This ones for everyone in the snow belt, especially those who cater to the snowmobiles. How often do you go out to rescue some drunken snowmobiler who has wrecked? We have a few sleds around but not many calls. I’ve always wondered because I use to have sleds and always went up north, we were lucky no one ever got hurt to bad, never had to call for help. The speeds of the equipment and the places they stop have got to produce some bad scenes. I was always told if you didn’t wreck, you weren’t riddin right.
They are in the process of passing a new law....You cannot ride a sled with more horsepower than you have IQ points....should remedy the problems......Paul
Over the past 10 years or so I can only remember a few in the entire county. Most weren't rescues, either - more like body recoveries.
One went skidding over a lake and hit a patch of thin ice, and broke through. Another got closelined by a wire fence. There was at least one fatal head-on crash, too. One lucky soul wrecked in an unpopulated area; the 911 calltaker was able to plot the caller's location thanks to the enhanced 911 system, and the injured party was found fairly quickly.
Permalink Reply by Bull on January 11, 2009 at 12:39pm
We usually have a couple here a year. Nieghboring counties have had a few fatalities already this year, 3 people in one accident, just an example. We have alot of snowmobilers here, big tourist area. Probably get some this coming week when the high temp is suppose to be around 5 below, love them calls, freeze your nuts off.
We always seem to have a few every year. Like Bull said...lots o' sleds and tourists and adult beverages. Pick any two and you'll be alright, add the third and look out. We see accidents on trails and usually somebody will end up throught the ice on one of our many area lakes, rivers etc. We have an ATV with a rescue tobbogan we can tow behind either it or a sled depending on conditions. The dept. works closely with both the local ATV club and the local snowmobile club for access to sleds, ATVs and the like. We also have a 20' airboat we use on the lakes. It cover both ice and open water just fine. But again like Bull said dress warm and be prepared for a long call. It definetly keeps it interesting.
Derby next weekend, I think. Been up your way many times years ago, always stayed at Three lakes. I remember being at a race, and up until a couple of years ago, was the coldest ever, -20, had to stand on cooler lids to keep from freezing your feet, ya I know younger and dumber.
We do what we can....always remember the rule from EMS class....."You can't fix stupid".....I don't really understand...sleds that will do over 100mph....hell I don't want to do 100 in my truck...why would I want to go that fast on a sled....?? Oh well...its good for business.....Stay safe all....Paul
Paul, Joe, and the rest, you right, and that’s why I started this, I look back and can see how stupid we were, although we were lucky, it doesn’t change that fact. Our group rode mainly through the 80’s and even back then most had sleds that would do 100, fastest I was ever clocked was 104, STUPID! Then we would ride from bar to bar and can attest to the fact that with each adult beverage you got dumber and the worst part, you got more courage. I can remember being at a bar in Wisconsin, big picture window overlooking a lake, with a little open water. There were 2 t-shirts on the wall you could earn (ain’t that an automatic dare?) “I skipped the water and made it” or well you should know the other. 1 of ours did and made it, no not me, but there were more than a few in this bar drying clothes. I look back with no regrets, we all made it through with nothing major, but it just made me thing about being a FF up there, sittin in a nice warm house, when the tones drop to venture out into sub-zero weather to rescue some dumb-ass. I for one would be pissed.
Permalink Reply by T.J. on January 14, 2009 at 8:00am
We've got over 100 different trails here in my county (Northern Michigan) and we get people all over the state so we'll get about 50-70 calls a year in our county that need the rescue sled to get the patient out.