This Was Not A Test
written by John on 05/20/2001
Many who have visited and loved the VOL Community land, have also had apprehensions concerning the remoteness of the property. In particular they have been concerned about the inevitable medical emergency and how we could possibly respond in an expedient fashion, given the difficulty of access, in and out.
Well, on March 18, 2001 we, who call ourselves the VOL Community, were pleasantly surprised to find that not only are we blessed with caring neighbors (some of whom we had never met before) but that we also have access to a state-of-the-art emergency evacuation system.
The previous night Tim and John hiked up South Mountain to solicit help for Kitty who had been seriously hurt in a fall. Within an hour of calling for help from neighbors’ Steve and Rene’s home phone, volunteers from as far away as Clarksville (about 40 miles by vehicle) were on the scene and eager to do whatever it took to get Kitty to the medical attention she needed.
In the waning daylight, and eventually by flashlight, these Angels of Mercy hiked down South Mountain and across a small river to help someone they had never before met. Miss Kitty was given a preliminary examination and though it was determined that she would need the care of a hospital it was also determined that it would not be possible to move her that evening. The ten or so volunteers vowed to return the next day with a helicopter, if that is what was needed.
The next day about thirty volunteers returned. After a doctor examined Miss Kitty and determined that the only safe option for her evacuation was by air, the property was scouted for a suitable area where a helicopter could land. At first, when none of the existing open spaces looked safe for a landing, the volunteers promised that she would be taken to a hospital even if they had to hike her up South Mountain on a stretcher, taking shifts among the thirty of them.
In quick fashion however, it was agreed that time was of the essence, and we reluctantly tore down a sizeable portion of the garden’s fencing so that a suitable landing area for a helicopter would be available. After a few relays by two-way radio to the top of South Mountain, calls were made from there, and within 30 minutes the welcome beating of helicopter wings could be heard.
Although Kitty has made remarkable progress from the injuries she sustained, such may not have been the case if she could not have been flown out, as she did have fractures in two of her vertebrae. If it had been necessary to hike her out, or ride her out in a four-wheel drive vehicle, it is likely that her injuries would have been aggravated. Fortunately, because of this experience plans are now underway for making a permanent helipad on the VOL Community land. This pad will not only serve as peace of mind to VOL Community members, but will be used as an air-evacuation area for any hikers/campers/backpackers who are in need of emergency medical evacuation.
The luck of St. Pat’s Day may not have been with Miss Kitty on the 17th of March, but he made it up to her, and all who love the VOL Community, in great bounty on the 18th of March.
