TRed
03-20-2004, 11:46 PM
I try to make the anual Nissan 4 Wheelers Arizona run each time, but missed this years. The guys had a great time and all the pics and stories are over on the Nissan4wheelers. com site. There was a story about a person in disstress that the folks on the run had helped, but sadly the person died. Here is a print of the story from a guy that was there. posted March 20, 2004 03:41 AM
Here is the story from my point of view as best as I can remember. I apologize if I had any misconceptions, I am sure my sense of time was way off and I may have inadvertently or intentionally left names or events out.
As we were driving down the trail on day 5 and maybe 90 minutes drive time into the trail (more of an overland trail through a mountainous winding road) some quaders told a truck up front, I believe it was Andy, that there was a quader that had driven off a hill and would need help getting his quad winched back up onto the trail. From the sound of it, it seemed that the driver was o.k. Andy or whomever it was that spoke to the driver called over the CB that somebody with a winch would need to pull a quad up. The first winch equipped truck was Jim's frontier. All the trucks in front of it were to pass where the quad rolled and drive a little further up trail. Those behind Jim were supposed to wait.
When we arrived to the scene, somebody called over the CB that if there was any EMTs or anybody with medical experience they should head down. Jim and his wife Shauna work or have worked on the Fire Dept in Maricopa and have experience. Also Ralph's brother Chris as well as Marshall went down to assist. I walked up to see a couple of older men up at the top on the trail with their quads. There was a nasty washed out spot just above where the quad had gone off the trail. I asked one of the men what happened. He told me that the man that had rolled off had hit the washed out spot and was coming off it when he got a little "crossways" and may have panicked hitting the throttle instead of the brake. He told me that the man with them was in his early 70s (turned out to be 73 I believe)and that they were acquaintances. He said that they would get together and ride the quads to look at scenery.
Moments after this, Shauna called up to tell Andy to get on the phone and get air evac out as soon as possible. I'll leave out the exact details of the victim's condition out as I think that is best. Basically he was not in good shape with internal injuries.
Someone called up to give Andy GPS co-ordinance to give the emergency personal. I quickly yelled this to John as I knew he had a Garmin in his truck and he was close by. John raced down to his truck and wrote the co-ordinance on some paper and as fast as he could ran it to Andy to take with him. Andy quickly raced up the mountain to try and get cell phone service while everyone below attempted helplessly as well trying to attempt 911 calls.
Around this time, somebody called that they needed water. Finally something I could do to help. My truck was 2 behind Jims so it was close and I always carry 8 gallons in back. I quickly ran back to my truck, grabbed a gallon and raced down the mountain to hand the water to those helping below. As I did this I got a quick glance, I saw that was not anything gory but from looking at the victim, I could tell how serious the situation was. I can tell you that those down there helping that man are much stronger people than I and deserve much recognition. It takes a special person to do what they were doing. I quickly rushed back up to the trail to get out of the way.
From what I gathered over the CB Andy was having trouble getting service. At that point, it was called up from below that the victim's condition had worsened and details were relayed to Andy to pass on. After a bit, Andy came over the CB and said that he had reached 911 and that they were on the way. Shortly after that, it was called up that they were losing him and they began CPR below. I stood above feeling more helpless than I have in my life so I said a prayer and stood waiting.
After about 10 minutes they called up with a very string sense of urgency that if anyone else knew CPR they needed to head down and help. Jim and Shauna's daughter Sandy (I believe) told me that she knew CPR and asked me if I would watch her 6 month old son she had with her so she could help. I quickly agreed and took him back to my truck where I started it and turned on the air to get him out of the heat. I believe Ivan and possibly someone else also headed down at this point to help.
A little bit later they called up that they needed something from Marshall's truck (which had been driven up the mountain by someone else because it was ahead of Jim's. John began running up the mountain to meet whoever would bring it down half way. Those of us below did not realize how far up the mountain the other truck had gone. Andy called down that John would kill himself on foot trying to run up there and said to send someone on a quad. I yelled to Ralph who jumped on a quad and headed up the hill while Matt headed down in his pathy to meet him. Ralph returned and also headed down to help.
The other trucks ahead of Jim had since pulled up the hill further to give as much space as possible to be sure there were multiple potential landing zones for the chopper. Because my truck was close to the incident and I was in my truck with my CB on, I became a relay station over the CB between Andy up top and those below. After about 10 minutes had passed, they called up to tell the personnel on the way that they had been doing CPR for 20 minutes with no response. I passed on the message and shortly after Andy returned over the CB that they said to continue CPR until they arrived. About 10-20 minutes later a Chopper appeared over the mountain and landed in one of the areas the trucks had moved from as a possible landing zone. They quickly descended down the mountain to the victim. A Pinal county Sheriff also arrived moments later in an F250, I relayed all I knew to him and he rushed down to help.
After the crew was down for a long while (I had totally lost track of time at this point) they came up the mountain and said that they had lost him. I felt so bad for those below because they had done all they could. The Sheriff began taking pictures, statements and writing a report.
Another truck came up the hill with two guys wearing uniforms that said SWAT on them and the Chopper left. After this, some individuals carried the victim up the hill, we all got in our trucks and drove up the hill to turn them around. Around this time the victim was removed, I presume by the men with the SWAT uniforms.
Ralph pulled his truck in front of Jims they used it as an anchor point for a snatch block and Keith and either Ralph or his brother(I don't recall) went down to guide the quad up as it was winched up to the trail. It was loaded in the back of Ralph's truck. After it was secured, we all followed the Sheriff with the other quad riders behind us to the quickest rout to the highway where the quad was unloaded. By now it was about 4:30-4:45 and everyone was pretty sad. I just wanted to get home and see my family after being gone for a week and coupled with the days events, I could not see them soon enough. I quickly aired up and took off at this point.
Well, again, I apologize for inaccuracies. But I thought I would try to tell the story best I could since pictures had been posted and assumptions were being made. I am having trouble sleeping and I was far from the most involved. I hope that those that were more involved are doing o.k. It was a sobering way to end the run but I know that everyone there sincerely did their very best to help in every way that they could. I am glad to be surrounded by such heroes. Even though there was not a happy ending, the efforts given by all are not diminished in my eyes.
Posts: 4973 | From: Peoria, AZ | Registered: June 24, 2002
Here is the story from my point of view as best as I can remember. I apologize if I had any misconceptions, I am sure my sense of time was way off and I may have inadvertently or intentionally left names or events out.
As we were driving down the trail on day 5 and maybe 90 minutes drive time into the trail (more of an overland trail through a mountainous winding road) some quaders told a truck up front, I believe it was Andy, that there was a quader that had driven off a hill and would need help getting his quad winched back up onto the trail. From the sound of it, it seemed that the driver was o.k. Andy or whomever it was that spoke to the driver called over the CB that somebody with a winch would need to pull a quad up. The first winch equipped truck was Jim's frontier. All the trucks in front of it were to pass where the quad rolled and drive a little further up trail. Those behind Jim were supposed to wait.
When we arrived to the scene, somebody called over the CB that if there was any EMTs or anybody with medical experience they should head down. Jim and his wife Shauna work or have worked on the Fire Dept in Maricopa and have experience. Also Ralph's brother Chris as well as Marshall went down to assist. I walked up to see a couple of older men up at the top on the trail with their quads. There was a nasty washed out spot just above where the quad had gone off the trail. I asked one of the men what happened. He told me that the man that had rolled off had hit the washed out spot and was coming off it when he got a little "crossways" and may have panicked hitting the throttle instead of the brake. He told me that the man with them was in his early 70s (turned out to be 73 I believe)and that they were acquaintances. He said that they would get together and ride the quads to look at scenery.
Moments after this, Shauna called up to tell Andy to get on the phone and get air evac out as soon as possible. I'll leave out the exact details of the victim's condition out as I think that is best. Basically he was not in good shape with internal injuries.
Someone called up to give Andy GPS co-ordinance to give the emergency personal. I quickly yelled this to John as I knew he had a Garmin in his truck and he was close by. John raced down to his truck and wrote the co-ordinance on some paper and as fast as he could ran it to Andy to take with him. Andy quickly raced up the mountain to try and get cell phone service while everyone below attempted helplessly as well trying to attempt 911 calls.
Around this time, somebody called that they needed water. Finally something I could do to help. My truck was 2 behind Jims so it was close and I always carry 8 gallons in back. I quickly ran back to my truck, grabbed a gallon and raced down the mountain to hand the water to those helping below. As I did this I got a quick glance, I saw that was not anything gory but from looking at the victim, I could tell how serious the situation was. I can tell you that those down there helping that man are much stronger people than I and deserve much recognition. It takes a special person to do what they were doing. I quickly rushed back up to the trail to get out of the way.
From what I gathered over the CB Andy was having trouble getting service. At that point, it was called up from below that the victim's condition had worsened and details were relayed to Andy to pass on. After a bit, Andy came over the CB and said that he had reached 911 and that they were on the way. Shortly after that, it was called up that they were losing him and they began CPR below. I stood above feeling more helpless than I have in my life so I said a prayer and stood waiting.
After about 10 minutes they called up with a very string sense of urgency that if anyone else knew CPR they needed to head down and help. Jim and Shauna's daughter Sandy (I believe) told me that she knew CPR and asked me if I would watch her 6 month old son she had with her so she could help. I quickly agreed and took him back to my truck where I started it and turned on the air to get him out of the heat. I believe Ivan and possibly someone else also headed down at this point to help.
A little bit later they called up that they needed something from Marshall's truck (which had been driven up the mountain by someone else because it was ahead of Jim's. John began running up the mountain to meet whoever would bring it down half way. Those of us below did not realize how far up the mountain the other truck had gone. Andy called down that John would kill himself on foot trying to run up there and said to send someone on a quad. I yelled to Ralph who jumped on a quad and headed up the hill while Matt headed down in his pathy to meet him. Ralph returned and also headed down to help.
The other trucks ahead of Jim had since pulled up the hill further to give as much space as possible to be sure there were multiple potential landing zones for the chopper. Because my truck was close to the incident and I was in my truck with my CB on, I became a relay station over the CB between Andy up top and those below. After about 10 minutes had passed, they called up to tell the personnel on the way that they had been doing CPR for 20 minutes with no response. I passed on the message and shortly after Andy returned over the CB that they said to continue CPR until they arrived. About 10-20 minutes later a Chopper appeared over the mountain and landed in one of the areas the trucks had moved from as a possible landing zone. They quickly descended down the mountain to the victim. A Pinal county Sheriff also arrived moments later in an F250, I relayed all I knew to him and he rushed down to help.
After the crew was down for a long while (I had totally lost track of time at this point) they came up the mountain and said that they had lost him. I felt so bad for those below because they had done all they could. The Sheriff began taking pictures, statements and writing a report.
Another truck came up the hill with two guys wearing uniforms that said SWAT on them and the Chopper left. After this, some individuals carried the victim up the hill, we all got in our trucks and drove up the hill to turn them around. Around this time the victim was removed, I presume by the men with the SWAT uniforms.
Ralph pulled his truck in front of Jims they used it as an anchor point for a snatch block and Keith and either Ralph or his brother(I don't recall) went down to guide the quad up as it was winched up to the trail. It was loaded in the back of Ralph's truck. After it was secured, we all followed the Sheriff with the other quad riders behind us to the quickest rout to the highway where the quad was unloaded. By now it was about 4:30-4:45 and everyone was pretty sad. I just wanted to get home and see my family after being gone for a week and coupled with the days events, I could not see them soon enough. I quickly aired up and took off at this point.
Well, again, I apologize for inaccuracies. But I thought I would try to tell the story best I could since pictures had been posted and assumptions were being made. I am having trouble sleeping and I was far from the most involved. I hope that those that were more involved are doing o.k. It was a sobering way to end the run but I know that everyone there sincerely did their very best to help in every way that they could. I am glad to be surrounded by such heroes. Even though there was not a happy ending, the efforts given by all are not diminished in my eyes.
Posts: 4973 | From: Peoria, AZ | Registered: June 24, 2002