Life Flight Network celebrates 25 years of caring.

Abstract

Marcia was seriously hurt with head and facial fractures, a chest injury, and pelvic injuries. She was breathing but unconscious and moaning. By the time Life Flight arrived, Marcia’s body temperature had begun to drop. The weather had begun to deteriorate, and to save time, Moffitt landed in Heather Canyon rather than at Mt. Hood Meadows ski area. Marcia’s spine was stabilized with a c-collar and backboard, and she was placed on a Stokes Stretcher for transport to the landing zone. She was skied to the landing zone by the ski patrol, and the flight crew quickly evaluated her. Because of her head and chest injuries, the flight crew performed rapid sequence intubation, and Wilson intubated her. After being loaded into the helicopter, Life Flight lifted off to OHSU, one of Portland’s two Level I trauma centers. Warm fluids were pushed when Marcia was tachycardic, but she was becoming difficult to ventilate. Fee needled Marcia’s chest to make ventilation easier. Marcia was found to have bilateral pneumothoraces with multiple rib fractures, a left parietal bleed, LeForte 2-3 fractures, and severe crushing injuries to her pelvis. After the transport, the crews realized Marcia would not have survived the long extrication and transport down the mountain to a landing zone in the parking lot. Marcia had multiple surgeries, including a window in her skull. After months of rehab, she regained the ability to walk and talk. She has since returned to snowboarding—and now wears a helmet. Based at Hillsboro Airport, approximately 20 miles east of Portland, LFN has encountered many scene calls like Marcia’s Marcia Page was enjoying her run down Heather Canyon on the east side of the mountain near Mt. Hood Meadows recreational area. It was January 12, 2001, and she had finished teaching a snowboarding lesson. As an instructor, she had years of experience; she knew the mountain well and appreciated its beauty as she cut wide swaths in the snow. Descending toward the bottom of the canyon, she was unaware that her life was about to change drastically. Back in Hillsboro, Oregon, Life Flight Network (LFN) pilot Mike Moffitt had checked the weather as he would before each flight request that day. January is a tough month for flying in the northwest; low clouds, rain, and fog determine whether LFN’s Bell 230 helicopter is able to accept a call. As Marcia continued her descent, she suddenly found herself tumbling out of control off the edge of a 30-foot rock fall cliff. Kristi Vaughn, a nurse practitioner from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, witnessed Marcia’s fall. The first person on scene, she was able to call for help on her cellphone. Using her nursing skills, she assessed Marcia from head to toe and helped the ski patrol stabilize her for transport off the mountain. Meanwhile, Life Flight was activated to the scene. Flight nurse Becky Fee and flight paramedic Vince Wilson were on rotor duty that day. Snowboarders themselves, they were making plans for their upcoming day on the slopes. As they talked, their radios suddenly toned out, activating them to the very ski area they were to visit. Life Flight 1 launched with a 25to 30-minute ETA to the scene.