[at-l] Helicopter rescue question (was Cell phones and safety

> This begs a general question related to helicopter rescue...
>
> At what point does a rescue warrant a helicopter?  I know there are quite
a
> number of factors to consider such as number of people available to
perform
> the rescue, how long it would take to get them to the accident site, the
> terrain, how far 'in', whether or not there is a military group in the
area
> in need of some "training" exercises, and even the rescuees ability to pay
> (true in some parts of the world), etc.
>
> I once helped with a rescue off Mt. Monadnock.  There were 22 of us
> available to help carry a litter down with a woman who hurt her ankle.  We
> ended up carrying her down ~1.8 miles or so.  We took only two short
breaks
> the entire time and probably kept the litter moving about 1 MPH - either
> walking it along the easier sections or passing it down the line, conveyor
> belt style, in the rough and steep sections.
>
> There was never any consideration of a helicopter and I suspect the only
> time a helicopter would be called into Monadnock St. Pk. would be if there
> was an immediately life threatening issue - if at all.  The furthest from
a
> road you can get in the park is probably 3-3.5 miles.
>
> So anyway, at what point are helicopters used for rescue?
>
> I'm sure some of you have some professional or amateur experience with SAR
> and could offer some insight.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mara - who had to walk her own sore elbow down into Irwin, TN  :-)
> Stitches, GAME99
>
>
> >From: Phil Heffington <phil.heffington@oc.edu>
> >...
> >My first hike of several days left a
> >member of our group with a broken ankle, fourteen miles from the nearest
> >trailhead.  The cell phone wouldn't reach out from the spot and it took
us
> >24 hours to get her out.  By the way, we had to carry her over a mile to
> >get
> >to a spot where the helicopter could land - no hoist after all.
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