INJURED HORSEBACK RIDER RESCUED ON GREEN LAKES TRAIL
Date: 08/20/20
By: Lt. Bryan Husband, Search and Rescue Coordinator
Location: Green Lakes Trail, Approximately 3.5 miles from Green Lakes Trail Head
Rescued: Lindsey Napier, 33 year old female, Albany, OR
On 08/20/20, at about 1:42pm, Deschutes County 9-1-1 received a report of an injured horseback rider on the Green Lakes Trail, approximately 3.5 miles from the Green Lakes Trail Head. The rider had reportedly been walking her horse across a creek when it jumped and landed on her, stepping on her back and head. The patient’s injuries were reported as serious. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit was contacted to assist with the patient extraction.
Due to the nature of the potential injuries, AirLink was contacted and agreed to transport 2 DCSO SAR Medical Team members as close to the patient as possible to make initial contact. Two other DCSO SAR members who had been at the Devil’s Lake Trail Head area responded directly to the Green Lakes Trail Head and started down the trail on foot. One DCSO Deputy and 13 additional DCSO SAR team members responded to the Green Lakes Trail Head from Bend and began hiking in towards the patient to assist with a wheeled litter extract if the helicopter could not land close.
The two DCSO SAR Volunteers who responded from Devil’s Lake TH arrived at the patient’s location at approximately 3:20pm. AirLink was able to land approximately one mile from the patient. The DCSO SAR Medical Team hiked the remaining distance and arrived at the patient location at about 3:38pm. Medical team members assessed the patient, stabilized her as much as possible and then with the assistance of the additional ground team members transported her via wheeled litter to the awaiting AirLink helicopter. DCSO SAR teams arrived at AirlLink’s position at approximately 5:03pm. AirLink then transported the patient to St. Charles Hospital in Bend for further treatment.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank AirLink for their assistance with this rescue.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with four K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today lead by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.
