Short Version-----
While heading toward the parking area Saturday, we came across an ambulace and crew along with some ATV's... A guy had flipped his ATV over backwards on a steep rocky hill climb, slamming head first into a rock with his ATV on top of him...They suspected a broken neck.... (RocDoc is the cheif surgery resident at Vanderbilt Hospital , a level 1 trauma center), the victim was halfway along the trail(#21), several miles from an accessible road either way...., We drove one of the EMT's in along with his equipment .... Doc worked with the EMT to evaluate the victim (not paralized but had severe pain in his neck and tingling in his limbs) It was now dark with the temps falling way below freezing... We ended up strapping the guy on the back board to the hood of Docs jeep and driving him out to the waiting rescue squad....
If we hadn't have helped, the recue squad would have had to hike in several miles and carry the victim down ice/snow covered mountain trail, taking many hours, risking further injury and hypothermia.....
Lessons Learned.... Poor Tennessee Counties cant afford quality rescue equipment, so don't count on them being able to come get you in a hurry if you are hurt bad....
Also you can't carry too much recovery equipment, emergency supplies or parts.....
I had a flat going down the trail to get to the victim... BUT having onboard air and tire plugs , I was able to fix the flat, air up, and catch back up to doc, without him having to stop, delaying us getting to the victim.....
also...
We did do Rattlerock Sunday.... I broke my rear output shaft and front driveshaft twice... Doc only winched once, didn't want too, but couldn't risk having two broke rigs at once, on a Sunday evening near dark with everyone else at home watching the Superbowl.... I'm amazed that I was able to winch myself up the last 75yds or so of the trail with no drive power to either axle...
(took 2 hours)
While heading toward the parking area Saturday, we came across an ambulace and crew along with some ATV's... A guy had flipped his ATV over backwards on a steep rocky hill climb, slamming head first into a rock with his ATV on top of him...They suspected a broken neck.... (RocDoc is the cheif surgery resident at Vanderbilt Hospital , a level 1 trauma center), the victim was halfway along the trail(#21), several miles from an accessible road either way...., We drove one of the EMT's in along with his equipment .... Doc worked with the EMT to evaluate the victim (not paralized but had severe pain in his neck and tingling in his limbs) It was now dark with the temps falling way below freezing... We ended up strapping the guy on the back board to the hood of Docs jeep and driving him out to the waiting rescue squad....
If we hadn't have helped, the recue squad would have had to hike in several miles and carry the victim down ice/snow covered mountain trail, taking many hours, risking further injury and hypothermia.....
Lessons Learned.... Poor Tennessee Counties cant afford quality rescue equipment, so don't count on them being able to come get you in a hurry if you are hurt bad....
Also you can't carry too much recovery equipment, emergency supplies or parts.....
I had a flat going down the trail to get to the victim... BUT having onboard air and tire plugs , I was able to fix the flat, air up, and catch back up to doc, without him having to stop, delaying us getting to the victim.....
also...
We did do Rattlerock Sunday.... I broke my rear output shaft and front driveshaft twice... Doc only winched once, didn't want too, but couldn't risk having two broke rigs at once, on a Sunday evening near dark with everyone else at home watching the Superbowl.... I'm amazed that I was able to winch myself up the last 75yds or so of the trail with no drive power to either axle...
(took 2 hours)
