Shuswap Search and Rescue was able to get a badly injured man smoothly out of the back-country Thursday afternoon, thanks to a perfect combination of factors.
The call came in at 1:20 p.m. on Feb. 2, explained Shuswap SAR spokesperson John Schut.
A 27-year-old man who had been snowmobiling on Queest Mountain near Sicamous suffered a severe lower abdominal injury. No further details were provided.
According to volunteers, luck, weather and daylight were on their side, as they were able to use a helicopter to access and transport the man.
Schut said Selkirk Mountain Helicopters was called and six people met the helicopter at the Salmon Arm airport.
It took them to Queest Mountain.
“It landed fairly near him. He had to walk a little bit which was not pleasant for him but he was able to do that,” said Schut.
Along with the patient, six Shuswap SAR volunteers were put in the helicopter, three of them to stabilize the man.
The helicopter first landed at Shuswap Lake General Hospital, but it was soon determined the injury was too serious and he was taken to Vernon Jubilee Hospital.
All of Shuswap SAR members have first aid training, 18 with Wilderness Advanced First Aid and four are Wilderness First Responders.
Schut said the rescue went quickly and safely, with all the volunteers home by 5 p.m. Schut hadn’t heard how the patient was doing as of Friday afternoon, Feb. 3.
“It is not fun for anyone to be that injured,” he remarked.
