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LBSAR complete rescues by land and air

LBSAR team deploying wheeled stretcher.

By SAR Manager Ed Langford

A suspected broken ankle on Tunnel Bluffs trail kicked off the start of a busy long weekend for Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR).

The page was relayed to LB shortly after noon on Saturday. Being a long weekend, we had a number of members away, but always have enough resources to manage the situation.

The subject was located around three kilometres into the trail, so it was decided a wheeled stretcher would be appropriate to avoid the use of a helicopter and a long line rescue.

Five field team members were dispatched in two vehicles, which drove up to the trail head and then hiked in to find the injured hiker. The patient was located where expected, first-aid was rendered and they were packaged in the stretcher for transport down the trail. 

The trek back down the hill went smoothly, including traversing the log bridge with the stretcher. The hiker was loaded into the rescue truck and transported back to their own car, where their husband was able to drive them to seek hospital care and x-rays.

As the team were loading 'patient one' into the truck shortly after 4 p.m., a second urgent call came in for a medical rescue near the summit of Brunswick.

Initial reports were for a very elevated heart rate in a young hiker who had been previously diagnosed with heart issues.

Back at base, we learned North Shore Rescue were ready for redeployment. Since one of our members is also on the NSR hoist-tech team, they were aware NSR had just successfully completed a rescue. Luckily, the helicopter doctor, long-line coordinator and a long-line tech were immediately available from NSR’s Capilano compound. 

This crew attended Lions Bay to collect a Lions Bay member and reshuffled the crew, leaving the long line tech and gear at the base.

Field assessment determined the young hiker was incapable of walking themselves to a helicopter site, and so the long-line extrication that is so visible to residents of the Village was put into play. 

This hiker was lifted out and turned over to a waiting ambulance crew, after which he was transported to hospital. After they had hiked out, the group of friends he was with reported that he is doing better.

On Sunday, LBSAR was paged for a bleeding head injury on St Marks, but this call was turned over to NSR as it is within their jurisdiction.

In spite of recent rain, there is no appreciable water after passing Magnesia Creek, so for the balance of the summer, hikers are warned to ensure they pack along adequate water and fluids to prevent dehydration.

Electrolytes and even some old fashioned salt are a good way of ensuring a successful outing. Hikers are always reminded to carry the 10 essentials, as once you stop moving due to injury or circumstance, people can get hypothermia even in the summer if at elevation and the clouds roll in.

Longline rescue of injured hiker. Photos courtesy LBSAR.

Editor's Note: LBSAR undertakes these callouts without question or charge.

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