ST. GEORGE – Emergency responders were dispatched to an area near the Cougar Cliffs by state Route 18 after a hiker fractured her ankle while on the trail Monday morning.
St. George Fire Capt. Dan Cazier said his crew was sent to the area located north of the Chuckwalla Trailhead after receiving the call around 9:25 a.m.
The hiker was located at the bottom of a ravine, which presented a new problem – how to get her out? Cazier said the terrain was particularly steep and unsafe. In order to get the hiker from the bottom of the ravine to higher ground where an ambulance awaited, Life Flight had to be utilized.
The medical helicopter was sent to the scene and, after finding a suitable landing zone, took the hiker from the ravine to the waiting ambulance above. From there the hiker was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center.
“The hardest thing about the call was the location – the ravine,” Cazier said.
The operation concluded just before noon.
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Random thought: If the hiker was already in the helicopter, why not just bring her directly to the hospital? Some days, I should turn my brain off and step away from the keyboard 🙂
hahahahahaha!!!!!!!
Ambulance rides to the hospital are not particularly cheap. Helicopter rides to the hospital are even less affordable.
Some days you should use your brain…unless you are assuming that everyone gets transported for free under Obamacare.
Well, the helicopter was already at the scene and was probably going back to the medical center anyway…
Someone should get smart and call Search & Rescue when there is difficult terrain that’s what they are for. They would love to come out and play. Silly paramedics use your heads..
It is a persons life not a load of fright and often a helicopter is not as equipped as ambulance. Alsow it is the emergency crew that calls life flight not you