DATE/TIME: Saturday, July 17, 2021 3:05 p.m.
INCIDENT: Hoist Rescue
LOCATION: Deep Creek, Twin Peaks, CA
VICTIM(S): Gabriel Garcia, 20, Erica Carter, 20, Michael Carter, 25, Sean Carter, 26, Sakae Carter, 56, and Bryan Carter, 50, all residents of the Lancaster area of Los Angeles County.
SUMMARY:
On Saturday, July 17, 2021, San Bernardino County Fire dispatch received a 911 call from a group of hikers requesting help. They stated they were a group of six hikers in the Deep Creek Hot Springs area off Highway 173 and they could no longer continue hiking due to dehydration. They also stated one of the hikers was very ill. Temperatures were hovering at 100 degrees Farenheit.
San Bernardino County Fire and Twin Peaks deputies responded to a designated landing zone off Highway 173 and coordinated with crews from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit. 40-King-6 was already in the area performing an unrelated hoist rescue of another dehydrated hiker on the Apple Valley side of Deep Creek. Once they completed the rescue, the crew of 40-King-6 began searching for the group of hikers. After locating them on a steep mountainside, a medic was hoisted down to the hikers. The medic assessed them and determined a hoist rescue would be necessary to get them to medical personnel. The hikers were dehydrated and the terrain was too rugged for a helicopter to land. If rescued by ground, the excessive temperatures and distance from the highway would jeapordize the safety of ground rescuers. A helicopter rescue was the best option for the circumstances. The crew of 40-King-5 responded from Apple Valley and assisted 40-King-6 with hoisting the hikers to safety. The medic on the ground was able to secure all hikers into rescue harnesses to be hoisted one at a time. Between both helicopter crews, all six hikers were hoisted out and transported to medical personnel waiting at the landing zone.
40-King-6 Crew
Pilot – Corporal Ryan Peppler
Hoist Operator – Reserve Deputy Stephen Miller
Medic – Nurse Wendy Kruger
40-King-5 Crew
Pilot – Deputy Doug Brimmer
Hoist Operator – Corporal Chris Mejia
Refer: Chris Mejia, Corporal
Station: Emergency Operations Division – Aviation Unit
Phone No. (909) 252-4100
Case No. 052101116