A coordinated effort between several agencies led to the rescue of a woman who fell while hiking over the weekend. Crews from Sedona Fire District, Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue, Coconino County Search and Rescue, Highlands Fire and Guardian Medical responded to a call around 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, of a woman who had fallen in a popular climbing area near the overlook at the top of the Oak Creek Canyon switchbacks.
According to SFD acting Assistant Chief Jayson Coil, it was estimated that she fell nearly 40 to 50 feet vertically, sustaining life-threatening injuries. “I can say with confidence that in a fall from that height, there is a high potential of it being fatal,” Coil said, noting that the woman was fortunate to have survived a five-story fall. Once crews arrived on the scene, it took about 10 minutes for rescuers to reach the woman. A short haul was performed in which the victim and rescue personnel are airlifted in a basket from the site to a landing area. In this case it was the overlook’s parking lot. She was then taken by helicopter to the Flagstaff Medical Center. Coil said with calls of this nature, they continue their ground-based efforts until the helicopter rescue is complete.
This requires significant manpower and coordination between the various agencies involved. The value of consistent training and effective interagency relationships is often not evident until a critical event. “With time you know everyone by name and a high level of trust is established as we all work toward the same goal,” he said of coordinated rescues like this one.
Crew arrives in California
It’s an all-too-familiar scene for California residents as fires ravage the state, leaving death and destruction in their path. Earlier this week a six-man fire crew from SFD, along with a pair of wildland fire engines, arrived in Southern California to help battle the Woolsey Fire. As of press time it had burned more 99,876 acres and destroyed an estimated 435 structures. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Coil said there is a big difference when battling a wildland or forest fire where few, if any, structures are in danger compared to a heavily populated area like the Woolsey Fire.
“It can certainly be chaotic,” he said. “Because of the smoke you can barely see and you’re going against people leaving, which can add to the chaos. Scenes like those currently in California can be overwhelming but that’s why we train to national standards in both structural and wildland firefighting.”
On SFD’s Facebook page, Coil wrote, “I know they have prepared through their training and experience to respond to incidents of this complexity and while it always makes me nervous it is also a source of pride. The other essential component of this type of response is our ability to ensure staffing in Sedona is always maintained. Knowing that the rest of the agency will do what is needed, even if it impacts their own plans for Thanksgiving, to ensure staffing is maintained is an equally great source of pride for me. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”
Fires like those currently impacting the Golden State — as well as those that devastated communities big and small last year in the northern half of that state — are reminders that the risk is always there. “The biggest lesson we can learn from fires like these is the importance of being fire wise,” Coil said.
“Creating a 30-foot barrier around your house [clearing it of debris and dead branches and grasses] can help reduce the risk and is crucial regardless if you’re in a fire-prone area or not.”
