Texas Woman Being Carried Down Mountain Upgrades To Helicopter Because Stretcher Is Too Slow
A wealthy Texas woman who was injured whilst hiking and was in the process of being carried down an 8,000 foot mountain on a stretcher, decided to upgrade to a helicopter to get down quicker.
Nancy Allen had been climbing Mt. St Helens with her 18-year-old daughter Sara, when at 8 pm on Tuesday evening she called the Skamania Country Sheriff’s Office to report that the pair were stranded.
The 48-year-old was also unable to walk after she had fallen down a rocky outcropping. Search and rescue teams were then deployed and when they found Nancy Allen, they began to carry her down the mountain on a stretcher.
Mrs Allen’s injuries weren’t life threatening, but as the retired veterinarian was being carried down the mountain she decided that she would like to reach the ground a little quicker.
So, at 5:20 am on Wednesday she decided to call a private helicopter, which duly arrived and flew her the rest of the way.
Dave Cox, the under-sheriff, told Oregonlive.com, “I’ve never heard of this happening. I don’t know how much it cost her, but I’m sure it was a spendy proposition. I know I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”
Mrs Allen was at 6,100 feet when she told the rescuers that she was going to call a helicopter over her cellphone instead. The chopper arrived about an hour later and picked up her and her daughter, whilst apparently abandoning the team that had climbed up to rescue her.
Peter Emerson, who flew up to pick up Mrs Allen, stated, “She was very grateful to all the EMS who spent the night up there. She said her whole body was very sore and she felt like she had been hit by a truck.”
Emerson added that her arms and legs were cut up, whilst both her and Sara were complaining about the cold. Mr Emerson added that the trip cost her $1,300.
