Injured horseback riders rescued
May 3rd, 2010 | Published in In the News, Long Line, Rescue
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Press Release
On Saturday May 1, 2010 at about 12:12 pm, the Sheriff’s Helicopter, Henry-1, was dispatched along with Geyserville Fire Department, Bell’s Ambulance and REACH helicopter to a reported rescue at Liberty Glen Campground, which is located at Lake Sonoma. A horseback rider had been knocked off her horse by a low-lying tree limb. Henry-1 arrived in the area and located the victim down a canyon on a trail. Coordinating with Fire/EMS personnel in the area, it was deemed best for the patient to be “long- lined” out of the canyon due to her head and possible back injuries as well as the remote area she was in.
Henry-1 landed nearby and set up for the long-line rescue. Pilot Paul Bradley flew TFO Debbie Little on the bottom of the 100-foot line to the patient. With assistance from Geyserville Fire personnel the patient was secured and flown to a parking lot via long-line where patient care was then transferred to REACH personnel, who flew her to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
Later, at approximately 1:02 pm, just after the REACH helicopter departed with the first patient, a concerned hiker ran up and alerted Fire/EMS personnel that there was another rider who injured in a fall from her horse. The only information at the time was the patient was located in a remote area near the first rescue. Geyserville Fire personnel responded down the trail on their 4-wheel “quad” and Henry-1 set up for another long-line rescue.
With the assistance of the fire personnel the patient was packaged up and then flown on the bottom of the long-line to the awaiting Bell’s Ambulance crew, who then transported her to an area hospital.
The first patient was a 56-year-old woman from Pope Valley, CA.
The second patient was a 17-year-old female from Santa Rosa, CA.
The two injured women were unrelated and were on separate horseback expeditions.
