CCSO: THE RESCUE OF AN INJURED FEMALE CLIMBER FROM MOUNT HOOD IS A SUCCESS AND IDENTIFIED
Posted: June 9th, 2011 4:56 PM
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
Jim Strovink, Detective
Office of Public Information
12700 SE 82nd Avenue, Clackamas, Oregon 97015
NEWS RELEASE
4:45 p.m. UPDATE
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office SAR Coordinators report the snow-cat dispatched to the Palmer Glacier area to meet the rescue team members and the packaged patient has reported mechanical problems. Consequently, the rescue team is continuing with the patient transport from the Palmer Glacier by using a toboggan and a whole lot of skill as they descend the remainder of the way to the Lodge.
Notifications are complete and the patient can now be appropriately identified as Meredith E. Jaques, age 30; who resides in Hood River, Oregon.
It is anticipated Meredith Jaques (Pronounced as Jakes) will be transported to the Hood River Hospital for further medical attention. Meredith Jaques is reported to have head, neck and back injuries sustained in her collision with a large chunk of a falling ice; which caused to her tumble and fall some 300'.
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2:25 p.m. UPDATE
Upon the arrival of rescue personnel with the injured climber on Mount Hood, additional more revealing and dramatic information is being revealed:
SAR Coordinators report the patient was reportedly struck with what members of the climbing party are describing as a 20'X 40' chunk of ice that had tumbled through the group of climbers who were attempting to ascend the mountain earlier at the 10,500 elevation. In addition, after being struck by this large piece of ice, the injured female climber tumbled an estimated 300' prior to stopping.
No other injuries are reported.
The patient is now being evacuated in a sled down the mountain by members of the Reach and Treat Team and Portland Mountain Rescue mountaineers. It is expected the patient will be transported to the Palmer Glacier to meet with a snow cat and delivered directly to the area of Timberline Lodge. Additional emergency transportation coordinated will provide the necessary ground transport from the Lodge to a local hospital for the patients existing head and back injuries.
The injured climber is expected to arrive at Timberline Lodge in less than one hour.
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On Thursday, June 09, 2011 at 7:25 a.m. Clackamas County Sheriff's, Search & Rescue (SAR) Coordinators were alerted to a reported injury involving a 30-year-old female climber at the 10,000' level on Mount Hood, just west of the Hogsback, and in the vicinity of Crater Rock.
A member of a 12 person climbing party called Clackamas County Dispatch reporting the incident described as a "slight Slide" that resulted in the injury of a 30-year-old, female climbing companion. The patient was further described to have received a "nasty gash" to her scalp and was complaining of back pain too.
The described climbing party reported to have a retired physician present in their group and the female patient was conscious and breathing.
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, SAR Coordinators, responded to Timberline Lodge, on Mount Hood, to establish a SAR Command Post and summoned additional assistance for the ongoing rescue mission.
American Medical Response was requested to dispatch their specialized Reach & Treat Team (RAT) to the scene and climb to the victim, medically evaluate and help evacuate the patient from the mountain. In addition, Portland Mountain Rescue provided an additional 10 mountaineers to aid in this rescue mission too. And, of course Mountain Wave Communications responded to the Command Post to provide and insure solid lines of critically important radio communication services be established.
At 11:30 a.m. SAR personnel reported the RAT Team had arrived with the patient and were medically evaluating the injured female and assessing safe medical transport options from the mountain.
It is estimated, with the existing ideal weather conditions present, the patient will be packaged and transported down the mountain - in a sled - arriving at Timberline Lodge by 2:00 p.m.
Please reference Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Case #11-17095. [END]
Contact Info: Jim Strovink, Detective
Public Information Officer
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
503-237-2643
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