No helicopter rescue for hiker with thumb injury

[billski]

I go away for the weekend and all hell breaks loose


"I was up in Errol and was notified that a gentleman had called in with an injured thumb and he wanted to be rescued," he said. "He asked if there was a helicopter available." - Fish and Game conservation officer Matt Holmes

The reader comments are quite entertaining.

:dunce:

 

[wa-loaf]

Some friends ... they should have told him to stop being a pussy and suck it up instead of calling 911 for him.

 

[billski]

Some friends ... they should have told him to stop being a pussy and suck it up instead of calling 911 for him.

Maybe they couldn't get a Manhattan helicopter ride, and figured this was a good way to get a free sightseeing ride
:dunce:

 

[Johnskiismore]

How would these people act in a REAL crisis?

 

[ctenidae]

"Last year, a woman requested a rescue when she could not find her shoes."

I can think of a few rescue options, here, but they'd be more of a benefit to the gene pool than the woman.

 

[Johnskiismore]

"Last year, a woman requested a rescue when she could not find her shoes."

I can think of a few rescue options, here, but they'd be more of a benefit to the gene pool than the woman.

x2

 

[billski]

Good reader comment: "Some people just shouldn't go into the woods, others, perhaps, should be left there."

 

[Trekchick]

What a wussy!

But then, maybe I'm stoopid because I broke my wrist and rode my bike out 3 miles last summer.

 

[drjeff]

Good reader comment: "Some people just shouldn't go into the woods, others, perhaps, should be left there."

Tooo bad there wasn't a hungry bear in the area

 

[billski]

March 12, 1992

"On March 12, 1992, an 18-year-old Connecticut man and a friend commenced an ascent of the Tuckerman Ravine headwall area. One fell, slid and was unable to continue the ascent. He returned to Pinkham, reporting the incident at 4:00p.m. The other man continued on. Both were dressed in jeans and sneakers, with no hiking gear or experience. Summit temperatures were below zero, wind speeds eighty-five miles per hour with gusts to ninety-five and visibility intermittently 200 feet.

A massive search was started, involving five organizations, eighteen searchers and a thiokol. The subject crossed the Alpine Garden to the auto road, descended to the Glen House in the dark, and secured a ride to Pinkham, arriving at 8:40p.m.

Analysis: Most people in similar circumstances do not survive such a risky venture. The man put eighteen others at risk. Sixty-eight unecessary man-hours were expended. Some rescuers were so incensed they were pushing the Fish and Game Department to prosecute, under the reckless hiking law. Since no one was injured, it was deemed there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. To date no donation has been received for the search.
AMC Committee for Search and Rescue"

Source: "Appalachia" Journal, AMC, December 15, 1993.

 

[wa-loaf]

"On March 12, 1992, an 18-year-old Connecticut man and a friend commenced an ascent of the Tuckerman Ravine headwall area. One fell, slid and was unable to continue the ascent. He returned to Pinkham, reporting the incident at 4:00p.m. The other man continued on. Both were dressed in jeans and sneakers, with no hiking gear or experience. Summit temperatures were below zero, wind speeds eighty-five miles per hour with gusts to ninety-five and visibility intermittently 200 feet.

A massive search was started, involving five organizations, eighteen searchers and a thiokol. The subject crossed the Alpine Garden to the auto road, descended to the Glen House in the dark, and secured a ride to Pinkham, arriving at 8:40p.m.

Analysis: Most people in similar circumstances do not survive such a risky venture. The man put eighteen others at risk. Sixty-eight unecessary man-hours were expended. Some rescuers were so incensed they were pushing the Fish and Game Department to prosecute, under the reckless hiking law. Since no one was injured, it was deemed there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. To date no donation has been received for the search.
AMC Committee for Search and Rescue"

Source: "Appalachia" Journal, AMC, December 15, 1993.

That's a tough one. Cause the guy although apparently unprepared didn't seem to need a rescue. I'm assuming his buddy is the one who put the call for help out.

 

[Beetlenut]

That's a tough one. Cause the guy although apparently unprepared didn't seem to need a rescue. I'm assuming his buddy is the one who put the call for help out.

And if they didn't respond to his buddie's call and something happened, I'm sure someone would have sued F&G!

 

[Trekchick]

Another thought occurred to me this afternoon as I was pondering this situation.....
The heli rescue people should have answered the call with a response like.....
Give us your CC # so we have assurance of being paid for our T&M, then quote the guy some idiotic fee for the rescue...
How much is your injured thumb worth now baby!!!


The Rescue group may have made a dime on the deal and the guy would have had to live it down with his buddies for a loooooong time.

 

[dmc]

Texans... figures...

 

[riverc0il]

As I suspected, the $25,000 bill to the Mount Washington Eagle Scott was not an effective deterrent against stupidity in the White Mountains.

 

[drjeff]

Anyone else feel that it's just a matter of time before we get one of those iphone commercials that will say "need a rescue in the woods?? There's an app for that!" uke:

While technology is great, there are sometimes when it can way too easily get folks in way over their heads without them even realizing it