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	<title>RMNP News (rmnpforums.com)</title>
	<description>News about RMNP via rmnpforums.com</description>
	<link>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums</link>
	<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:19:00 +0000</pubDate>
	<ttl>30</ttl>
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		<title>Details released on Big Meadows Fire medical incident involving firefighter</title>
		<link>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25313-details-released-on-big-meadows-fire-medical-incident-involving-firefighter/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Early Father&#8217;s Day morning, Sunday, June 16, a firefighter walking with his crew from field spike camp to the fireline collapsed due to sudden cardiac arrest during the Big Meadows Fire. &#160;Prompt action by the firefighter&#8217;s crew in administering CPR, and the rapid response of fire-line Paramedics that arrived minutes later, contributed to the successful resuscitation of the patient, Luther E. Larkin, Sr.&#160; Larkin, 51, is a senior crew member of the Horseshoe Meadow Type I Interagency Hotshots based out of Sequoia National Forest in California.&#160;

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) was used on site to resuscitate him. The presence of an AED, and the availability of advanced medical care, on the fireline was critical to reviving him and obtaining a pulse.

Fellow crewmembers then transported Luther to the nearest helispot just as the requested medevac helicopter arrived on scene. &#160;He was then transferred to the medical flight crew and taken to a cardiac care hospital in Denver, Colorado.

Prompt ordering of the emergency medical helicopter by Rocky Mountain National Park dispatch, and placing it in aerial standby, was critical to the successful outcome of this life-threatening event.&#160; It helped facilitate a faster transport to a cardiac care facility.

Early in response to the Big Meadows Fire, Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team A, in coordination with Rocky Mountain National Park officials, began extensive preparation for any emergency response.

Protocols established since the death of Andrew Palmer were instrumental in the success of this outcome. In 2008, eighteen year old firefighter Andrew &#8220;Andy&#8221; Palmer was struck by a falling tree while on the Iron Complex Fire in northern California. &#160;He died during a medevac flight while in route to a local hospital. After his death, protocols were put in place to prevent similar loss of life in the already dangerous environment in which wildland firefighters work. These protocols were implemented during the team&#8217;s assignment to the Big Meadows Fire.

The Larkin family granted permission for the information above to be released and requests their privacy be respected at this time.&#160;&#160;

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]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:19:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25313-details-released-on-big-meadows-fire-medical-incident-involving-firefighter/</guid>
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		<title>Lumpy Ridge climber rescued by Big Meadows fire helicopter</title>
		<link>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25292-lumpy-ridge-climber-rescued-by-big-meadows-fire-helicopter/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[This afternoon a 36-year-old climber from Golden, Colorado, fell approximately 40 feet on Sundance Buttress, a popular climbing feature in the Lumpy Ridge area on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park.&#160; At the time of the fall he was approximately 350 feet up the route.&#160; He suffered numerous injuries. &#160;

&#160;Park rangers were assisted in this rescue by an individual working as a guide for the Colorado Mountain School.&#160; The guide, who was with a separate party at the time, witnessed the fall.&#160; He came to the man&#8217;s aid and was able to lower him to the base of the route. &#160;Park rangers utilized the Grand Canyon Helitak Crew, from the Big Meadows Fire, to conduct a short-haul rescue of the man. &#160;A short-haul rescue is a specialized rescue technique in which a 150 foot rope is attached to the bottom of a helicopter.&#160; The end of the rope is attached to a rescuer.&#160; It allows the rescuers to be inserted in to difficult terrain quickly.&#160;

The patient was placed in a &#8220;Bauman Bag&#8221; with an attendant on the end of the rope.&#160; They were both flown to a nearby meadow.&#160; The man was then taken by ambulance to Estes Park Medical Center.

Rocky Mountain National Park rangers appreciate the support of the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team A in providing the helicopter and crew for this rescue operation as well as the guide who lowered the man 350 feet greatly assisting park rangers in this technical rescue.

No further information is available at this time.&#160;

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]]></description>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Jun 2013 03:00:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25292-lumpy-ridge-climber-rescued-by-big-meadows-fire-helicopter/</guid>
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		<title>Old Fall River Road to close for major work 2013</title>
		<link>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25290-old-fall-river-road-to-close-for-major-work-2013/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Historic Old Fall River Road, the popular historic one-way dirt road from the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park to the Alpine Visitor Center, was damaged by avalanches during the spring of 2011. This repair project will start on Monday, June 17.&#160; Old Fall River Road will be closed completely to all uses, 24-hours/day, from&#160;June 17 through July 2.&#160; Closure signs will be placed at the Alpine Visitor Center and the gate at Endovalley. The project involves heavy equipment and moving large rocks to repair the retaining wall. &#160;&#160;Therefore, it is necessary to close the area to public use including hiking and cycling during this period.&#160;

For information about Rocky Mountain National Park please call the park&#8217;s Information Office at (970) 586-1206.

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]]></description>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Jun 2013 00:42:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25290-old-fall-river-road-to-close-for-major-work-2013/</guid>
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		<title>Big Meadows fire increasing in size</title>
		<link>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25277-big-meadows-fire-increasing-in-size/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[
We are seeing significant smoke, rapidly increasing in size from the Big Meadows Fire. &#160; Although this looks like the same location as the Fern Lake Fire in the Forest Canyon area it is from the Big Meadows Fire west of the Continental Divide.

The fire has increased in size due to a spot fire from the Big Meadows Fire. &#160;It is increasing in size due to winds, low humidity and beetle killed trees. &#160;

When we have an updated estimate we will send that out - that will be later today.
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]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:07:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25277-big-meadows-fire-increasing-in-size/</guid>
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		<title>Big Meadows fire remains small</title>
		<link>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25276-big-meadows-fire-remains-small/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[
Today, Tuesday, June 11, an interagency crew consisting of Rocky Mountain National Park and US Forest Service firefighters were flown to the Big Meadows Fire located on the north end of Big Meadows on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.&#160; The location is roughly 4.5 miles from the Green Mountain Trailhead. &#160; The preliminary report is the fire did not grow much last night and remains at approximately 2 to 3 acres, mainly burning in grass.&#160; The fire was caused by lightning.

Although it is preferred to allow naturally occurring fires to burn for the benefit of the resource and future fire breaks, park managers have decided to suppress the fire when safe to do so.&#160; Extended drought conditions and reduced interagency resources weighed in to this decision.&#160; The capacity to manage what would likely be a long duration fire is significantly limited. &#160;

This decision did not come easily; each fire&#8217;s risk is managed individually.&#160; &#160;Park managers look at each naturally occurring fire on a case by case basis when determining how best to manage a fire.

High winds today are impacting firefighting operations but have not increased the footprint of the fire significantly. &#160;&#160;Firefighters have not seen any open flames today and the fuel moisture is relatively high.&#160; &#160;Smokejumpers are staged nearby if needed.&#160;&#160; Firefighters will be using minimum impact tools to suppress smoldering grass and other dead and down material.&#160; The area does contain beetle killed trees; snags are being removed for firefighter safety.&#160;

Currently there are five trails temporarily closed in the area - the Onahu Trail, the Green Mountain Trail, the lower Tonahutu Trail, the Tonahutu Spur Trail and the Grand Lake Lodge Spur Trail.
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]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:33:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid>http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/topic/25276-big-meadows-fire-remains-small/</guid>
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