On Monday December 22nd 2014, around 10:30am Lions Bay Search and Rescue responded to the Lonetree Creek hiking trail in the Lions Bay area to assist with a reportedly critically injured child after rockfall in the Lonetree Creek drainage.
Lions Bay Search and Rescue initial response team members deployed to the forward staging area of the Unnecessary/Lonetree Creek trail junction. Two LBSAR members, one an advanced care paramedic with advanced wilderness medical equipment, proceeded on foot to respond to the injured subject. Portions of the large hiking group who were with the subject at the time of injury, including three nurses, were encountered hiking out as LBSAR members made the 30 minute hike into the incident site.
Lions Bay Fire Rescue volunteer members had also responded and carried an impressive amount of rescue equipment into the area including a clamshell, basket stretcher, oxygen equipment, an AED and medical kit. When LBSAR members reached the subject circa 11:45am, the subject was found to have significant traumatic injury to the abdominal, pelvic and upper thigh regions. LB Fire Rescue personnel had taken over resuscitation efforts from the members of the hiking party and LBSAR further assisted their efforts on scene.
Concurrently, a LBSAR emergency trauma physician member was staged at the Lions Bay school field and subsequently inserted by a NSR helicopter long line (aka HETS) member into the incident site at around 1200hrs.
Once on scene LBSAR, LB Fire Rescue and NSR HETS members worked together in the attempt to resuscitate the subject in the steep creek drainage.
Despite significant effort and after advanced interventional medical/surgical procedures were performed in the field, the fatally injured child was unable to be resuscitated.
The subject was packaged and removed from the unstable creek bed by LBSAR & NSR HETS members to the Lions Bay school field where RCMP and BCAS representatives were present to receive the patient.
Our thoughts and sincerest condolences go out to the family, along with all those involved in this tragic incident. Along with our gratitude to those who came out to support the rescue efforts from both within the Lions Bay and extended Sea to Sky communities.