What You Should Do If You Get Hurt in the Woods When Alone

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I found out today a friend of mine was hit by a widow maker a month ago. He survived but his days in the woods are over. He took a limb on his shoulder pad, which according to the doctor, saved his life. He ended up with a broken collar bone, four broken ribs, and a shattered scapula. Cal Fire refused to drive across the bridge the log trucks had been using, fortunately the ambulance saw no problem doing so. Before the job started the company identified locations where there was cell phone service and landing zones and both were used. It took 30 minutes for the ambulance to reach him (he was working right along a road) and then maybe another 30 minutes to get to the LZ. It will be a very long recovery.
 
I think he will be alright, loggers have strong wills. Tell him to keep his chin up. Loggers have no scars for sale.
Tel him John the Cull from Canada wishes him the best.
 
I found out today a friend of mine was hit by a widow maker a month ago. He survived but his days in the woods are over. He took a limb on his shoulder pad, which according to the doctor, saved his life. He ended up with a broken collar bone, four broken ribs, and a shattered scapula. Cal Fire refused to drive across the bridge the log trucks had been using, fortunately the ambulance saw no problem doing so. Before the job started the company identified locations where there was cell phone service and landing zones and both were used. It took 30 minutes for the ambulance to reach him (he was working right along a road) and then maybe another 30 minutes to get to the LZ. It will be a very long recovery.

Sorry about your friend. CalFire give any reason why they wouldn't cross the bridge?
ID-ing cell phone spots is a good idea. On most of our jobs you'll see a big letter C painted on trees in white. It helps.
 
I'm ID'ing cell phone coverage on the fort in GIS right now. Eventually I'll have a local map that will identify not only the spots where the coverage works but also where it specifically doesn't. I'll grade them by color, I think.
 
Well Steve, my friend who was injured, can move his arm a little bit and the swelling is down enough for an MRI. The bad news is the MRI revealed a severely torn rotator cuff. I have a mildly torn RC from helping a friend process firewood last summer. After two painful cortisone shots I can move my arm about half as much as before the tear. I probably won't need surgery. He will.

It will 2 months before he can take a ride into the woods because of the rough roads.
 
CalFire give any reason why they wouldn't cross the bridge?

Many fire agencies are implementing policies where we won't cross an un-rated private bridge. Since most states allow fire apparatus to have overweight axles without permits, we tend to be a little leary of bridges. There have been several incidents where fire apparatus have collapsed bridges that have survived use by other commercial trucks.
 
Many fire agencies are implementing policies where we won't cross an un-rated private bridge. Since most states allow fire apparatus to have overweight axles without permits, we tend to be a little leary of bridges. There have been several incidents where fire apparatus have collapsed bridges that have survived use by other commercial trucks.

The collapsed bridges...were they in Washington? I don't remember that happening down here. I've seen a couple of Cats go through old and badly maintained bridges but I can't think of a case where a truck, fire or otherwise, collapsed a bridge.
Examples?
 
Bob, I don't have a picture but one of our firetrucks collapsed a short bridge here in town just last year at a small apartment complex. After the accident, it looked to me to have been more of a homemade concrete box culvert than a bridge; the truck didn't care. It had been in use for years and appeared to be of substance particularly given its short length, but again, the truck didn't care. I believe the FD took it to heart and made note. Ron
 
Most of the really sketchy bridges have been dealt with around here...

There where a few that where still made from old growth logs tossed across a ravine and covered with rough cut 4xwhatevers... and never painted or maintained.... since the CCC days and the beginnings of log trucks. Guard rails like 4" high and a drop of 50-100' a guy could see through them in more then a few places
 

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