A reminder that there are six conveniently located emergency stations in Muir Valley, each having instructions for directing emergency services to the Valley floor and a 2-way radio for communicating a medical emergency.
These work. Use them when needed for minor or serious emergencies. They have worked five times this year and have resulted in very fast responses when needed - especially with critically injured climbers. Saturday's incident, considering the severity of the injuries, went smoothly with arrival of help within six minutes of the time the climber fell. The Muir Valley Rescue group coordinated the ambulance and helicopter responses, which also were fast. Saturday, for reasons unknown, the Wolfe Co. rescue team was able to field only 2 members who were not trained in first aid or litter evacuation. And because Wolfe Co. EMS personnel do not leave the ambulance to hike trails to treat and transport patients, this incident could gone badly without MVR, the litter, and volunteer climbers.
Because MVR is all volunteer, there are no guarantees that persons trained in wilderness first response medicine and/or first aid supplies and rescue gear will be available. So, far this year, all five incidents have had fast responses. But at the very least, the instructions in the emergency station tubes will tell you how to efficiently contact and direct the Wolfe County SAR and EMS to the Valley floor. Remember that there is no cell phone reception in the Valley.
The First Aid Shed is almost finished and will house a litter, backboard, c-collar, and first aid supplies (that are now located at the parking lot building.) It is located at the base of the north trail down into the valley, near the Tantroft Hollow. The building contents are for use by MVR but will be openly available to anyone with appropriate first aid or medical training in the event of a medical emergency. When you open the door, an very loud alarm will sound and initiate an emergency response.
Please climb safely, so that this facility and MVR will never again need to be used.
Those Good Samaritans interested in being part of the Muir Valley Rescue group can contact me at richardhweber<at>gmail.com
Rick
First Aid and Rescue in Muir
First Aid and Rescue in Muir
We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand. - Randy Pausch
None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm. - Henry David Thoreau
None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm. - Henry David Thoreau
Re: First Aid and Rescue in Muir
Thank you much for what you do cleaning up the back end of these injuries. Now if we could just stop them from happening.
"there's a line between self improvement and self involvement"
"Dogs are nature's pooper scoopers ."
"Dogs are nature's pooper scoopers ."