Frenchtown Fire Department Practices Helicopter Rescue in Alberton Gorge

This week, the Frenchtown Fire Department along with the Superior and Ninemile Ranger Districts participated in some special training with Two Bear Air helicopters from Kalispell.

"What we planed was a medical scenerio, it was actually a trauma," Frenchtown firefighter Mel Holz explained. "Somebody fell down a steep embankment. The crews had to take care of the patient, provide patient care assessment, and then they had to get him to an extracation point. Where we were at was quite a ways in the backcountry where we couldnt easily get them out so we had to call in a hoist helicopter for a scenero."

The hoist helicopter was able to retrieve a trauma victim from a very inaccessible area and Holz says this capability could be needed in the Alberton Gorge.

"Part of the problem with the Alberton Gorge is there is only certian take out points where we can reach patients," Holz said. "So, where we feel there is a real benefit to utilizing them is along the stretch of the river where maybe the patient is, in fact, a close access point where we can reach them. Two Bear can come in and hoist them out and get them out safely."

According to Holz, Two Bear Air is now just a phone call away for dispatch