Edhat Staff
By the edhat staff
Two hikers fell and injured their legs on separate trails on Saturday requiring helicopter transport for medical care.
At 2:13 p.m., Santa Barbara County Fire Medical Engine 31 was dispatched to the Nojoqui Falls trail area near Santa Ynez.
Upon arrival they discovered an 11-year-old female fell approximately ten feet on loose rocks and injured her leg.
A UTV vehicle with firefighter/medics was used to transport the patient to a landing zone where County Air Support Helicopter 3 was waiting. The helicopter flew the juvenile hiker to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for care.
Later the same day, at 4:44 p.m., County Fire Medical Engine 13 responded to a call for an injured hiker near Inspiration Point on Santa Barbara.
Medics hiked about one mile up from the start of Tunnel Trail and discovered an adult female hiker who sustained a leg injury from a slip and fall.
Helicopter 3 responded again and hoisted the patient from the trail and transported her to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment.
I heard the one around 4:45 PM. ” Injured hiker about one mile above Tunnel Rd. Utility Vehicle 15 requested for off road access. County Fire and Medics, plus Search and Rescue requested. 5:02 PM. Helicopter landed on-scene near a waiver.
Helicopters are a very expensive alternative to ambulances. No explanation as to why they were the preferred choice – access to roads?
Yes, no road access in that area apparently. As the photo by SBCFD shows a small off-road vehicle. The supervising party called to make sure every tool was being delivered to the scene. The Battalion Chief wanted to ensure that a Utility Vehicle and tow apparatus to carry the person was enroute. The copter was able to be flagged by a person and they saw the opportunity to land nearby.
As per the scanner traffic, they were a mile up from Tunnel Rd. And, at 5:02 PM I heard “Landing at the waiver” or something to that effect. The aircraft was available and was quickly first on the scene. Seemingly, the urgency existed and the opportunity to complete the mission became unquestionable. GPS and GIS may have been instrumental in acquiring the exact coordinates for the chopper in this case.
This area, as per scanner calls, had bad cell-phone reception. They kept referring to landline, yet landline means to carry a phone call strictly via wired communication technology. Not hybrid or wireless cell phone, IDK, confusing.
So, why wait for a ground UTV. When flying UTV’s do not exist quite yet. Hope the hiker is ok and recovers quickly, Godspeed!
Peace, Geo, on the Scanner.
I would have carried my 11 year old to the car…