A team of more than a dozen Squamish Search and Rescue (SSAR) members recently rescued a Vancouver woman who had dislocated her shoulder in a fall on the second peak of the Stawamus Chief.
The rescue, which took place on Sunday, April 29, required helicopter assistance in an exercise known a long-line or HETS (helicopter external transport system) rescue, John Howe, SSAR search manager, told The Chief on Friday (May 4).
Sixteen people took part in the rescue exercise, including eight on the mountain and an pilot from Blackcomb Helicopters with experience in performing long-line rescues, Howe said.
The 54-year-old victim probably could have walked out with assistance, but because of the risk of complications, it was decided that the best treatment would be to put her on a stretcher and take her out by helicopter.
Added Howe, Probably the most significant challenge of this particular rescue was crowd control. She happened to have been injured right on the trail and in an exposed spot, so we had to direct [other hikers] away to a different part of the rock.
SSAR typically receives around 50 search-and-rescue calls per year, with between 15 and 20 of those being hikers who require rescue from the Chief, Howe said. As many as 2,500 people hike the Chief on a busy, sunny summer day, so it's not surprising that some of them get injured and require rescue, he said.
Partly for that reason, SSAR members undergo regular HETS training. In fact, members underwent their annual HETS recertification training last weekend, Howe said.
For information about SSAR, please visit www.squamishsar.org/
