Gilmer County Public Safety personnel put their training into practice during a rescue in the Rich Mountain area.
An individual on a Labor Day motorcycle ride was 8 miles up a forest service road when he was involved in a crash, said Gilmer County Public Safety Director Keith Kucera.
A rescue involved “a few different moving parts.”
First rescuers used a Utility Terrain Vehicle to reach the site of the accident. The man was then prepped for transport for possible broken clavicle, possible spinal injuries and other injuries.
Brought out by UTV the man was then transferred to an ambulance at Rock Creek Road where he was taken to Rock Creek Baptist Church where he was life flighted out.
Well over a dozen people were involved in the rescue from Gilmer County Fire and Rescue, Public Safety and the sheriff’s department.
An update on the motorcyclist’s condition was unavailable.
Kucera said his department deals with a minimum of two dozen deep woods rescues during a season, which can include hikers and bikers.
“We do annual training, going out and doing different types of exercises,” he said.
Training typically involves hiking into an area for about a mile and then dealing with different types of scenarios and transports.
Gilmer County has plenty of trails with lots of beautiful scenery.
“The one thing I can ask people to do is please be safe,” Kucera said.
People should use proper protective equipment, be aware of their surroundings, be aware of wildlife and let someone know where they will be and expected times they should be home.
Do not rely on cell phones for GPS because batteries drain faster if there is no cell signal. He recommended getting a handheld GPS for hiking and exploring.
“Our biggest thing is to stress safety,” he said. “Enjoy the outdoors, but just do it safely.”