Lake Country fire crews responded to its second ATV accident in two weeks as emergency crews were called to a remote area off of Beaver Lake Road Saturday afternoon.
A man riding in a group of ATV riders had rolled his vehicle and broken his leg in the accident and his leg was pinned between the ATV and the tree.
One of the riders in the group drove down to the Heavy Equipment School in Winfield to call 911 and to ask for help. A first-aid attendant from the school joined the ATV rider and went back to the scene, while Lake Country emergency officials deployed its specialized ATV to access the remote location.
“We were able to drive in about a kilometre with regular trucks but then had to use the specialty ATV and we took our crews up there and then transported B.C. Ambulance up as well,” said fire chief Steve Windsor.
An air ambulance was also called in as it was decided the safest way to transport the rider to hospital was by air.
It took about 90 minutes for the man to have his leg freed and to be stabilized before being brought out.
Windsor said the man was lucky to be riding in a group or it could have been worse.
“When you are on a motor vehicle in the back-country, sometimes accidents occur,” he said. “It’s important to be wearing the proper safety equipment and riding with a group. In this case there was an accident but someone was there to stay with him as well as another person to go and get help.”
The firefighting ATV can seat four emergency personnel and also tows a specialized trailer that can store medical equipment and also carries a basket stretcher.
Windsor said they get a lot of use out of the ATV that was purchased five years ago.
“Buying it was a result of a fire off Glenmore Road,” said Windsor. “At the time we were having very difficult time accessing some fires. This unit also carries water and has a water pump on it and we’ve used it to access fires in tougher terrains.”
