A Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew transfers an injured hiker’s care to emergency medical personnel at the air station in Port Angeles, Washington,, Monday, Aug. 3, 2020. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
PORT ANGELES, Wash. — The Coast Guard medevaced a 17-year-old hiker from Olympic National Park shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday after he fell and sustained knee and head injuries that required immediate medical attention.
Watchstanders at the 13th Coast Guard District in Seattle received a call from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at 2:10 p.m. relaying that two good Samaritan hikers found a teenage male alone and injured about 4 miles north of La Push in Olympic National Park.
It was reported that one hiker stayed with the injured man while the other sought help, ultimately finding a third hiker who used a personal locator beacon to send out a distress signal.
Olympic National Park Service personnel deployed a ground rescue team and Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound deployed a Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew.
The Coast Guard helicopter arrived on scene, hoisted the hiker and transported him to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at Air Station Port Angeles.
While many boaters and hikers rely on cell phones for emergency situations, the Coast Guard reminds mariners, and those exploring remote areas inland, that cellular service and battery life can render cell phones useless when needed to call for help. Using a registered Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon or Personal Locator Beacon ensures a more reliable means of communication in case of emergency.
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