Mon, Sep 6, 2010
Tacoma Mountain Rescue

Frenchman's Coulee - Fallen Climber

Grant, WA
2004-03-07

Mission Report by Tyler Severy

Mountain Rescue incident, Sunday March 7, 2004 A Mountain Rescue incident occurs when members of the Unit get involved in a rescue that is not an official callout by the Department of Emergency management. This incident occurred at Vantage Rocks in Grant County; Unit members Tyler Severy, Greg Lang, Rod Scott and Todd Lokey were involved. We feel compelled to write about the events this day for many reasons. Not only the traumatic nature of it but also how training and skill played such a vital role. It was a warm, windy Sunday afternoon. Greg, Rod, Todd and myself were climbing in the Air Guitar area just west of Sunshine Wall. When we got the news that there was a possible fatality we shot down the trail to get a better look. The news and direction was sketchy at best, as far as where it was and was he alive. A man had fallen on rappel, his rope on one side too short. Unfortunately he saw it coming, he had apparently grabbed the rope and notified his partner, he then fell. Despite his wearing of a helmet, he suffered extreme head injuries. We made verbal contact with one of the Grant County Fire Dept. members and he said they had plenty of manpower but to get everyone off the wall because of an inbound helicopter. I went back down the wall to do just that, figuring there were enough on- lookers and climbers to help out. I soon rendezvoused with Todd; we were putting on our shoes when we noticed the helicopter seemed to be having a hard time getting to the location due to the proximity of the walls. I think we had a mutual moment and we both realized that they might actually need some help, that the helicopter was not going to be an easy addition to the situation. Having had the MAST training we did, we knew we should help. We made our way down the wall despite some rock fall from the helicopter and decided ahead of time we would approach, ask and leave, figuring they didn’t need anyone else. We found just the opposite. I introduced us as Mountain Rescue personnel that we were capable of helping them and that we are familiar with helicopters. This was all done by yelling due the close proximity of the helicopter. There were only three people; all Fire personnel kneeling near the victim. It was easy to see we were going to have to lower the victim to a better location. I think it was here that our brains molded to one; we could now communicate by eye and had to as we still couldn’t hear very well. We gloved up immediately, I apologized in advance for “stepping on anyone’s toes” but that we had to get him on the backboard and lower him down slope, that the location we were in was not going to work. We slid him onto the board and duct taped him to it, there was no litter, no rigging kit, no slings or lashes. This was crude but effective. Todd and I conferred about the need for an anchor; I yelled to an onlooker for their rope, which was immediately donated to the cause. Todd tied off the middle of the victim’s rope to a bolt and hitched an eight on a bight on the section we were at to bring the anchor closer to us. I told the despondent fellow who gave the victim CPR that he was needed for the belay. Todd schooled him quickly in what to do and what we needed. There was an older guy with GCFD whom seemed the most “in charge” at the time; I suggested we simply abort the helicopter, that it 4 was unnecessary and dangerous, that we could lower him to the basin floor faster. He declined, saying that “We aren’t mountain goats like you guys; we use the helicopter to whisk these guys out of here”. It was pretty clear by all the gear they had; how they were dressed and acted that he was right. They appear to not have any formal training in the realm of ropes, raises and lowers and the machine was their only avenue for rescue situations. By now the Medic had been lowered out some 100 feet below us and our lower was getting under way. We made our way down slope via a much too speedy belay to the medic and her basket. Todd outlined the plan for getting him into the Stokes basket and off our belay. Once into the basket we buckled and secured him, finally covered his body with a blanket; he was off. Of course only for the Helicopter to sit down on the basin floor and unload him into an ambulance. Once we were back up to the scene we began a quick clean up and reorganizing of the department’s gear. The clean-up went quickly as did their exit from the scene. Once the victim was gone, they were. Todd and I talked again about how to handle the next phase of this, the victim’s friends and fellow climbers. Was this our responsibility? Should we be doing this? Why didn’t the fire guys take care of this? Well, we knew someone had to do it. We gave information about CISDs to the people involved; several knew of them and said they would help set one up. We encouraged everyone to talk about what happened and to not let it stop there on the rocks. Todd spotted the victim’s partner wandering off down the trail alone. We shot after her; after all we were on a ledge system and she was in shock. He kept her talking and we rendezvoused with her friends atop the mesa. We said our goodbyes and departed to find Rod and Greg. What stood out for me personally was what appeared to be the overall lacking of the first in crews. Only a handful of them were capable of doing anything. The remaining members simply sat and watched (literally sat and watched). It was shocking to take control of a scene the way we did. Fortunately they did not try to do too much, they knew when they needed help and were able to accept it. Beyond that, there was no post accident care given to anyone aside from what Todd and I said to several people. The sheriff didn’t even get an opportunity to interview the victim’s partner. He was waiting at the trailhead for her and missed her. This has made me appreciate the training I have received both from the Unit, while I was FF/EMT and as a climber. When this event happened and our help was accepted, a switch flipped. We began to work seamlessly together without having to actually communicate verbally. Knowing instinctively what to do, how to do it and why. Of course we climb together as it is and know each other’s moves. It really was a fantastic coming together of multiple disciplines. There were a lot of people there that day, many content to watch or forced to watch due to their location. We feel fortunate to have been able to act and keep a bad situation from getting worse. Events like these, however grim they may be, serve as reminders that as rescue professionals we have an obligation to know what to do. We are suppose to have core skills that enable us in certain situations. Take stock in what you know, if you don’t know it, then learn it and don’t just learn it, commit it to memory. A man forgot to tie a knot on Sunday, God forgive us if we forget.

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