Mon, Sep 6, 2010
Tacoma Mountain Rescue

Marshall Falls

Pierce, WA
2004-06-30

Mission Report by Tom Miner

Fallen Hiker at Mashel Falls DEM# 04-1535 At 5:15 pm, June 30, 2004 TMRU was contacted by DEM to respond to Eatonville to assist the Sheriff and Fire personnel with an evacuation of a seriously injured individual who had fallen between 50 and 80 feet. Pierce County Special Operations Teams from several fire districts and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team arrived at the request of Eatonville Fire. Eatonville had responded to a report of a man down at Mashel falls. When the paramedic arrived he found an injured male who appeared to have two broken legs, a broken arm and severe head injuries. He had been there for several hours before being found by several other teenagers who were enjoying the area around the falls. The paramedic realized he would need considerable help and asked for a PSORT response. The Sheriff monitored the call and responded at the same time. Deputy Adamson requested TMRU almost simultaneously. Fire personnel assisted by deputies packaged the patient and were attempting to decide what the easiest way out was. The obvious option was up a series of steep slopes that would require three rope assisted raises. A deputy who knows the area hiked in from the Pac Forest side and advised that there was a short hike out with only one short low angle raise required. TMRU arrived and was assigned the task of moving the patient down the trail to the waiting ambulance once PSORT and the Deputies had completed the low angle raise. Timing was almost perfect; as the TMRU members arrived so did the patient and the transfer was made without delay. The patient, in critical condition, was transported by aid car to the Eatonville airport where Airlift Northwest transported him to Harborview. Members who responded were Fran Martoglio, Jeff Sharp, Ken Davies, Marv Perrin, Mark Cooksley, Chris Berryman, Randy Raynor, Mike Mixon, Tom Miner, Tim Greminger, Rick Wire, Jeff Boulet, Rod Scott, Tyler Severy, Graham Johnson. The mission was a great example of unified command and multiple agency response. Due to everyone who responded having the same rescue training and skills, the response was nearly seamless. Because so many of the individuals from fire, law and TMRU were members of the US&R team and knew one another, relations were already formed and created a situation where trust and confidence in each team’s ability already existed. Submitted by OL Thomas Miner

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