March 8, 2012 started out as a fun day of snowmobiling with friends, but quickly turned into a day I will never forget.
Around 10:00 in the morning I was involved in a serious snowmobile accident where I was thrown approx. 45 feet off the trail after missing a turn. After the vicious impact, I found myself pinned under my snowmobile not able to move except for my right arm. To make things even worse, the throttle had become lodged in the deep snow and the track of the snowmobile continued to turn while I was pinned under the snowmobile. It didn’t help matters that my track was studded with 96 metal studs.
After about 20 min, my now husband and his best friends, finally located me. Upon reaching me and lifting the sled off of me, there was no question that I was in serious trouble and the first call to 911 was made. Because of the massive internal injuries and trauma to my body, but mostly because of my remote location, (between Jackman and Brassua Lake), an ambulance was immediately ruled out, and the next call was to Life Flight of Maine.
Life Flight of Maine is the reason why I am alive today. As cliché as that sounds, that is a fact.
- Because that first call to 911 allowed the operator and Communications team handle all the details and coordinate all the logistics behind the scenes;
- Because LifeFlight was able to quickly locate me using GPS coordinates from the cell phone used to make the initial 911 call;
- Because LifeFlight was able to reach me much faster than other rescue vehicles could have;
- Because LifeFlight was able to land close to my accident scene, directly on the trail;
- Because LifeFlight was fully equipped with emergency room level equipment and carries blood on board;
- Because LifeFlight was able to administer the immediate level of treatment I needed;
- Because LifeFlight crews are extraordinary people and exceptionally trained;
- Because LifeFlight was able to fly me to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor faster than other rescue vehicles could have.
— Bonnie Sancomb Clarkin
CREW MEMBERS
CommSpec: Jonathan Roebuck
Pilot: Alan West
Nurse: Steve Babin
Medic: Carl Zenk/Josh McNally
photo: Beaux & Arrows
shirt: Catalyst For Change Wear