Multi-Agency Wilderness Rescue in Response to Horse Accident
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, August 26th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Release from Union County Search and Rescue) At about 2:45 PM on August 24th, 2022, Union County 911 dispatch received a report via the Garmin International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) of a 40-year-old male who had fallen off of a horse on the USFS 1942 Trail along the Little Minam River and had possibly fractured his hip. The companion of the injured man had to ride his horse several miles up the trail to get satellite reception, which led to initial confusion on the location of the patient, but it was ultimately determined by SAR that the patient was approximately 4.8 miles from the trailhead.
The Union County SAR Coordinator managing the response activated SAR, and also requested mutual aid from the La Grande Fire Dept., the La Grande Rural Fire District, and the U.S. Forest Service. The Oregon Army National Guard (ORANG) and Lifeflight Network were put on standby pending a more detailed assessment of the patient condition, location, and evacuation options. When rescue personnel arrived at the Moss Springs Trailhead they were briefed by command and then led into the scene by the reporting party, who had in the meantime ridden his horse up to the trailhead. A total of 28 people from 6 agencies/organizations responded to the incident either in field response or support roles, including Sheriff Bowen and patrol staff who responded to assist SAR volunteers. Personnel from Union County 911, Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch, Grande Ronde Hospital, and Oregon Emergency Management also provided remote assistance and support.
A multi-agency team of 17 rescue personnel hiked in to the patient, and on arrival La Grande Fire Dept. paramedics initiated patient care while other team members prepared a wheeled litter for transport and SAR command evaluated options for extraction. The patient was determined to be in stable condition, but in a high degree of pain and with injuries requiring litter evacuation. The ORANG was planning to deploy a hoist-capable helicopter at 6:00 AM the following morning because weather over the Cascade mountains prevented them from deploying that evening. Once several potential landing zones were identified by responders in the field, Lifeflight 10 from La Grande was launched as the rescue team initiated transport up the trail towards the nearest potential landing zone.
Lifeflight was able to land and drop-off two crew members at a landing zone identified by the rescue team about 1 mile from the patient, and then the helicopter pilot began searching for other closer landing zones. Fortunately, the helicopter was able to find a location to land less than a half-mile from the rescue party, and the patient was loaded onto the helicopter and flown from the scene at about 8:21 PM. The Lifeflight helicopter had to leave one crew member and equipment due to take-off weight limitations. All rescue personnel hiked out with equipment that evening, arriving at the Moss Springs Trailhead at approximately 10:30 PM.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office and Union County SAR would like to express our sincere thanks to all of the agencies who assisted with this rescue, particularly the U.S. Forest Service, Lifeflight Network, City of La Grande Fire Dept., and the La Grande Rural Fire District for their extensive involvement and significant commitment of crews and resources.
Union County Emergency Services
U.S. Forest Service – Wallowa Whitman National Forest
City of La Grande Fire Department
La Grande Rural Fire Protection District
Oregon Department of Emergency Management
Images from the incident, from Union County Search and Rescue can be found at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.5942972219070403&type=3
