Forest
Lakes, AZ – Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Snow Cat and Search and Rescue volunteers
were utilized to transport a patient from Young, AZ to waiting ambulance to a hospital
in Payson, AZ.
The
Coconino County Sheriff’s Office had deployed and pre-positioned a Snow Cat
with a Search and Rescue crew to Forest Lakes in preparation for the heavy snow
fall. The crew and machine were in place
to respond to and support the communities of Forest Lakes and Heber in Navajo
County.
The
Coconino County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the Forest Lakes Fire
Department over deployment of the Snow Cat. Forest Lakes Fire would support the
operation with housing the crew and placing a paramedic on the snow cat. Forest
Lakes Fire had coordinated with surrounding Fire Departments and ambulance
companies of the added resource of the snow cat.
Around
8:00 PM the Pleasant Valley Fire Department and Life Line Ambulance responded
to a diabetic emergency in Young, AZ. Life Line Ambulance, knowing they could
not make it to the call due to impassable roads, contacted Forest Lakes Fire
requesting the snow cat response. The search and rescue crew with a Forest
Lakes Fire paramedic responded near Young.
The
Snow Cat and crew traveled approximately 12 miles towards Young during heavy
snow fall with visibility down to 10 feet. They arrived at the patient shortly
after 10:00 PM where Pleasant Valley Fire transferred the patient to the Snow
Cat and paramedic.
The
crew traveled the 12 miles back to State Route 260, then transported the
patient another 6 miles to ColCourd Camp Ground in Gila County (between Forest
Lakes and Payson) and transferred the patient to Life Line Ambulance. Life Line
was able to transport the patient to a hospital in Payson.
The
Forest Lakes Fire Department, Pleasant Valley Fire Department, Life Line
Ambulance, Gila County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Sheriff’s
Office deputy and Search and Rescue volunteers were involved in this operation
The
Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all the agencies for their pre-planning,
communication, coordination and participation in making this operation and
response a success.
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