News
CHCRS is now going door to door
requesting donation for the squad. This supports the Cave / Cliff /
Technical Unit, the Rehab Unit, and Field Air Truck operations. The Cave
/ Cliff / Technical Unit will respond to calls anywhere in the USA,
Canada or Mexico. Contact President JC Thompson for information.
president@chcrs.org
Top Stories:
Cave Rescue at Raccoon Mountain Caverns 5.11.2010
A high school field trip to Raccoon Mountain Caverns yesterday turned
into quite an ordeal for one of the adult chaperones. The class
from Heritage High School in Catoosa County was nearly a mile deep into
the cave system when one of the adults, a 38-year-old woman, slipped and
injured one of her ankles. Unable to walk out on her own, Raccoon
Mountain staff called for help.
The Chattanooga Fire Department responded shortly after noon.
After determining that a technical rescue was going to be involved,
Battalion Chief Rodney Jones requested help from the Cave/Cliff Unit
with Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue. The students and faculty
were brought out the cave while the volunteer cave rescue personnel
responded to the scene from around the area..
Fortunately, the victim was in good hands. Patty Perlaky,
the tour guide and geologist with Raccoon Mountain Caverns, is also a
member of Rescue's Cave/Cliff Unit. Another tour guide, Ewing
Ballard, has "Wilderness EMT" training and certification.
Together, they put a splint and cold pack on the victim's leg and took
care of her until the rescue workers arrived.
Shortly after 2:00 p.m., rescue workers with the cave/cliff team
made their way to the victim. Assistant Chief Buddy Lane says they
packaged the victim in a Stokes basket and then began the long, arduous
process of carrying her back to the cavern's entrance. [See
attached photos from Chief Lane.]
The rescue took about three-and-a-half hours to complete.
Once out of the cave, the woman was handed off to medics with Hamilton
County EMS, who transported her to Erlanger Medical Center. Chief
Lane said the victim was "in good spirits throughout the ordeal but was
relieved to be out of the cave."
Photos by Asst. Chief Buddy Lane
# 0053 – Cave/Cliff rescue members secured the victim in a
Stokes basket before heading out.
# 0058 – It was a tight squeeze in some places as they carried the
victim out.
# 0060 – The rescue workers had to take turns carrying the victim during
the 3 ½ hour rescue operation.
# 0077 – Members of Rescue’s Cave/Cliff Unit pose for a photo after
successfully carrying the victim out of the cave. The man in the
white shirt on the left is Battalion Chief Rodney Jones with the
Chattanooga Fire Department. Asst. Chief Buddy Lane is not in the
photo because he was the photographer.