Leslie County, Kentucky -- Most rescuers are pre-programed to save lives whenever called upon to do so. However, at times we’re asked to perform our services with no hope of saving a life. Rather, we’re asked to effect a recovery; a “body removal.” As rescuers, we then switch gears and consider the service we are performing is not for the benefit of the deceased, but for the ‘peace of mind’ of surviving family members. This article is about one such recovery in a small Eastern Kentucky community outside of Hyden known as Hurricane.
At 7:45 PM Tuesday evening October 28, 2008, Leslie County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Wendover - Hurricane Creek Road. It was reported “a family member had found their father on the ground some distance back in the woods.” Responding deputies found obvious signs of death on the victim, so the Leslie County Coroner was dispatched to the scene. Familiar with the rugged terrain of the area, dispatchers suggested that Cutshin Fire/Rescue’s ‘ATV Rescue Team’ be toned out as well. Knowing the off-road patient transport capabilities of Cutshin’s team, the Coroner agreed. Also, Thousand Sticks VFD with their ARGO 8X8 off-road / amphibious vehicle was dispatched to assist. The ARGO can seat up to 6 personnel and carry 1000 pounds of equipment on land. As such, this vehicle was used to transport additional personnel and gear.
Upon arrival at the residence, Chief Michael Joseph, Cutshin Fire & Rescue, was advised of a male 52 years of age, that had been found on the ground at the base of a tree, under a deer stand. The actual scene was approximately 1-1/2 miles up a rough cut trail that snaked it’s way up the mountainside from behind the house. Chief Joseph checked topographical maps of the area and noted the elevation at the residence was about 1000 feet. Also, Joseph observed that the trail switched back and forth for over a mile before reaching the scene which was near the 1600 foot elevation contour. After briefing his team, a Yamaha Rhino with rope rescue equipment and Cutshin’s 4X4 Suzuki 500 ATV with an ‘All Terrain ResQ’ patient transport trailer started up the narrow winding trail. Arriving on scene at 8:30 PM, the ‘ATV ResQ Team’ waited for Sheriff’s Deputies and the Coroner to complete their on-site investigation. By 9:15 PM, the victim had been packaged into a basket stretcher and securely loaded onto the patient transport trailer for the trip down the mountainside.
Just 20 minutes later, at 9:35 PM, Cutshin’s ‘ATV ResQ Team’ safely delivered the deceased to a waiting hearse. Realizing the 1-1/2 mile long 600 foot decent over a rough cut trail required only 20 minutes to perform, both Sheriff’s Deputies and the Coroner remarked how in the past recovery missions like this took over 3 hours and involved 8 to 12 additional personnel just to perform the carry out operation.