State park visitors in
good hands should emergencies arise
By KEN SILFVEN Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Wet,
cold, weary and frightened, the six young girls had been lost for hours in the
rugged expanse of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.
The
youngsters, ranging in age from 3 to 13, became separated from their parents
during a hike. A search that had been underway since before the darkness set in
was yielding no clues.
After
all, Michigan’s largest state park spans nearly 60,000 acres across parts of
two counties in the western Upper Peninsula. With soaring mountains, deep
valleys, thick hardwood and hemlock forests, and 100 miles of trails, the Porkies
don’t give up their secrets easily.
“When
people get lost off-trail we are literally looking for a needle in a haystack,”
said Michael Knack, supervisor of the state park for the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources’ Parks and Recreation Division, recalling the search for
children.
But
every minute mattered. Deteriorating weather conditions brought driving rain
and 40-degree temperatures. After scouring every mile within the presumed
general vicinity of the girls, Knack and his team caught a break at 2:30 a.m.
The
girls had made their way to the top of the Summit Peak observation tower, where
Knack spotted them. He’ll always remember that moment.
“When
the 3-year-old saw me coming up the stairs she leapt from the platform into my
arms and never let go,” he said. “I wrapped her in a space blanket and carried
her as she cried back to the trailhead and the waiting ambulance. She and the
other five girls were all found in good health.”
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State
parks have long been considered one of Michigan’s crown jewels, and for good
reason.
“They
offer something for everyone,” said Ron Olson, chief of DNR’s Parks and
Recreation Division. “Whether it’s breathtaking beauty, quality time with
family and friends, world-class recreational opportunities or pure solitude,
you can find a state park that offers the experience you’re looking for.”
But
outings don’t always go as planned.
As
attendance at Michigan’s 103 state parks increases, the DNR estimates there is
a corresponding rise in the number of medical emergencies and search and rescue
operations, though total statistics are not recorded.
At
the Porcupine Mountains alone, park staff averaged 11 to 18 searches during the
last four years. Each year, seven to 20 injuries occur that require medical
attention, according to Knack, a 15-year DNR veteran who also is a certified
firefighter and emergency medical technician.
The
types of emergencies in Michigan’s state parks tend to vary by region.
Those
in metropolitan areas typically involve lost children, while water rescues are
more prevalent in parks along Great Lakes shorelines.
Parks
with a large land mass and extensive trail networks, especially those in the
Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, are more likely to see
full-scale, long-duration searches for hikers, hunters and snowmobilers. These
full-scale operations may involve patrol vessels or aircraft.
While
the range and scope of incidents vary, Knack said they usually share common themes.
For example, day hikers seem to get lost more frequently than other visitors.
“They
show up at a trailhead or scenic site and just head off down the trail,” Knack
said. “The ones who get lost typically have not adequately acquainted
themselves with the park’s trail system. They didn’t stop at a visitor’s center
or a check station to get a map or speak with a ranger about their route or
current trail and weather conditions.
“They
underestimate the distance and topography of their route, and when night falls
they realize they are lost. And then they end up on the wrong trail or worse
yet – off the trail.”
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Then
there are backpackers, who seem more prone to sustaining backcountry injuries.
“They
often spend weeks or months planning for their excursion,” Knack said. “They’ve
usually studied their maps and routes and have a backpack full of gear. But
carrying a full backpack for several days can cause fatigue and exhaustion that
they’re not used to.”
Knack
estimated that backpackers have higher incidents of injuries such as sprained
or broken limbs, or pre-existing medical conditions that worsen after a few
days of carrying a heavy load over tough terrain or in inclement weather.
A
reliance on technology is a contributing factor to why some visitors get
lost, according to Gary Hagler, chief of the DNR Law Enforcement Division,
whose conservation officers often assist park rangers with emergencies.
“People
tend to rely too much on electronic devices such as cell phones or GPS, which
may not always work in remote areas,” Hagler said.
Hagler
encouraged park visitors to follow basic safety tips.
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“Always
plan ahead,” he said. “Get a map of the park, find a ranger and ask questions
about things like trail distances, conditions and the weather outlook. It’s
also good to pack essentials such as power bars for energy, a flashlight,
bandages and other lifesaving items. And, of course, don’t exceed your physical
limits. It’s the failure to plan that usually ruins an outing.”
Conservation
officers are trained in first aid and search and rescue techniques, which they
frequently are called upon to use in every corner of Michigan, including state
parks.
Newly
commissioned DNR park rangers also receive training to deal with missing-person
situations, as well as search and rescue operations. After their initial
training, staff at many of the individual state parks conduct their own
exercises to keep their skills current.
One
of the more extensive exercises was designed by Knack and other western U.P.
parks staff, in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Association
for Search and Rescue, the U.S. Forest Service and the Michigan State Police
Canine Unit.
The
week-long training was at Michigan Technological University’s Ford Forestry
Center in Alberta. It focused on the key principles of search and rescue, survival,
lost-person behavior, communication and more. Participants included staff from
several DNR districts.
“Having
the ability to train with other DNR park rangers from across the state and
interface with other agencies is invaluable,” Knack said.
Some
emergencies require special equipment such as rescue pods, which are fully
encapsulated sleds on skis that are pulled behind a snowmobile for winter
rescues, carrying a victim and one rescuer.
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In
the summertime, rescuers may use a wheeled litter to extract injured and
non-ambulatory patients.
When
rangers receive a missing person report, the first step is to gather
information.
“We
ask the reporting party a series of questions about the missing person and plug
those details into a ‘search urgency chart,’ which determines the immediacy of
the situation and builds a missing person profile,” Knack said.
Rangers
then notify the regional dispatch center with those details and establish a
command center at the park’s headquarters. Next, rangers request assistance
from other agencies, including the DNR Law Enforcement Division. They also may
request a local emergency medical services team to standby, depending on the
nature of the situation.
Two
rangers then pack their gear and pair up as a “strike team” to conduct a basic
search of the last known place or potential place the missing person may have
been.
If
that fails, the rangers regroup and send two-person search teams down the
trails that likely would have the highest probability of detection based on the
missing person’s indented route. Some searchers are placed at trailheads in
case subjects manage to make it out on their own.
If
the missing person isn’t found during the first night, rangers call in additional
searchers who will be ready to move out at first light. Meanwhile, at the
command center, the areas covered by search teams are tracked on a park map.
Rangers
never know how a search will end. Searchers often find the missing persons. There
also are times when they are found by other park visitors. Some who are missing
ultimately manage to find their own way out. And, sadly, some incidents end
tragically.
While
there’s always some risk when enjoying the outdoors, Michigan’s parks have an
impressive safety record.
“With
more than 350,000 visitors a year, the number of lost or injured visitors is a
low percentage,” Knack said. “Just stopping by a campground office or taking
time to acquaint and orient yourself with a park map will greatly improve your
overall experience. Trails, lakeshores, background campsites and cabins are a
perfect place to connect with nature, deepen relationships and make lasting
memories.”
Learn
more about Michigan’s state parks and outdoor recreational safety tips at michigan.gov/dnr.
Check
out previous Showcasing the DNR stories in our archive at michigan.gov/dnrstories.
To subscribe to upcoming Showcasing articles, sign up for free email delivery
at michigan.gov/dnr.
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/Note to editors: Media contact: John Pepin, Showcasing the DNR series editor, 906-226-1352. Accompanying photos are available below for download. Caption information follows. Credit Michigan Department of Natural Resources, unless otherwise noted.
Airlift: DNR conservation
officer recruits join with a U.S. Coast Guard team to practice procedures for
airlifting injured victims to safety.
Debriefing: Members of a U.S.
Coast Guard chopper crew answer questions from DNR conservation officer
recruits during search and rescue training.
Victim extraction: A wheeled litter is
used during search and rescue training by members of the DNR Parks and
Recreation Division. Litters are used to extract injured and non-ambulatory
victims during summer months. In the winter, rangers use fully encapsulated
sleds on skis that are pulled by snowmobiles.
Missing person: DNR conservation
officers play key roles in search and rescue operations across Michigan, due to
their skills and specialized equipment. Pictured, a conservation officer
recruit is trained to detect signs that may help locate a missing person.
Outdoor survival: An outdoor survival
expert with Emergency Response International instructs DNR conservation officer
recruits on skills they need to keep themselves and their patients alive during
challenging conditions.
Ponchos: DNR conservation
officer recruits learn to convert plastic bags into ponchos, which help
conserve body heat in outdoor survival situations. Conservation officers must
know how to use every available tool to protect themselves and Michigan’s
citizens.
Report: DNR park rangers practice writing incident reports during search and rescue training./
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