The Voice photo by Terri Johnson
Members of the Mini-Cassia Search & Rescue unit receive training with their new Titan-Ti Basket Stretcher which was purchased with grant money awarded by the Idaho Health and Welfare EMS division. From left are MCSR members Tim Little, Dustin Jensen, Stephen Wells, Vice Commander of the unit, and Chuck Maxwell.
By TERRI JOHNSON
The Voice
MINI-CASSIA – After years of rescuing dozens of victims in the Mini-Cassia area, a grant has come to the rescue of the local group who statistically does the rescueing.
The Mini-Cassia Search and Rescue (MCSR) is dedicated to reaching out to those in need, regardless of the situation, and now someone reached back.
The group recently was provided a Health and Welfare Emergency Medical Services Bureau dedicated grant which was allowed the unit to purchase of a lighter weight and safer up-to-date rescue basket stretcher.
“This is about as heavy with a man in it as the old one was by itself,” said Stephen Wells, First Vice Commander of MCSR.
The new basket stretcher is made of titanium. It is light weight, safe for rescuers and victims alike. It meets all safety specifications required by law. The old unit is 30 years old and very heavy and cumbersome.
“We had a rescue last spring where we could have really used a new basket like this,” noted Mark Welch, MCSR Commander. A man had fallen over a 30 foot landing on his knee.
“He had to be stabilized and placed in the old heavy basket, “explained Welch.
“We then had to lift him up and over rocks and brush to a Life Flight vehicle about a quarter mile away. We almost had other victims during that rescue – our rescuers – because it was so cumbersome to get that heavy basket up out of those hills.”
Search & Rescue is a totally non-profit, service oriented organization. They do not do any fund raising during the year and rely solely on donations, reimbursements for fuel from local law enforcements who direct their search activities, and on grants. This grant from the Idaho State EMS provided the group with the new rescue basket stretcher as well as an electric suction unit required for their extrication truck.
The total monies received totaled over $2500.
“We are very grateful for this grant,” noted Alton Johnson, former unit Commander and current board member.
“Safety is a big issue and this provides us the means to make safe rescues – safe for both us and those we serve.”
