July 4, 2015 Horns Pond Medical Assist/Evacuation

July 4, 2015

Horns Pond Medical Assist & Evacuation

Nature of the call: 49 y/o female with intestinal blockage, requested assistance for a carry out near the Horns Pond camping area of the Bigelow Range.

I.C. Action Plan: Hasty team to patient, call for Forest Service helicopter availability, gather responders.

FSAR Role:  FSAR was to be part of hasty team until cancelled.  FSAR direct contact with Warden Service and North Star along with various responders.

Complications? Franklin County S.O. had a hard time dispatching our team for the call out. The day shift dispatchers were not sure of the call out procedures.  Night shift dispatchers asked to be refreshed so there would be better communication on next event. Barry London was asked to make contact with FCSO.

What happened?  Command post was initiated by North Star to stage at Stratton Brook Pond trailhead. Warden Service and fire personnel responded to staging.  North Star stayed at rescue base with other responding units creating two staging areas.  Communication between staging areas were done by phone.

Patient eventually walked out under her own power and refused transport at the trailhead.

Horns Pond in front of the 'Horns' in the Bigelow range in the fall of 2011. 

From the Maine Appalachain Trail Club web site: Horns Pond is the MATC’s heaviest used site for overnight campers, attracting approximately 3,000 – 4,000 backpackers each season. Many youth groups flock to Horns Pond. This camp site can handle fifty people at a maximum, and has seen that many on the busiest weekends.