Summer sees more Red River Gorge rescues

YEAR PEOPLE DIE,GET LOST ORINJURED AT THE REDRIVER GORGE.RED STAR E-M-S--WANTS THAT TOCHANGE.THEY'RE WORKINGON EDUCATING THEPUBLIC--MAKINGSURE THEY'REAWARE OF HOW TOSTAY SAFE.EVENING EDITION'SCHRISTIANA FORDTALKED TO THE E-M-S COORDINATORAND HAS THE STORY."NOBODY HEADSOUT TO THE REDRIVER GORGE ANDEXPECTS TO BERESCUED BUTCREWS TELL ME ITIS INCREDIBLY EASYAND IT'S BETTER TOBE PREPARED THANTO BE COMPLETELYHELPLESS"VOWITH ALL THEBREATHTAKINGSIGHTS NAT ANDSOUNDS NATIT CAN BE EASY TOFORGET YOU'REOFTEN MORE THANTWO HUNDREDFEET HIGH WITHLITTLE FENCING.DANIEL FERRIS,VISITOR <"SEEINGTHE NATURALWONDERS OF THEWORLD AROUNDUS.

WE JUST ENJOYGETTING OUT ANENJOYING IT ANDI'M NOT GOODENOUGH TO ROCKCLIMB SO I HIKE."BUT ON AVERAGEDAVID FIFER WITHRED STAR E-M-SSAYS THAT AROUNDSIXTY RESCUESHAPPEN EVERYYEAR.AND THIS YEAR--THAT NUMBER ONLYAPPEARS TO BEGROWING."I THINK SOME OFTHAT IS ALSOSTEMMING FROMKIND OF THE POSTPANDEMIC FATIGUEDURINGLOCKDOWN WE'VEALL HEARD A LOTABOUT THATWHERE PEOPLEWERE FEELING ALOT OF CABINFEVER, AND THEYREALIZE THAT YOUCOULD COMEOUTSIDE ANDRECREATE ANDNOT HAVE TO WEARA MASK AND EASILYDISTANCESO FAR RED STAR-THE ONLYWILDERNESS EMSUNIT IN THE REDRIVER GORGE HASRESPONDED TO ADOZEN CALLS FORASSISTANCE THISYEAR.DURING THESUMMER-- FIFERSAYS A LOT OFTHOSE ARE HEATILLNESS CALLS"FALLS AREDEFINITELYASSOCIATED WITHTHE GORGE ANDTHEY SEEM TOALWAYS CAPTURETHE HEADLINES,BUT THOSE AREREALLY THEMINORITY OF THECALLS THAT WEHAVE OUT HEREMOST ARE FORMUCH LESSSERIOUS THINGSLIKE THE BROKENANKLES, HEATEXHAUSTION."THAT'S WHY FIFERSAYS PREPARDNESSIS SO IMPORTANT.KNOWING THE SIGNSOF HEAT STROKEAND EXHUASTIONCOULD MEAN THEDIFFERENCEBETWEEN LIFE ANDDEATH."SLURRING THEIRSPEECH, SEEKINGSEVEREWEAKNESS.

BEINGHIGHLY AGITATEDBEYOND JUST SORTOF BEING IN ALITTLE BIT OF A BADMOOD FROM ASWEATY HIKEREALLY HAVINGLIKE A CHANGE INPERSONALITY.WHEN YOU HAVETHOSE VERY HOTTEMPERATURESCOMBINED WITHTHOSE CHANGES INTHE PATIENT'SBRAIN FUNCTIONAND ESSENTIALLYTHAT'SHEATSTROKE UNTILPROVENOTHERWISE.

"DIFFERENT PEOPLEARE GONNA BEAFFECTEDDIFFERENTLY,DEPENDING ONTHEIR UNDERLYINGHEALTH CONDITION,MEDICATIONS, BUTTHERE ARE SOMECOMMON THEMESAND ONE OF THEMIS DEFINITELY ALACK OFPREPARATION, NOTKNOWING HOWDIFFICULTMATERIAL IS GOINGTO BE NOTCARRYING ENOUGHWATER, ANDREALLY PROBABLYJUST PUSHINGYOURSELF A LITTLEBIT TOO FAR.PEOPLE NEED TOBE COMFORTABLEWITH KIND OFSETTING THEIRPRIDE ASIDE ANDJUST TAKING ITSLOW, AND TAKINGSOME BREAKS.

ANDSO WE SEE A LOTPEOPLE JUST SORTOF REALLY KIND OFTAKING IT TOO FARWHEN IT'S TOO HOTOUTSIDE.THERE IS A LOT TOSEE AND EXPLORE.BUT THE MOSTIMPORTANT --IS TOBE SURE TO MAKE ITBACK HOME.CHRISTIANA FORD,LEX 18 NEWS.