her daughter, Kathryn Ashcraft, on the Old Bridle Path when Palmer fell and fractured her leg. The incident occurred just below the Appalachian Mountain Club's (AMC) Greenleaf Hut.
"She was hiking down the trail when she got to a slabby section that was wet from recent rain," said Gareth Slattery, captain of field operations for Pemi Search and Rescue. "She slipped on [the slab], injuring her leg, and was unable to bear weight and come down under her own power."
Ashcraft quickly returned to the trailhead at Lafayette Campground and phoned for help. "I would give our performance an 'A' on this one... it was about as easy a carryout as we're going to have. The next one won't be quite as easy."
Sugar Hill Fire Chief Allan Clark, who serves as director for the team, said he received the call from New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game around 3:45 p.m. on June 22.
It was Pemi Search and Rescue's first call since it was established earlier this year.
According to Clark, about 20 of the team's 52 members responded to the call.
"We had probably a few more than we needed, but we were concerned about the potential for some pretty nasty thunderstorms, which would have delayed the response, putting us into the night," Clark said. "So we were happy to have extra people on the scene."
Clark remained positioned at the trailhead parking lot and coordinated the rescue effort.
"When I got to the scene, I explained to [Palmer's daughter] that it was going to take us a while to get adequate personnel and it was going to take us a while to carry her down," Clark said. "People sometimes think you can just do it in 15 minutes, but it doesn't work that way."
The rescue team started up the trail at about 4:30 p.m. After trekking approximately three miles, team members reached Palmer at 6 p.m., according to Clark.
"She was in good spirits but in a lot of pain, when we found her," Slattery said. "She said she had done the same hike numerous times before; it was one of her favorite hikes."
A crew from the AMC had splinted Palmer's fracture prior to the Pemi Search and Rescue team's arrival, and the carryout began at approximately 6:15 p.m.
Clark said the team made it back to the trailhead at 8:45 p.m., where the Franconia Life Squad was waiting to transport Palmer to Littleton Regional Hospital.
"I would give our performance an 'A' on this one," Clark said. "For our first time, it couldn't have been better because it was about as easy a carryout as we're going to have. The next one won't be quite as easy."
Slattery agreed with Clark's assessment, adding that team members looked like they had been working together for years.
"I also participate with Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, a well-respected team based in Gorham," Slattery said. "The rescue went as well as any carryout I've done with AVSAR."
Prior to the formation of Pemi Search and Rescue, incidents in the western White Mountains were handled by AVSAR, or other teams based far from the area.
Slattery said last Wednesday's events demonstrated the need for a search and rescue team available to cover the western Whites. He added that the team has an excellent handle on carryouts.
"The people that we have are involved in emergency medical services, fire departments and other search and rescue teams, so they've done things like this before," Slattery said. "Plus, they're outdoor enthusiasts, so you just put all those ingredients together and you have a group of naturals."
Clark said six officers from Fish and Game responded as well as four people from the AMC.
[email protected]
