Some of you all may have read this on Boater Talk but I thought I would
post the link here too as it is an instructive case where lots of
things worked well - In short victim - went under log in her kayak -
group was able to pull her out - her sprayskirt caught on root ball -
by the time she was freed - CPR was needed. Pulse returned. About 90
seconds later with rescue breathing cont - she began to breath on her
own. She was airlifted out....

By the next morning she was conscious and her ventilator and intubation
device was removed. I visited it with her Sunday afternoon and she was
largely coherant -

amazing - amazing - amazing - really awesome....



http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1001312

(I don't really know how to make links - so someone may have to repost
link)

sheila

Sheila - the link worked fine. About 10 years ago, the City of
Alexandria had a canoe trip on the river and had an incident with a log
in about the same place that ended in a fatality. Shows how class 2
can be a killer. Glad you guys were there to give this incident a
happier ending. I suspect the MCC & CCA whitewater rescue classes will
be packed after this one. There really is nothing like repetition to
drill it into ya what to do when things go bad.

I was also thinking - where was her paddle? You'll remember that a few
years back, I kept my head above water when I was caught between an
undercut and an underwater log by using my paddle. Must have been
super scary for her when she finally went under for good. I remember
"testing the waters" as it were by relaxing and letting myself go
under. I also remember thinking, "Drowing is supposed to be peaceful;
this is not peaceful." And got myself back up to fight some more -
until my group could get me rescued.

Kathy, I remember your story but not where it happened?


"Mothra" wrote in message
oups.com...
Sheila - the link worked fine. About 10 years ago, the City of
Alexandria had a canoe trip on the river and had an incident with a log
in about the same place that ended in a fatality. Shows how class 2
can be a killer. Glad you guys were there to give this incident a
happier ending. I suspect the MCC & CCA whitewater rescue classes will
be packed after this one. There really is nothing like repetition to
drill it into ya what to do when things go bad.

I was also thinking - where was her paddle? You'll remember that a few
years back, I kept my head above water when I was caught between an
undercut and an underwater log by using my paddle. Must have been
super scary for her when she finally went under for good. I remember
"testing the waters" as it were by relaxing and letting myself go
under. I also remember thinking, "Drowing is supposed to be peaceful;
this is not peaceful." And got myself back up to fight some more -
until my group could get me rescued.

Hi Mike -

It was on the Arden Section of the Tygart in the runout rapid below
Moat's Falls. I found out later it was a well known hazard to the
locals.

I talked with Barbara Brown at length today. She did the rescue
breathing on Dawn while someone else did the compressions. She said
Dawn was totally blue when they started and responded almost
immediately. How wonderful that this story had such a positive outcome.

I know that rapid on the Tygert, just did it 3 weeks ago for the first
time......fun river. I still have this thing for not liking to drive over 4
hours to boat......that river and the Meadow may have expanded my travel
prefs! Hope all is well in CA! :-)


"Mothra" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi Mike -

It was on the Arden Section of the Tygart in the runout rapid below
Moat's Falls. I found out later it was a well known hazard to the
locals.

I talked with Barbara Brown at length today. She did the rescue
breathing on Dawn while someone else did the compressions. She said
Dawn was totally blue when they started and responded almost
immediately. How wonderful that this story had such a positive outcome.

I suspect her paddle had drifted away - I tried to bring a paddle up to
the site when I was making me way up - thinking it might be useful for
heads up - or something - but I had to abandon my paddle after about 40
yards as the going was just to difficult with a kayak paddle - and the
need to get to the scene was to urgent to be slowed down in anyway....

I can't begin to describe how difficult it was to make progress up
shallow Class 1/2 rapids,rocks, etc.....Normally it wouldn't have
mattered if it took time - but that feeling of just helplessness as the
seconds were ticking by and the victim was trapped - and at least 3 of
us were still trying to get to the scene...like you say SWR paid off as
we could buddy walk - oh but it was still agonizly slow...

sheila

yakmom wrote:

http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1001312

Thanks for pointing us to the article. Good work, I'm glad you
and the others saved Dawn's life.

Good advice about securing gear before the helicopter arrives.
Rescue classes never covered that.

"Bill Tuthill" wrote in message ...
yakmom wrote:

http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1001312

Thanks for pointing us to the article. Good work, I'm glad you
and the others saved Dawn's life.

Good advice about securing gear before the helicopter arrives.
Rescue classes never covered that.


Really?? That was definately covered in both my WEMT and SOLO couses, as
supposedly the swirling winds of the heliocopter can toss things up enough
to get into the blades, or get sucked into the intakes. We learned to either
move everything FAR away, or shove everything small enough into a kayak, or
pack it into a big pile, clip the pfds together and make a 'net' to cover
things, and have someone lay on it.

--riverman