Edhat Staff
Update by edhat staff
A 26-year-old was medically evacuated from the Inspiration Point hiking trail Saturday morning.
At 10:33 a.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters, Search & Rescue, a ground ambulance, and an Air Support helicopter responded to the trail area.
A 26-year-old female suffering from dehydration and weakness was hoisted to the helicopter with firefighter paramedics and flown to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
SBCFD Spokesperson Scott Safechuck offers the below reminders for all hikers:
- Have a plan
- Bring more water
- Have a fully charged phone
- Bring a map/tracking device
- Know where you are
- Tell someone where you plan to hike
- Check the forecast for weather
- Call for help early
- Find shade and remain calm.
By Tagdes
Medical emergency at Inspiration Point. County Fire and Copter 3.
FOND – how is this “horribly expensive for the community?”
Also, “None of those “hikers” EVER seem to learn anything” – how many of these rescues have you confirmed being for the same hiker more than once? You declare this as fact with such gusto, so I’m SURE you have ample evidence to back it up, right?
“You make excuses for them and hence keep encouraging this deleterious behavior.” – Have you never underestimated the degree of anything ever in your life? These people aren’t out committing crimes, they’re getting off their butts and exploring our gorgeous wilderness. Should they all be trained like Army Rangers prior to being allowed to venture out on a trail?
Conditions change. Accidents happen. These aren’t INTENTIONAL acts. How hard is this for you to understand? It’s truly bizarre how hard you are doubling down on this.
Don’t expect people who regularly post bigoted comments to suddenly develop a humane streak.
Fondo, perhaps you should volunteer for SAR so that you can understand the plight of those in distress. Once someone is in distress, the only thing to do is to help them. How they got into distress is immaterial. Perhaps you can go up the trails with 20L of water and offer it to those getting low or who have run out. People make mistakes about preparation or overestimating their abilities. After such a mistake, they are unlikely to ever repeat it. Thankfully there is SAR, first responders, and friendly trail people to take the time to help them. I always bring more than I need in order so share with those who may be unprepared. It’s the mountaineering way. Sometimes you need to pause or end your own hike to make sure someone gets to safety. I wonder how many people passed that person by without offering aid. Get your wilderness first aid certification and become a helper and not a shamer.
Two 1L bottles of water is probably closer to $2 to $3, if you don’t have your own water bottles.
Do you know that she didn’t have enough water? Maybe she drank it all?
Unfortunately, she may have already turned around … we don’t know that she didn’t. I mean, most of the people who die on Everest die on the DESCENT.
Fondo @ 10:29: All of what you said in the way of being prepared is true, but preparedness takes place before anything bad happens. Have you ever spoken to a medical professional or tradesperson or culinary professional or plant specialist about a subject you know nothing about? If you don’t know anything about the subject, that does not make one an “idiot” or someone whose life is not worth saving. One thing that could be done is a simple/obvious no-nonsense sign at the beginning of every trailhead that states unequivocally something like “Do Not Continue on this trail if you…..” I was in Alaska recently, and one highway sign on the way to Palmer said (something like) “Moose Ahead – Drive with Caution – 213 Moose Have Been Killed here so far this year” and another sign going toward Homer states “Avalanche Area – DO NOT STOP for the next X Miles.” Signs work; not always, but they do work.
Also, it is not helpful or productive to bash people for their stupidity. I remember many years ago my wise father made up a saying about driving: “Pretend that no one else on the road is paying attention, but make sure that YOU are paying attention!” If that does not make sense, let’s say a student is doing poorly in math or some other subject and the teacher calls them “stupid” …. well, that’s certainly not helping the student (at all).