Eminence, MO – On Sunday August 1, a 911 call was received for a person who had fallen from a rock on the horse trails near Lick Log north of Eminence. Two Shannon County First Responders were dispatched and were the first local unit on the scene. They found two vacationing paramedics from the St Louis area were already providing care to the injured party. They had in fact created an ingenious total body splint using a horse pad and horse tack. The First Responders requested additional assistance from the Eminence Area Volunteer Fire Department who responded quickly. The Eminence Area Volunteer Fire Department was able to obtain a UTV and transported a local Mercy EMT and paramedic to the scene, which was about a half mile from the nearest road.
The patient was carefully stabilized, using both the “saddle splint” and more traditional equipment and was given medications to prevent them from feeling pain before they were loaded into the back of the UTV. They were then transported down the trail at a walking speed, with the three paramedics riding in the vehicle, and an EMT and firefighter walking behind just in case the patient slipped backwards in spite of being well secured.
Other Eminence firefighters secured a landing zone on a gravel bar nearby on the Jacks Fork River. A Mercy Lifeflight helicopter landed and the patient was transported to St Louis. They have serious spinal injuries but are expected to recover. The First Responders stated that they would like to thank several vacationers who helped transport them and their gear to the scene with their personal UTVs.
