Using the internet (and the dirtbike community) as a form of 9-1-1

[nikki]

Using the internet as a form of 9-1-1

Check out this thread - good stuff!!! :cool:

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/sh...97/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/all

 

[MikeT]

WOW. That was GREAT! Kind of reminds me of when 9-11 happened. I couldn't get through to anyone of my family in New York, but I was able to use email and get updates from people there via DRN.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Whoa, that was incredible. Nice team work there.

 

[nikki]

Made the Reno paper: http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2004/06/13/73054.php

 

[GETMETOCA]

That is an incredible story!!!!

 

[KaBooM]

That is mind blowing. That should be posted on Yahoo news front page. Very heroic.

 

[Treejumper]

Very cool!

 

[Brian]

I'm not a member on ThumperTalk, could someone copy-paste this?

 

[JWW]

Ray Hagar (more stories by author)
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
6/13/2004 11:45 pm
A 42-year-old nurse suffering from a life-threatening medical problem and stranded 150 miles from Reno was rescued Sunday after a companion sent a text-message plea via satellite to an Internet chat room, officials said.

A Colorado man who was logged onto the chat room telephoned the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority in Reno after he read pleas for help on a Web site devoted to motorcycles, REMSA officials said.

Care Flight dispatched a helicopter to pick up Sydney Sorenson and fly her to Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Reno. She believed she had a possible bowel perforation from a colonoscopy.

She remained in the hospital Sunday night but was not in serious condition, a hospital spokesman said. Sorenson could not be reached for comment.

“I feel fortunate to have been online and be able to help,” said William French, 29, of Castle Rock, Colo. “It is one of the more active news groups, so it’s not like they would post it and no one would see it for hours. I was just probably the first to see it.”

Sorenson was with her husband, Wayne, and a friend named Tim at Soldier Meadows Guest Ranch and Lodge, north of the Black Rock Desert. Tim, whose last name was not available, sent messages to www.thumpertalk.com. Soldier Meadows is a family-owned working cattle ranch that bills itself as one of the largest and most remote guest ranches in the nation. It offers cattle drives, trail rides, hunting treks and horsemanship clinics.

“The woman involved knew this was an extreme medical emergency and she knew this way was about the only way to get help,” said Russ Barnum, operations manager of REMSA in Reno. “It is such a remote area, no radios, nothing else would work.”

Today, REMSA officials will visit French in Colorado to congratulate him, Barnum said.

“We have a couple of dispatchers going to Colorado for a conference and they are going to meet with this guy and give him a big thank you,” Barnum said.

Tim sent three messages to the Web site in 13 minutes Sunday morning before French responded.

“This is no joke,” the first message said. “I am in an area above Reno with no phone, only satellite Internet. I need someone to call Care Flight in Reno and send them to Soldier Meadows Ranch.”

The next message, sent two minutes later, said:

“Forty-two-year old woman, having trouble breathing, she is a nurse at Saint Mary’s. She wants a Care Flight.”

The third message said, “Come on guys, I may have a woman dying here, won’t someone help?”

It was then that French logged on, saw the messages and alerted REMSA in Reno.

Within two hours of the initial plea, Care Flight had picked up Sorenson and was flying her back to Reno. French earlier had contacted Sorenson and her party to tell them help was on the way.

The incident left French with an important question:

“I wonder that if you only have a satellite Internet connection, how would you contact 911 or any other emergency service?” French asked.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Stan, check that link again, I'm not a subscriber to TT but I was able to view it.

I wouldn't be surprised if Date-Line or Prime Time Live didn't pick up on this story

 

[Hondaxrguy]

It made our local news here in Seattle today. :cool:

Jeremy

 

[nikki]

Awesome!

 

[XR50justin]

that was a weird story

 

[Wolf]

That is a way cool story! Kudos to all involved.

 

[Kav]

that's awesome