Rural landing zone helps ATV accident victim

Peace and quiet. Getting back to nature. Wildlife watching. It’s the reason so many people come to visit Maine. Those fortunate enough to live here take advantage of Maine’s natural resources as often as possible. Cindy Annis, of Hampden, has been camping with her family in a remote area of northern Hancock County since she was a child. Today, she and her husband make the three hour drive over dirt roads every summer to bring their teenage son to Unknown Lake for some swimming, canoeing and fishing.

During last summer’s camping trip, Cindy and her friend, Melissa, were driving ATVs into town to pick up supplies. As they made their way down a slight incline, Cindy’s ATV unexpectedly hit soft gravel and rolled down a 30-foot embankment. Cindy came to a stop against a large boulder. Fortunately, she was wearing a helmet. However, her chest and shoulders were in a great deal of pain. Although she didn’t know it yet, Cindy’s accident had left her with a broken collarbone, three broken ribs, a lacerated liver and a collapsed lung. Her friend helped her back up to the road, just as a pickup truck happened by. When the driver, Sam Dana, stopped to help, he realized how badly Cindy was hurt and remembered seeing a helicopter landing zone just a few miles up the road. Melissa went ahead to find the landing zone and call for the helicopter.

“This landing zone was nearly perfect,” remembers Carol Jordan, the flight nurse on board the helicopter. “It was open, flat, and had an enormous sign with the area’s GPS coordinates. It had everything but the big red H! The entire process ran like clockwork.”

Rural landing zones such as the one that helped save Cindy are being established across the state with help from local ATV and snowmobile clubs, game wardens and sporting camp owners. Having rapid access to emergency care is an important link in Maine’s trauma system.

Cindy looks forward to returning to her favorite camping spot for many years to come, comfortable in the knowledge that, if it’s ever needed again, she’ll know how to get help fast.

CREW MEMBERS
CommSpec Brian Porter : Pilot Joe Obremski
Nurse Carol Jordan : Paramedic Pete Allen