Hungry Mother State Park ranger injured
MARION, Va. May 19 2017—A ranger at Hungry Mother State Park in Smyth County was injured Tuesday in an ATV accident.
Park Manager Nate Clark said rangers from the park and others were in preparation for a prescribed burn at the park. During set up, a ranger was involved in an ATV accident on a park trail.
Another ranger was with the patient when the accident occurred and immediately began providing care and requested additional assistance, Clark said. Several other rangers responded to the area, both on foot and ATV.
Due to unknown injuries and precaution, Marion Fire/EMS was dispatched to the scene and Virginia State Police MedFlight was requested to respond for transport. Rangers on scene led EMS up the trail to the accident site.
The patient was then transported out via Stokes basket approximately 1.5 trail miles to the park’s boat ramp area where the patient was then transferred to the waiting MedFlight helicopter and transported to Bristol Regional Medical Center.
The accident occurred before the prescribed burn was initiated and thankfully there were more than 20 state park rangers at the site who were available to assist with the evacuation and transport, Clark said.
“The incident was handled quickly and professionally and ensured a safe evacuation and patient care,” Clark said.
Clark credited coordination between state park staff, Marion Fire/EMS, Virginia State Police and Smyth County Emergency Communications. The ranger was released from the hospital Tuesday evening and is doing well, Clark said.
