[Radio chatter]
Go for first aid.
This is Derik with the excavator. Scott fell on his way up to see me.
It's pretty bad. His leg's messed up and he hit his head.
Is he talking? Is he bleeding? Is there anyone else there?
He's talking, but it's just us two—I don't know what to do.
I can't get him down the hill. His leg's just—he can't walk.
Okay, keep calm, don't move him. Where are you?
We're at, uh—I don't know. What block is this?
31? 132? I don't know.
We're right up the main road, just past the fork by the 17 km mark.
Which block?
I don't know! The block right after the fork. It's right off the main line, right by the beaver pond.
The lake?
The lake, the pond, whatever, yeah!
Okay, I got it. Keep him warm and comfortable, and don't let him move or fall asleep.
The ETV's close by; I should be there in 10 or 15.
Scott's always on us about knowing our exact location. I just couldn't remember at the time.
And the fact that Scott didn't know—that worried me. He was kinda out of it.
When an injury occurs, really anywhere in the bush, they teach you there's a 60-minute window
to get someone to the hospital after an injury: the golden hour.
I've seen a lot of different situations as a first aider ... most of them pretty basic.
We've got Scott halfway up. We're going to need the stretcher.
Let's do it.
When I got to the block, I didn't realize how different this one was going to be.
I was relieved to see Harry and the guys come up that hill.
They couldn't get there fast enough. It took them forever to get through that slash.
I was like "Come on, man, let's go—we've got to get him out of here!"
Scott, it's Harry from first aid. Don't move, okay?
Okay, what I need you to do is take a deep breath for me, all right?
Okay, left ankle or right ankle?
Left ankle, okay.
Listen bud, we're going to get you out of here—Scotty!
Derik, we're going to need our exact location, do you have it in the machine?
Yeah.
Okay, what I want you to do is call Rich, the super from the other site, tell him we need a helicopter right now. Go!
What are you doing?
We're going to bandage his head, aren't we?
Just put that down!
No, no, no, don't move him. We're not going to move him.
Rich, this is Der ... My supervisor's hurt ... First aid ... Harry...
Did you say someone's hurt?
Scott's hurt! He was coming up to me and he fell on block ... 236.
Harry's here and we need a helicopter ASAP.
Okay, 236, got it. What's Scott's condition?
He's unconscious, he fell!
When I got the call I went straight for the emergency response plan.
Well the sat phone's battery had power, which was good because I don't use it much.
But I couldn't get a signal where I was.
Scott was coming in and out of consciousness, which was freaky.
Okay, everybody grab a corner. We're going to go slow and steady; watch your footing, okay?
We knew we needed to get him out of there.
Ready and ... up.
Our ERP is pretty good—at least I think it is. We have all the pieces.
But when Derik told me it was Scott ... that was unnerving.
Normally he takes care of our safety stuff. Nobody considered he might be the one we'd have to look after.
[Ringing] Coastal Transport, how can I help you?
This is Rich Johnson of ForTech Logging. We've had an accident and we need a helivac.
I'm sorry, Mr. Johnson, we're all socked in here.
Nobody's flying in or out until the weather clears, and I don't have an ETA on when that could be.
Well it's all clear here; is anyone flying?
No, no one's flying. You're going to have to call ground transport. Do you have a number for the ambulance?
Yeah, I got it.
It's one thing to climb the block by yourself...
It's another to carry a 200-something-pound guy down in a stretcher.
That was ridiculously tough.
Not getting the helicopter was huge.
Now calling an ambulance and getting them up here—that was going to be tricky and it was going to take a lot more time.
BC Ambulance, for what city please?
I'm 25 km north of Harrison on a logging road.
What's the address of the emergency?
There isn't an address, we're in the bush! I can give you the directions to the location.
Okay, go ahead.
Take highway 44 north...
Well they kept asking questions I didn't know how to answer.
So I realized it was going to be easier to just meet the ambulance and lead them in myself.
Easy...
Argh, this is crazy!
I can't see anything!
Come in, Harry.
Okay, okay, put him down. Gentle...
It's Harry, what's up?
Yeah, the helicopter can't fly.
Seriously?
Yeah, I need you to package Scott up in the ETV and meet us at the junction beside the swamp.
Okay, we'll do our best. What swamp?
The swamp! The one with the beaver dam for cryin' out loud!
The lake?
Sure, the lake. There's a wide spot there we can rendezvous with the ambulance.
Okay, got to go.
Let's go!
You know, I tell the guys we have to practice this stuff...
You can't just take the ERP from one site and move it to the other.
Things change; there's different workers, equipment, access. Every site's different.
I just wanted to get there as quick as possible and meet the ambulance.
I was probably driving too fast.
Okay, who's driving?
Aren't you?
I've got to stay in the back with Scott. Can you drive this?
Yeah, I'll drive it, yeah!
Okay do it!
Okay.
Now!
Okay.
At that point, we were just praying that Scott would be okay.
I mean ... Nobody wants to see this happen.
I got to the spot pretty fast. But waiting for the ambulance...
I realized they might be at the other turnout.
So I raced down the road and they'd been waiting for 15 minutes.
We're right where you said. Where are you guys?
You think you have your safety procedures down, but it never goes the way you think.
It takes so long to get help in the bush, every minute counts.
[Sirens]
You hear a lot about the so-called golden hour and you think that's going to be plenty of time.
Evacuations aren't easy.
Everybody thinks "Just call a helicopter and everything will be okay."
But that's not how it works.
We followed our ERP ... We should've practiced.
Getting Scott out took way too long.
Don't wait for an emergency to find out if your plan will work. Know your plan and practice it.