Posted by Tom Kennon on October 15, 2009 at 9:43 PM
I just got back from a week in Utah and saw this on the Arkansas Canoe Club Message Board. Anybody know who this is? I wonder if it as anyone in our group?
Search and Rescue on Devil's Fork
As we were coming back from the Richland takeout this evening, there a bunch of rescue people at Icelado Gap. Apperently, someone was taking pictures down in the drainage and set off his emergency ONSTAR beacon, which notified his wife, who notified the autorities. The info we got was that the rescue squad did have GPS coordinates, so hopefully things turn out ok. Dale
Posted by Tom Kennon on October 15, 2009 at 9:59 PM
Yes, it was posted today about one hour ago, 10/15/09. I will post any updates that I can find.
Posted by TIMERNST on October 15, 2009 at 10:27 PM
It was Ed. They had not found him as of 8pm...
Posted by Tom Kennon on October 15, 2009 at 10:53 PM
Thanks for the information, Tim. I hope he is ok. I have posted a message on the ACC board to let me know if they hear anything. I will post anything I hear. I think I read somewhere that the Air Force Command Center tries the emergency contact number while they are coordinating the search and rescue effort. This may have been in the web videos on the Spot website? This may explain the communications with his wife?
Ed's blog has a little google map on it that shows a location 1 hr ago. It apparently has GPS support. Could be nothing though. My prayers go out to him and Faith and hopefully everything is okay and he just got caught out after dark.
Posted by Randy Wilson on October 15, 2009 at 11:45 PM
The map on his blog shows him to be at Twin Falls, it looks like. If the place marked on the map is actually his location.
Posted by Bill Dark on October 16, 2009 at 12:49 AM
The first coordinates reported at approximately 3:00 would have put him near the confluence of Devil's Fork and Richland Creeks. The coordinates reported around 7:00 would suggest that he is at the first bench up from Twin Falls, so it would appear that he is able to move, but was unable to make it up the boulder field to the top. I'm hoping he just sprained an ankle and is not seriously hurt. The rescue teams did not reach the drop into Devil's fork until nearly dark. I hope I am mistaken but it sounded like both rescue teams were calling off the search until morning. As of 8:00 I do know for sure that the teams had lost radio contact with each other, and that one team was headed for the Vanderpool home at Moore, and I believe the other team was coming back to Iceledo Gap. It will be a very chilly night at Twin Falls...
I think this should be a reminder for us all to always go into the woods prepared for survival. Just last week another photographer fell while hiking Adkins branch in the Upper Buffalo. He knocked himself out and had quite a shiner I've been told.
Posted by Bob Wyatt on October 16, 2009 at 1:45 AM
Everyone,
Ed was located about 8-830 pm by rescuers. I do not know the extent of his injuries but I know he will need to carred out! Glan Wheeler and I were in a group of rescuers. We got frustrated in out attempt to get to Twin Falls and called it a dya about 330 and were hiking out when the first recue group came in and they wanted to know if we used our spots fro help and when we did not we realized it had to have been Ed as he was reported in there byt Matt someone(I am terrible with names) whom we met as we were going in about 1230 and he was coming out.. I was too tired and could not continue on. Sorry for any tyupos I am doga-- tired!
Posted by Bill Dark on October 16, 2009 at 6:49 AM
Thanks for the update Bob. At 5:30 this morning the Newton County Sheriff's office said they thought that Ed has a broken leg and broken collarbone. Paramedics and many volunteers are working to clear the brush to haul him out. Thank goodness he's still alive.
Posted by Tom Kennon on October 16, 2009 at 8:02 AM
Glad to hear Ed is alive and hopefully he will recover quickly. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. I wanted to mention that the Find me Spot can be purchased for $99 and a small monthly fee. A very small price to pay for the safety factor and peace of mind of your family. Tim, has mentioned previously it can also be used in non emergencies to let family know you are ok when you are out of contact with cell service. I used it to send my exact location on the San Juan River to my wife with a short message that I was ok.
Posted by Karla Hall on October 16, 2009 at 8:04 AM
Wow...I hate to hear that, but am so glad that he was found and we hope he has a speedy recovery. Our hobby has it's own set of on the job dangers. Be careful out there everyone. Do what you can to prepare yourself for any situation. Our prayers are with Ed and his family...
I'm so glad Ed is ok. I saw Ed coming in along the old road as I was coming out and talked to him for a few minutes. That was our first time to meet. I ran in to Bob and Glenn too who were about an hour behind Ed.
That was also my first time to take that route to Twin Falls and it was by far the toughest hike I've ever been on. I can see why it would be easy to injure yourself in there and not be able to get back out. This has taught me a lesson on going to these wonderful places without an emergency beacon. I definitely need to get one.
Posted by Scott Bean on October 16, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Glad to hear that Ed has been found and rescued. I don't know anything about Ed's situation, but if there is a need to raise funds to cover any rescue expenses, health expenses, etc. please let us know!
Posted by Bill Dark on October 16, 2009 at 11:06 AM
In talking with Tim last night, I learned that Find me Spot will be coming out with an updated model soon, so it might be best to wait until then to purchase. One of the features will be a cover for the 911 button so that you have less of a chance to accidently activate the unit. I'll try to get more information from the manufacturer.
Posted by Bryan Simpson on October 16, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Glad to hear that Ed was rescued. I looked into the SPOT this morning after Tim's post. The current unit is selling for $99 (you can find it a little cheaper on-line). The newer model is due to ship at the end of this month and will retail between $150 (MAP) - $170 (MSRP). I've found it for just under $130 here: http://www.hodgesmarine.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SPOSPOT-2S&click=19
I don't know anything about this seller and am not recommending them; I'm just posting this because they have a good description of the upgrades. The mfg. web site is www.findmespot.com
After hearing about Ed last night, one of these will definitely be in my bag.
Posted by Glenn Wheeler on October 16, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Guys, I have been in the woods for 21 hours so I did not read all the posts above. I was in there shooting photos (as was Bob Wyatt), when we met the rescuers going in. We went back up to my Jeep and got all of my rescue gear and medical gear and went back in.
Ed was found around 8:30 last night but it took me (I was the only EMT within a close range of him) until about 10:00 PM to get to him. He had fallen about 30 feet right at twin falls and, regardless of the differing GPS coordinates (we got a few that indicated he was moving), he was NOT moving. The guys that found him had to actually pull him out of the water.
I was with him until we flew him out and can tell you he had several serious injuries, but should make it.
The rescue took many hours (imagine carrying someone out of there). I met up with the rescuers as they were coming in around 4:30 PM (he had fallen around 2:00 PM) and we did not get him out to the chopper until almost 10:00 AM. It was a miserable night for us, but much worse for Ed.
All in all, I made four trips in and out of there, most of it in wet boots/socks. BUT, Ed's day was much worse.
He was in good spirits considering....
Keep him in your thoughts and prayers...
Glenn Wheeler
www.glennwheeler.com
Posted by Tom Kennon on October 16, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Thanks, Glenn for the update and all your efforts. It sounds like a very bad accident. I will continue to pray for Ed.
Posted by Bill Dark on October 16, 2009 at 1:04 PM
Glenn, a HUGE thanks to all of you guys that helped Ed out of this terrible accident. I am so relieved that you found him last night so he would have some emotional support through the night. I'm sure it must have been a terrifying experience.
I was at Iceledo Gap listening to the radio transmissions and am still a bit confused about what was going on around 8:00. Did one rescue group head for Vanderpool's place at Moore? Then when I heard that another group was coming to the top, it sounded like they were calling off the search until daylight.
I am also puzzled about why the initial coordinates could have been off that much. I know GPS position fixes will wander, but I didn't think that much...
Nice work Glenn. I am glad someone was able to stay with him through the night. I bet Ed is very thankful.
Posted by Aaron Szabo on October 16, 2009 at 3:33 PM
It's great to hear that Ed is ok. Thanks to Glenn and all the volunteers who worked their butts off to get him out of there.
I'm going to look into buying a SPOT so that I feel more comfortable when going out by myself.
If anyone finds more about where he'll be staying and his progress, please update us.
Posted by Larry Daniel on October 16, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Thanks for the update Glenn. Sorry to hear Ed had this problem, hope he mends quickly. Give him my best if you see him.
Posted by Bill Dark on October 16, 2009 at 5:40 PM
I know I'll be getting a Spot! A small price to pay for saving one's life. After learning that rescuers pulled Ed from the water, he is very lucky that he did not succumb to hypothermia. Eight hours is a long time to be in the water.
At 4:25 Ed was headed into surgery at Washington Regional in Fayetteville. I will pass on more information after I hear from Faith.
Update: I just got off the phone with one of Ed's relatives who showed a note to Ed with my name on it. Ed said for her to tell me that "The Spot worked!" I had seen him over on Falling Water Road yesterday morning as he was headed to Twin Falls. Our conversation ended talking about his Spot unit...little did he know that he would be putting it to the test in a few hours.
Ed apparently fell from a bluff when a rock gave way. I suspect it was that tight spot just as you drop down to the bottom. I started to go that way the other day, but opted to go around the dead cedar at the top.
He has a compound fractured ankle and fractured pelvis. He will be transported to Tulsa on Sunday to fix his pelvis.
Glad to hear Ed is alright, and i hope that he has a speedy recovery. I think i will be investing in one of the find me spots in the near future. Very ironic that i made a post about falling off a waterfall last night before hearing about this.
Posted by Tom Kennon on October 16, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Here is a link to Spot on Amazon with a short video explaining how it works. I mentioned earlier that I thought I had seen where they contact your emergency number while coordinating the rescue and this video is where I saw that information. If you get a chance, check out the video. Bryan mentioned the new one will ship soon, may be worth waiting for and paying the extra $50 unless you will be out alone before then!
Posted by Glenn Wheeler on October 16, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Sorry for the delay guys, but I had to get a nap in after I got home. I'm getting too old for that stuff.
Bill, if you were at the top listening to the radio traffic, my call sign was "Krooked Kreek 3", you probably heard me running my mouth quite a bit.
It truly was a Herculean effort by many folks to get Ed out of there. I had several people assisting me as we started the extrication, but I had to request more resources several times. We ended up with folks from many departments from Newton County, Boone County, Searcy County, Harrison Fire and Rescue, U.S. Forest Service, Arkansas Forestry Commission, North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, Air-Evac, local residents and more. We still had new folks showing up as we were coming up the hill to the cemetery with him. Even though it was basically over, we were still glad to see them as most folks involved were totally spent and just pushing on. It's amazing what the human body can do when put in that situation!
I do a LOT of Search and Rescues and patient carry outs and this was, by far, the toughest I have been involved in. As you can imagine getting an injured person out of there without worsening the injuries is quite a task. We also were under equipped, mainly because of where we were. On a typical situation like this, we would place the patient on a "backboard" to protect their spinal integrity, and then put them in a rescue basket (we normally use a "stokes" style basket, often times with a wheel attached). However, last night all we had was the backboard. That makes the carry out much more difficult, especially in difficult terrain.
As to the differing coordinates, I'm not sure why there was so much discrepancy, but as the EMT that treated him, I can assure you he wasn't walking around. He was in fact found in the water and was pretty hypothermic and in shock, not to mention he had an open tib-fib fracture (Bones of the lower leg, above the ankle) and a fractured pelvis.
Considering all he had gone through, he was in pretty good spirits and was a good patient. Of course there were times when he would have some pain (sometimes pretty intense) and he always apologized for complaining. We kept telling him over and over, not to apologize but he was so gracious he just kept on.
I was the primary medical person with him from when I got to him around 10:00 until a Paramedic arrived around 3:30 or 4:00. I was sure glad to see the medic show up as he had the meds that would help make Ed's life a LOT better for the trip out. It was still a very rough trip for him, but having enough morphine on board, really helped. And he wouldn't share...
Most of his treatment on the way out, was keeping him as still as possible, splinting his fractures, etc., treating him for shock, controlling some bleeding (though not profuse) and trying to keep his spirits up. We would stop several times along the way to warm him up again. We would build a fire and put him close by then open remove the blankets, coats, etc that we had him covered with. The layer closest to him was a space blanket (I always carry one or two). We would lift up the space blanket and allow the heat to reflect down on Ed then quickly seal the blanket back around him and put all the layers back on. Once more supplies made their way to us, we also started an IV with warmed fluids to help bring his body temp back up and get his BP back up.
All in all, it was a LONG trip out, but went well considering. Sometime just before daylight, Harrison Fire and Rescue made it to us with a rescue basket and manpower, which really helped.
There were Forest Service guys working their way to us from the top, sawing out the trail (lots of downed timber from the ice storm) so that really helped.
All in all, it was huge effort by a LOT of folks, all working together like a well-oiled machine. Ed had a bad ordeal that lasted nearly 20 hours from the time he fell until the time he was put on a chopper and headed to Washington Regional.
By the way Bill, I did not see the exact spot where Ed fell, but when I was getting the report from the guys that found him, they did mention a cedar tree at the top of the bluff. I don't know if it is the same one you mentioned above.
One last note, I have two SPOT units and advocate their use all the time, I have even done so in a couple of articles I have written. I will say, without a doubt, that the SPOT saved Ed's life...twice. First off, the SPOT got folks enroute and got us in the general area. Where Ed was, the searchers could not see him. BUT, one of the guys saw a small light flashing and radioed to ask us what the unit looked like. I told them it was orange and if they could see the front, there would be a very small green light blinking to indicate that it was on and signaling. That was, in fact, what they were seeing and that is how they found him. So the SPOT saved his life twice.
I've been telling folks for a couple of years that the SPOT is the way to go if you spend much time in the woods. I truly do wish more folks carried them (I made that comment to Bob Wyatt yesterday before this happened). I have been involved in many searches where we really didn't have much of an idea of where exactly to look, but with a SPOT we can really narrow that down, saving a lot of time and in some cases, lives.
Someone asked about his photo gear. It was carried out by the team. I didn't see the camera, etc. just the bag, but I think it was fine. The tripod was unscathed, and I THINK the rest of it was too.
I'm going to leave it at that for now; I'm still pretty tired and sore even after a little rest and am not sure this post will really make total sense, I’m pretty much on auto-pilot at this point.
Oh, I did not make it to the falls to get photos (I was there, but the light wasn't great at 10 PM). I had intended to go back today and try again, but after all that went on, I didn't think I could make that trip again!
Everyone be safe out there!
Glenn Wheeler
www.glennwheeler.com
Posted by Bill Dark on October 16, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Glenn, I wanted to come down to help but saw so many trucks and 4 wheelers go in that I didn't want to get in the way, plus I didn't have my headlamp. I worked somewhere around 25 hours on the trail about a month ago, anticipating high water during the peak color, so maybe I was able to help in some small way.
In addition to getting a Spot unit, one more thing I'm going to do is get re-certified in CPR. I came close to inviting myself to go along with Ed, and wished now that I had. Twin Falls is not a good place to go alone.
Posted by Glenn Wheeler on October 16, 2009 at 8:32 PM
Bill,
Yes, we could tell that someone had been working on the trail and that did help! I REALLY wanted to get in there and get some shots while things were so good, but alas, it didn't work out. That is fine though, I'd much rather have helped Ed out than got a few photos anyway.
You are right, it is a good idea to have at least CPR skills and I'm a firm believer that at least some basic first aid knowledge and gear is in order as well. I go a little further with it than most, but some basic stuff sure comes in handy and can literally save someone's life.
Glenn
Posted by Rob Graham on October 16, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Glenn, Thank you for all you did for Ed. Thanks for the updates. This was the first time I've been online since Thursday afternoon and hadn't heard any of this.
Posted by Gale Rainwater on October 16, 2009 at 11:59 PM
Wow thank God Ed is going to be OK. Here's my story I was going to go with Ed but had to take care of some unexpected work Thur morning. I still wanted to go so I decided to backpack in from Richland campground Thur afternoon. I got to twin falls right at dusk and did not go up the last little bench to the pool the falls come into. So I was there at the falls and Ed was just above me and I did not know it until I got back Friday night and got phone reception (Tom Kennon had left me a message).
To get in I crossed Richland upstream of Richland falls and found a camp area on the ridge up above Rich. Falls. Their is what looked like a horse trail leading to this campsite on the ridge between Twin Falls and Richland Falls. I hiked back up the hill to it in the dark last night to camp. I heard what I thought was some planes at night. I got up shot some of Richland then up to twin falls again and then headed down Richland for a day of shooting. I can't beleive I was so close to Ed and you guys did not know it. It's really shocking to me. I am getting a SPOT also asap.
Anyone know about this horse trail that leads in just above twin falls and heads over toward Richland Falls? It may be a better or another way in. It looked like a 4-wheeler would of had no problen on this trail for the rescue. Someone check into this.
Posted by Matt McClellan on October 17, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Gale - I was in there Thursday morning and saw Ed coming in as I was headed out and chatted for a few minutes. I think I found that same trail when I was returning to Twin Falls from Richland Falls. It was a good trail that goes up and over the ridge and is a more direct route than going around the corner where Devil's Fork and Richland come together. I think I saw that campsite you are talking about too.
It dropped me out on top of Long Devil's Fork and looked like it continued on to the left side of Long Devil's Fork. I crossed Long Devil's fork just above the falls and crossed over the Big Devil's Fork to begin making my way out of there.
Posted by Gale Rainwater on October 17, 2009 at 10:21 AM
-17 man that's a night you will never forget. I'm glad I was not in the hiking club back then.
Since you gave a little rant I and after hearing about the ordeal the rescue guys wnet through. I want to let some frustration out also. This trail looked wide enough for 4-wheeler to zip though in no time flat. That could of mean't alot less hours of work and alot less hours of pain and suffering for Ed. They might could of just driven in with supplies and driven Ed out. It's nice for us now to have this route cut out but, working all night and Ed laying at the bottom of the falls in pain for 12 hours. If I was laying down there I would want out ASAP that's all I'm saying. I figured it was the horse ranches trail as soon as I found it.
Posted by Marc Langille on October 17, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Wow, what an eye-opener - best wishes on Ed's recovery!! That's a really tough situation and kudos to everyone involved in his SAR. What a read on this entire thread...
I think I'm in for the upcoming Spot model once it's released too.
Posted by Tim Ferrell on October 17, 2009 at 9:47 PM
Does anyone have an update on Ed's recovery?
I have a spot but not the insurance. I believe the insurance only pays if the area your in normally charges for rescue. And only 50k, not the 100k they claim(50k per incident). In this case if Ed has the insurance I bet it doesn't pay. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.
Posted by Glenn Wheeler on October 18, 2009 at 3:15 AM
Hey guys, here's one for ya. It's 2:00 AM and I JUST walked in the door from another major rescue, this one in Indian Creek, less than 24 hours after I got home from the last one. The guy lived and was in much better shape than Ed, but it was an actual high-angle rescue. We had to put all 230 lbs of him in a basket and lower him AND a liter attendant down one of the big bluffs quite a ways up Indian Creek. I and a couple more rescuers then rappelled down and met up with the team for the carry out. We didn't get to do the lower and the rappel until well after dark and were in a tall, but smallish waterfall (one of the reasons he fell). So we were rappelling down the bluff in the dark with water pouring over us.
This one was only about 11 hours and was a cake walk compared to the other night.
When we got back to the vehicles, there was frost on the windshields and gear in the backs of the trucks. Good thing he didn't have to spend the night out there.
The moral to this story.... BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!! Of course because I don't want any of you to get hurt, but also because we are about too worn out and beat up for another one for a few days. But if you call, we'll be on the way....
Be safe!
Glenn
Posted by Mike Hall on October 18, 2009 at 8:32 AM
Glenn, it so great to have dedicated and educated people like you. I feel for ya! I only made one trip into Twin Falls and I'm sore. I tried to image all the rescue efforts on the trip in and out there in the dark and I have a lot more respect for rescuers. I sure hope the second rescue is the last for a long time!! Yu Da Man! You guys need a break!
Bill may have some better images to show where we think this all happened. Was he at cedar tree one or higher up at #2?
Be careful out there!!!!!
Posted by Mike Hall on October 18, 2009 at 8:35 AM
This is from Ed's landing area back up to the Cedar trees.
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on October 18, 2009 at 10:19 AM
I just returned from a prolonged trip to CO to hear of this terrible ordeal. My heartfelt thanks and appreciation go out to all the people involved with the rescue efforts.
It sounds like Ed has a long road to recovery ahead but it could have ended in tragedy without him being prepared for his own safety. His situation certainly drives home the importance of having the technology available to initiate one's own rescue. I don't carry one of the SPOT's but I'm almost never in areas like you AR folks frequent by myself. I think I'll be getting one of the newer versions nonetheless.
If someone has the information on where to send a card to Ed I would appreciate it if they could post it here or send it to me by email. I'd like to let Ed know I'm thinking about him and wish him a speedy recovery.
And Glenn, thanks for all your personal efforts on Ed's behalf.
Posted by Bill Dark on October 18, 2009 at 2:48 PM
Just got back from visiting with Ed at Washington Regional in Fayetteville. They are transporting him to St. Francis in Tulsa at 1:30 for surgery. Broken ankle, pelvis and collarbone. After that he will be back at WR for therapy.
Ed said that he was just standing at the top noticing that the red foliage between the falls was gone when the ground just slid out from under him. He thought "This is not going to be good..." He said he tumbled a lot, so it was not a free fall from the rock ledge overlooking the falls. I think that would have been fatal. He was conscious the whole time, and has a small cut over his right eye. When Glenn and crew found him, his body temperature was 94. Ed said he shivered for a LONG time, and thought that if he was not found during the night, he would not survive until morning. He seems to be in pretty good spirits, but recovery will take several months.
Thanks for the update Bill and everyone. Please let us know where we can send him a card or something when he returns. His pelvis will be a long tough recovery I'm sure.
Glenn thank you and all the other resucuers who went to such great lengths to save Ed. I still can't beleive I was so close and didn't know about it. I couldn't have done alot but at least I had a warm sleeping bag for him.
"I had surgery yesterday in fayetteville then came by ambulance to st. Francis north in tulsa. I have the pelvic surgery tomorrow and a third in the queue for my leg. The prognosis is good. Doc said it would take many months of therapy but suspected a complete covery if I did the work.
I apreciate your prayers and have been surprised by the outpouring of love and support."
Let's all continue to pray for Ed as he goes through these surguries.
Bill, I think this thread needs to be at the top like some of the others please.
Posted by Tim Buchanan on October 19, 2009 at 3:22 PM
I wish Ed a quick and speedy recovery. This was certainly not the outcome he expected from a day of photography. I like the idea of having a SPOT device. I've hiked hundreds of miles alone in wilderness areas without one but have always left a detailed topo map of my expected route with someone just in case. While that is a lot better than nothing, the SPOT device would be a huge improvement. Must have one!
Posted by Randy Wilson on October 19, 2009 at 4:50 PM
I don't know how old Ed is, but old guys like me don't always heal up as well as youngsters do. And the fact that there apparently wasn't the orthopaedic talent in northwest Arkansas to patch up Ed's pelvis may mean that it's kind of a mess, or at least harder to fix than a busted ankle or blown out knee. I think one of the posts mentioned a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula, and if there were a number of breaks, that can mean a more or less shattered bone, which can complicate and extend the healing process a good deal. Another post mentioned that the ankle fracture was external, and under those circumstances infection can become a serious threat.
I don't have any medical expertise, but a friend of mine and I have both gone through broken ankles within the past year and so unfortunately have some personal familiarity with part of what Ed is going through. My break was a clean snapping in two of the ends of the tibia and fibula, but at least they had the good grace to stay inside where they belong. Luckily, I was just scouting a possible sunrise location at a lake recreation area, and I was able to crawl back to the car and drive myself to Washington Regional.
I hope it's not callous to say that a good side of this terrible accident is that it has spread the word about the existence of this Find Me Spot GPS beacon device to a lot of hiker/photographers who had never heard of it, inlcuding me, and that may very well end up saving a life or lives down the road. Like many others here, I plan to buy the new device when it becomes available later this month.
The search and rescue insurance available with a subscription to the Spot service also sounds interesting. Does anyone know whether the victim has to pay for search and rescue in Arkansas or on national lands?
Posted by Larry Daniel on October 19, 2009 at 5:18 PM
I got a reply from Ed this AM. Here is a portion.
"I am in tulsa awaiting 2 more surgeries.
Tough for me to be shut down and all the encouragement has really helped."
Hope before long he is back here on NPN and then back out taking more great landscapes.
I decided to share Ed's information and story on some of the other forums. I thought the outpouring of thoughts and prayers from other NPN member was appropriate. I also knew Ed has taken several workshops from other members on NPN that would want to know also.
I got a nice e-mail from Ed's son-in-law today and wanted to just pass the information along.
"I am Ed's son-in-law and thought that you might like to hear the latest.
He is in very good spirits and is in a pretty good bit of pain but is thankful to be alive. His injuries were a broken collarbone, shattered ankle and an open book pelvic fracture. He had a surgery at Washington Regional Friday afternoon to clean out his leg to reduce the risk of infection. They cut off the part of the bone that was sticking out and put an external fixator on his leg to hold it in place.
He spent Saturday in Fayetteville visiting with friends and family for most of the day. This was a huge encouragement for all of us. He was transported to St Francis in Tulsa on Sunday afternoon where he will see a trauma specialist. His wife Faith and daughter Lizzy are there with him. Lizzy is my wife and is currently pregnant with Ed's third grandchild. The third grandbaby should really boost his spirits even more in the next month.
As of right now he is scheduled to have his pelvic fracture repaired at 230 Tuesday and they will repair his ankle on Wednesday or Thursday. Everything is going very well considering the accident. He should be back in Northwest Arkansas next week to begin the recovery process.
I have setup and email address for anyone who would like to send a message to Ed. I will get these and take them to Ed later this week. The address is ed@traviswilliams.net.
I also post updates on my twitter account and my blog.
http://twitter.com/Travis_Williams
http://www.traviswilliams.net
Ed also has a twitter account and blog but I am not sure when he will be posting. I know he posted a tweet last night.
http://twitter.com/edcooley
http://www.whiterivergallery.com/blog
Once again, our entire family thanks you and everyone else that helped save Ed's life.
--
Travis Williams"
Let's all send a quick e-mail let Ed know we are thinking of him.
Posted by Glenn Wheeler on October 19, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Hey guys,
I have gotten some e-mails from Ed's son-in-law Travis as well. He asked that I pass along a mailing address if anyone wants to send a card or note to Ed. This is a P.O. Box that Travis checks daily through the week and said that he would be glad to get the cards to Ed.
Ed Cooley
c/o Travis Williams
PO Box 2136
Rogers, AR 72757
I'm sure a few cards would brighten Ed's day...
Glenn
Posted by Bill Dark on October 19, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Thanks Gale and Glenn! Glenn, I just noticed you were the 911th hit on this thread...how cool is that?
Posted by Glenn Wheeler on October 19, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Posted by Ed Cooley on October 20, 2009 at 10:14 AM
First I want to thank Glenn for the incredible job he did getting me out of twin falls. He simply took charge in a way that was very reassuring. I knew beyond any doubt the if the forestry service guys had given up I would not have made it. At 8:50 when they found me I was close to the end. All involved simply refusedto give up even when it was obvious they were spent and putting themselves in danger.
I am simply at a loss to express my gratitude.
Bill has it pretty close on where the fall happened but i was on the other side of the brush. The log was the one that pinned me in but was pushed 180 degrees to where bill photographed it.
Gale, it blew me away that you were just downstream at dusk. I could have used that sleeping bag. I knew the breaks were bad but the cold is what really scared me.
I fell at 2pm and presesd the 911 button on the spot immediately. They thought i was moving but that wAs not accurate, i was pinned. I placed the spot unit as far in the open as i could reach which probably explains the movement reported.
The injuries reported here are pretty much acurate. I have my second surgery today at 3:15 with at least one more needed. The jury is out on permanent damage buf i have movement and feeling everywhere.
I am in rm 5335 at st francis north and my trauma surgeon is dr. Swenning.
Posted by Glenn Wheeler on October 20, 2009 at 10:56 AM
Ed,
Man, it sure is good to see you posting here! Let us know if you need anything and get well soon. I don't know if you remember or not, but when we were still beside the falls I told you that when you got better you and I were gonna have to go back to the woods together under better conditions to do some photography and I hope we get to follow up on that...
You were a trooper and a very good patient, especially considering the circumstances.
Glenn
Posted by Bill Dark on October 20, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Hey Ed, great to hear from you! If you or your family need help with anything, I'm just down the road and would be happy to do whatever I can to help. We will be thinking about you this weekend, and will miss seeing you. Keep up the good work recovering, and I'll see you when you return to Fayetteville.
Posted by TIMERNST on October 20, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Hey Ed, now that you are out and in recovery - did you get any good pictures? (And did the 65+ bounce or swim?) If so I have a feeling they will be memorable - as will the ones that you and Glenn will take later!
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on October 20, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Ed, it's great to see a post from you. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I hope for a full and speedy recovery for you.
I was stunned to hear of your ordeal but I was equally stunned to hear of the efforts it took by so many volunteers to get you safely out. The unselfish training and dedication of the volunteers is to be commended. I'm glad to know there are people out there willing and able to affect these kinds of rescues.
You'll be getting a card from me soon but if there is something more significant I can do for you and your family until you get back on your feet just let me know.
Wishing for your speedy and full recovery. Get better soon!
Posted by Tim Ferrell on October 20, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Its good to see your doing ok now Ed. I hope the recovery goes well. Thanks Glenn! Now lets all add him as a contact on our SPoTs.
Ed I was blown away when I heard about it from Tom Friday evening. I said to Tom but I was there at dusk and the next morning then I realized I had shot the falls from downstream that evening. Anyway I had no idea anyone could be up there and I'm sure you couldn't hear me over the waterfall. I can picture me finding you and helping all night long with Glenn, But it just wasn't so.
Like everyone has said great to hear from you, get better and just take the recovery one step at a time. We are all thinking about you and praying for your full recovery and comfort for your family in this time of need. Let me know if I can be of any help to you.
Posted by Bob Wyatt on October 21, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Hey Ed...Bob Wyatt here. We have never met but I was really close to you on Thursday evening. Glenn and I were together for quite some time and when you were located Glenn headed down to be with you. I was just too exhausted to be any good to anyone at that point. So glad that you are doing ok and glad you had the SPOT. I got mine after I got lost earlier this spring.
Posted by Darren Huski on October 22, 2009 at 6:08 AM
Ed-
hope you are doing better. After reading the thread, it sounds like quite an ordeal. It also sounds like Glenn and the SAR folks really did a great job.
Here is to a speedy recovery!!
Posted by Ed Cooley on October 22, 2009 at 6:43 AM
Tim, the p65+ got wet so i will defer judgement until i get home to determine it's status. I put it in a pair of waiders after falling. The hike in was tough enough that i didn't get a single shot yet.
The hip surgery went "as good as could be expexted". Dr. Swenning is a top notch surgeon in his thirties or so that emminated confidence. By the next afternoon they had me sitting in a wheelchare. Now i am str crazy. No pressure is allow on my right leg for three weeks.
Ouch on both accounts! If it just got surface moisture then you may be OK - these things are pretty tough. If it got soaked then it may be toast - thank goodness for insurance. I dumped mine rig over a bluff a couple of months ago and besides getting smashed, the back ended up in the water. They just laughed when I tried to send it back to Denmark for "repair."
Sounds like you'll just have to get better soon and get back in there to shoot some photos! Good luck this pm...
Posted by Bill Dark on October 22, 2009 at 8:37 AM
It's great to hear from you again, Ed. I'm glad to know the surgery went so well, and hope your camera gear dries out.
I talked to Scott Tuesday...let me know how that loose ground detector works
Good luck with your surgery today. I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Posted by Larry Daniel on October 22, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery Ed.
Posted by John Moore on October 22, 2009 at 5:55 PM
I subscribe to the SPOT monthly email newsletter, and Ed's story is in the top spot on the October newsletter. Here's a link to the SPOT News page which contains links to other news stories about Ed's ordeal:
Posted by Rod Kissinger on October 22, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Here is a link to Ed's son in law's blog. Blog Link
The blog also has a link to Ed's Twitter account.
My SPOT has it's own special place on my backpack when I'm hiking and fanny pack when I'm shooting. I've joked that my wife only wanted me to have it so she could find my body faster to then be able to start the paper work for my life insurance. After Ed's experience I think it will be awhile before see the humor in having a SPOT.
Rod
Posted by Larry Daniel on October 22, 2009 at 8:31 PM
I attempted to pick up a SPOT-20 at Bass Pro. They won't have them in the warehouse until tomorrow after we depart for UT. darnit.
Ed's story convinced me of its worth.
Posted by Ed Cooley on October 23, 2009 at 7:10 AM
thanks again for all your prayers and encouragement. Still in a lot of pain but the repair surgeries are complete.
Posted by Mike Hall on October 23, 2009 at 7:38 AM
OUCH!!! I'll never complain again about my two foot falls on my rear-end. I'm glad your doing better! I'm real sorry that you will be missing the fall gathering. I'm sure your ears will be burning tonight! You've given us all a wake up call.
Back in my Tv photographer days at 40/29 in Fort Smith, I did many thousands of crazy stories and I would do anything to get the good shots on camera. Too many to list here, but here is one from back in the eighties of me hanging over Cedar Falls at Petit Jean. To my credit- I grew up on Mt Nebo and hanging over 100 foot drop-offs were nothing to me back then. You'll never see me doing anything like this again!!
Posted by Mike Hall on October 27, 2009 at 8:26 PM
Got this off Ed's son-in-law twitter page. It is from the Ark DemGaz.
Discussion
67 repliesSearch and Rescue on Devil's Fork
As we were coming back from the Richland takeout this evening, there a bunch of rescue people at Icelado Gap. Apperently, someone was taking pictures down in the drainage and set off his emergency ONSTAR beacon, which notified his wife, who notified the autorities. The info we got was that the rescue squad did have GPS coordinates, so hopefully things turn out ok. Dale
Please let us know if you hear anymore?
I think this should be a reminder for us all to always go into the woods prepared for survival. Just last week another photographer fell while hiking Adkins branch in the Upper Buffalo. He knocked himself out and had quite a shiner I've been told.
Ed was located about 8-830 pm by rescuers. I do not know the extent of his injuries but I know he will need to carred out! Glan Wheeler and I were in a group of rescuers. We got frustrated in out attempt to get to Twin Falls and called it a dya about 330 and were hiking out when the first recue group came in and they wanted to know if we used our spots fro help and when we did not we realized it had to have been Ed as he was reported in there byt Matt someone(I am terrible with names) whom we met as we were going in about 1230 and he was coming out.. I was too tired and could not continue on. Sorry for any tyupos I am doga-- tired!
That was also my first time to take that route to Twin Falls and it was by far the toughest hike I've ever been on. I can see why it would be easy to injure yourself in there and not be able to get back out. This has taught me a lesson on going to these wonderful places without an emergency beacon. I definitely need to get one.
I don't know anything about this seller and am not recommending them; I'm just posting this because they have a good description of the upgrades. The mfg. web site is www.findmespot.com
After hearing about Ed last night, one of these will definitely be in my bag.
Ed was found around 8:30 last night but it took me (I was the only EMT within a close range of him) until about 10:00 PM to get to him. He had fallen about 30 feet right at twin falls and, regardless of the differing GPS coordinates (we got a few that indicated he was moving), he was NOT moving. The guys that found him had to actually pull him out of the water.
I was with him until we flew him out and can tell you he had several serious injuries, but should make it.
The rescue took many hours (imagine carrying someone out of there). I met up with the rescuers as they were coming in around 4:30 PM (he had fallen around 2:00 PM) and we did not get him out to the chopper until almost 10:00 AM. It was a miserable night for us, but much worse for Ed.
All in all, I made four trips in and out of there, most of it in wet boots/socks. BUT, Ed's day was much worse.
He was in good spirits considering....
Keep him in your thoughts and prayers...
Glenn Wheeler
www.glennwheeler.com
I was at Iceledo Gap listening to the radio transmissions and am still a bit confused about what was going on around 8:00. Did one rescue group head for Vanderpool's place at Moore? Then when I heard that another group was coming to the top, it sounded like they were calling off the search until daylight.
I am also puzzled about why the initial coordinates could have been off that much. I know GPS position fixes will wander, but I didn't think that much...
I'm going to look into buying a SPOT so that I feel more comfortable when going out by myself.
If anyone finds more about where he'll be staying and his progress, please update us.
At 4:25 Ed was headed into surgery at Washington Regional in Fayetteville. I will pass on more information after I hear from Faith.
Update: I just got off the phone with one of Ed's relatives who showed a note to Ed with my name on it. Ed said for her to tell me that "The Spot worked!" I had seen him over on Falling Water Road yesterday morning as he was headed to Twin Falls. Our conversation ended talking about his Spot unit...little did he know that he would be putting it to the test in a few hours.
Ed apparently fell from a bluff when a rock gave way. I suspect it was that tight spot just as you drop down to the bottom. I started to go that way the other day, but opted to go around the dead cedar at the top.
He has a compound fractured ankle and fractured pelvis. He will be transported to Tulsa on Sunday to fix his pelvis.
More to come...
http://www.amazon.com/SPOT-Inc-SPOT-1-Personal-Tracker/dp/B000YTZV74/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1255730025&sr=8-1
Bill, if you were at the top listening to the radio traffic, my call sign was "Krooked Kreek 3", you probably heard me running my mouth quite a bit.
It truly was a Herculean effort by many folks to get Ed out of there. I had several people assisting me as we started the extrication, but I had to request more resources several times. We ended up with folks from many departments from Newton County, Boone County, Searcy County, Harrison Fire and Rescue, U.S. Forest Service, Arkansas Forestry Commission, North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, Air-Evac, local residents and more. We still had new folks showing up as we were coming up the hill to the cemetery with him. Even though it was basically over, we were still glad to see them as most folks involved were totally spent and just pushing on. It's amazing what the human body can do when put in that situation!
I do a LOT of Search and Rescues and patient carry outs and this was, by far, the toughest I have been involved in. As you can imagine getting an injured person out of there without worsening the injuries is quite a task. We also were under equipped, mainly because of where we were. On a typical situation like this, we would place the patient on a "backboard" to protect their spinal integrity, and then put them in a rescue basket (we normally use a "stokes" style basket, often times with a wheel attached). However, last night all we had was the backboard. That makes the carry out much more difficult, especially in difficult terrain.
As to the differing coordinates, I'm not sure why there was so much discrepancy, but as the EMT that treated him, I can assure you he wasn't walking around. He was in fact found in the water and was pretty hypothermic and in shock, not to mention he had an open tib-fib fracture (Bones of the lower leg, above the ankle) and a fractured pelvis.
Considering all he had gone through, he was in pretty good spirits and was a good patient. Of course there were times when he would have some pain (sometimes pretty intense) and he always apologized for complaining. We kept telling him over and over, not to apologize but he was so gracious he just kept on.
I was the primary medical person with him from when I got to him around 10:00 until a Paramedic arrived around 3:30 or 4:00. I was sure glad to see the medic show up as he had the meds that would help make Ed's life a LOT better for the trip out. It was still a very rough trip for him, but having enough morphine on board, really helped. And he wouldn't share...
Most of his treatment on the way out, was keeping him as still as possible, splinting his fractures, etc., treating him for shock, controlling some bleeding (though not profuse) and trying to keep his spirits up. We would stop several times along the way to warm him up again. We would build a fire and put him close by then open remove the blankets, coats, etc that we had him covered with. The layer closest to him was a space blanket (I always carry one or two). We would lift up the space blanket and allow the heat to reflect down on Ed then quickly seal the blanket back around him and put all the layers back on. Once more supplies made their way to us, we also started an IV with warmed fluids to help bring his body temp back up and get his BP back up.
All in all, it was a LONG trip out, but went well considering. Sometime just before daylight, Harrison Fire and Rescue made it to us with a rescue basket and manpower, which really helped.
There were Forest Service guys working their way to us from the top, sawing out the trail (lots of downed timber from the ice storm) so that really helped.
All in all, it was huge effort by a LOT of folks, all working together like a well-oiled machine. Ed had a bad ordeal that lasted nearly 20 hours from the time he fell until the time he was put on a chopper and headed to Washington Regional.
By the way Bill, I did not see the exact spot where Ed fell, but when I was getting the report from the guys that found him, they did mention a cedar tree at the top of the bluff. I don't know if it is the same one you mentioned above.
One last note, I have two SPOT units and advocate their use all the time, I have even done so in a couple of articles I have written. I will say, without a doubt, that the SPOT saved Ed's life...twice. First off, the SPOT got folks enroute and got us in the general area. Where Ed was, the searchers could not see him. BUT, one of the guys saw a small light flashing and radioed to ask us what the unit looked like. I told them it was orange and if they could see the front, there would be a very small green light blinking to indicate that it was on and signaling. That was, in fact, what they were seeing and that is how they found him. So the SPOT saved his life twice.
I've been telling folks for a couple of years that the SPOT is the way to go if you spend much time in the woods. I truly do wish more folks carried them (I made that comment to Bob Wyatt yesterday before this happened). I have been involved in many searches where we really didn't have much of an idea of where exactly to look, but with a SPOT we can really narrow that down, saving a lot of time and in some cases, lives.
Someone asked about his photo gear. It was carried out by the team. I didn't see the camera, etc. just the bag, but I think it was fine. The tripod was unscathed, and I THINK the rest of it was too.
I'm going to leave it at that for now; I'm still pretty tired and sore even after a little rest and am not sure this post will really make total sense, I’m pretty much on auto-pilot at this point.
Oh, I did not make it to the falls to get photos (I was there, but the light wasn't great at 10 PM). I had intended to go back today and try again, but after all that went on, I didn't think I could make that trip again!
Everyone be safe out there!
Glenn Wheeler
www.glennwheeler.com
In addition to getting a Spot unit, one more thing I'm going to do is get re-certified in CPR. I came close to inviting myself to go along with Ed, and wished now that I had. Twin Falls is not a good place to go alone.
Yes, we could tell that someone had been working on the trail and that did help! I REALLY wanted to get in there and get some shots while things were so good, but alas, it didn't work out. That is fine though, I'd much rather have helped Ed out than got a few photos anyway.
You are right, it is a good idea to have at least CPR skills and I'm a firm believer that at least some basic first aid knowledge and gear is in order as well. I go a little further with it than most, but some basic stuff sure comes in handy and can literally save someone's life.
Glenn
To get in I crossed Richland upstream of Richland falls and found a camp area on the ridge up above Rich. Falls. Their is what looked like a horse trail leading to this campsite on the ridge between Twin Falls and Richland Falls. I hiked back up the hill to it in the dark last night to camp. I heard what I thought was some planes at night. I got up shot some of Richland then up to twin falls again and then headed down Richland for a day of shooting. I can't beleive I was so close to Ed and you guys did not know it. It's really shocking to me. I am getting a SPOT also asap.
Anyone know about this horse trail that leads in just above twin falls and heads over toward Richland Falls? It may be a better or another way in. It looked like a 4-wheeler would of had no problen on this trail for the rescue. Someone check into this.
It dropped me out on top of Long Devil's Fork and looked like it continued on to the left side of Long Devil's Fork. I crossed Long Devil's fork just above the falls and crossed over the Big Devil's Fork to begin making my way out of there.
Since you gave a little rant I and after hearing about the ordeal the rescue guys wnet through. I want to let some frustration out also. This trail looked wide enough for 4-wheeler to zip though in no time flat. That could of mean't alot less hours of work and alot less hours of pain and suffering for Ed. They might could of just driven in with supplies and driven Ed out. It's nice for us now to have this route cut out but, working all night and Ed laying at the bottom of the falls in pain for 12 hours. If I was laying down there I would want out ASAP that's all I'm saying. I figured it was the horse ranches trail as soon as I found it.
I think I'm in for the upcoming Spot model once it's released too.
I have a spot but not the insurance. I believe the insurance only pays if the area your in normally charges for rescue. And only 50k, not the 100k they claim(50k per incident). In this case if Ed has the insurance I bet it doesn't pay. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.
This one was only about 11 hours and was a cake walk compared to the other night.
When we got back to the vehicles, there was frost on the windshields and gear in the backs of the trucks. Good thing he didn't have to spend the night out there.
The moral to this story.... BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!! Of course because I don't want any of you to get hurt, but also because we are about too worn out and beat up for another one for a few days.
Be safe!
Glenn
Bill may have some better images to show where we think this all happened. Was he at cedar tree one or higher up at #2?
Be careful out there!!!!!
It sounds like Ed has a long road to recovery ahead but it could have ended in tragedy without him being prepared for his own safety. His situation certainly drives home the importance of having the technology available to initiate one's own rescue. I don't carry one of the SPOT's but I'm almost never in areas like you AR folks frequent by myself. I think I'll be getting one of the newer versions nonetheless.
If someone has the information on where to send a card to Ed I would appreciate it if they could post it here or send it to me by email. I'd like to let Ed know I'm thinking about him and wish him a speedy recovery.
And Glenn, thanks for all your personal efforts on Ed's behalf.
Ed said that he was just standing at the top noticing that the red foliage between the falls was gone when the ground just slid out from under him. He thought "This is not going to be good..." He said he tumbled a lot, so it was not a free fall from the rock ledge overlooking the falls. I think that would have been fatal. He was conscious the whole time, and has a small cut over his right eye. When Glenn and crew found him, his body temperature was 94. Ed said he shivered for a LONG time, and thought that if he was not found during the night, he would not survive until morning. He seems to be in pretty good spirits, but recovery will take several months.
Glenn thank you and all the other resucuers who went to such great lengths to save Ed. I still can't beleive I was so close and didn't know about it. I couldn't have done alot but at least I had a warm sleeping bag for him.
"I had surgery yesterday in fayetteville then came by ambulance to st. Francis north in tulsa. I have the pelvic surgery tomorrow and a third in the queue for my leg. The prognosis is good. Doc said it would take many months of therapy but suspected a complete covery if I did the work.
I apreciate your prayers and have been surprised by the outpouring of love and support."
Let's all continue to pray for Ed as he goes through these surguries.
Bill, I think this thread needs to be at the top like some of the others please.
I don't have any medical expertise, but a friend of mine and I have both gone through broken ankles within the past year and so unfortunately have some personal familiarity with part of what Ed is going through. My break was a clean snapping in two of the ends of the tibia and fibula, but at least they had the good grace to stay inside where they belong. Luckily, I was just scouting a possible sunrise location at a lake recreation area, and I was able to crawl back to the car and drive myself to Washington Regional.
I hope it's not callous to say that a good side of this terrible accident is that it has spread the word about the existence of this Find Me Spot GPS beacon device to a lot of hiker/photographers who had never heard of it, inlcuding me, and that may very well end up saving a life or lives down the road. Like many others here, I plan to buy the new device when it becomes available later this month.
The search and rescue insurance available with a subscription to the Spot service also sounds interesting. Does anyone know whether the victim has to pay for search and rescue in Arkansas or on national lands?
"I am in tulsa awaiting 2 more surgeries.
Tough for me to be shut down and all the encouragement has really helped."
Hope before long he is back here on NPN and then back out taking more great landscapes.
I decided to share Ed's information and story on some of the other forums. I thought the outpouring of thoughts and prayers from other NPN member was appropriate. I also knew Ed has taken several workshops from other members on NPN that would want to know also.
I got a nice e-mail from Ed's son-in-law today and wanted to just pass the information along.
"I am Ed's son-in-law and thought that you might like to hear the latest.
He is in very good spirits and is in a pretty good bit of pain but is thankful to be alive. His injuries were a broken collarbone, shattered ankle and an open book pelvic fracture. He had a surgery at Washington Regional Friday afternoon to clean out his leg to reduce the risk of infection. They cut off the part of the bone that was sticking out and put an external fixator on his leg to hold it in place.
He spent Saturday in Fayetteville visiting with friends and family for most of the day. This was a huge encouragement for all of us. He was transported to St Francis in Tulsa on Sunday afternoon where he will see a trauma specialist. His wife Faith and daughter Lizzy are there with him. Lizzy is my wife and is currently pregnant with Ed's third grandchild. The third grandbaby should really boost his spirits even more in the next month.
As of right now he is scheduled to have his pelvic fracture repaired at 230 Tuesday and they will repair his ankle on Wednesday or Thursday. Everything is going very well considering the accident. He should be back in Northwest Arkansas next week to begin the recovery process.
I have setup and email address for anyone who would like to send a message to Ed. I will get these and take them to Ed later this week. The address is ed@traviswilliams.net.
I also post updates on my twitter account and my blog.
http://twitter.com/Travis_Williams
http://www.traviswilliams.net
Ed also has a twitter account and blog but I am not sure when he will be posting. I know he posted a tweet last night.
http://twitter.com/edcooley
http://www.whiterivergallery.com/blog
Once again, our entire family thanks you and everyone else that helped save Ed's life.
--
Travis Williams"
Let's all send a quick e-mail let Ed know we are thinking of him.
I have gotten some e-mails from Ed's son-in-law Travis as well. He asked that I pass along a mailing address if anyone wants to send a card or note to Ed. This is a P.O. Box that Travis checks daily through the week and said that he would be glad to get the cards to Ed.
Ed Cooley
c/o Travis Williams
PO Box 2136
Rogers, AR 72757
I'm sure a few cards would brighten Ed's day...
Glenn
http://harrisondailytimes.com/articles/2009/10/20/news/doc4add0a324a536635090894.txt
I am simply at a loss to express my gratitude.
Bill has it pretty close on where the fall happened but i was on the other side of the brush. The log was the one that pinned me in but was pushed 180 degrees to where bill photographed it.
Gale, it blew me away that you were just downstream at dusk. I could have used that sleeping bag. I knew the breaks were bad but the cold is what really scared me.
I fell at 2pm and presesd the 911 button on the spot immediately. They thought i was moving but that wAs not accurate, i was pinned. I placed the spot unit as far in the open as i could reach which probably explains the movement reported.
The injuries reported here are pretty much acurate. I have my second surgery today at 3:15 with at least one more needed. The jury is out on permanent damage buf i have movement and feeling everywhere.
I am in rm 5335 at st francis north and my trauma surgeon is dr. Swenning.
Man, it sure is good to see you posting here! Let us know if you need anything and get well soon. I don't know if you remember or not, but when we were still beside the falls I told you that when you got better you and I were gonna have to go back to the woods together under better conditions to do some photography and I hope we get to follow up on that...
You were a trooper and a very good patient, especially considering the circumstances.
Glenn
I was stunned to hear of your ordeal but I was equally stunned to hear of the efforts it took by so many volunteers to get you safely out. The unselfish training and dedication of the volunteers is to be commended. I'm glad to know there are people out there willing and able to affect these kinds of rescues.
You'll be getting a card from me soon but if there is something more significant I can do for you and your family until you get back on your feet just let me know.
Wishing for your speedy and full recovery. Get better soon!
Like everyone has said great to hear from you, get better and just take the recovery one step at a time. We are all thinking about you and praying for your full recovery and comfort for your family in this time of need. Let me know if I can be of any help to you.
hope you are doing better. After reading the thread, it sounds like quite an ordeal. It also sounds like Glenn and the SAR folks really did a great job.
Here is to a speedy recovery!!
The hip surgery went "as good as could be expexted". Dr. Swenning is a top notch surgeon in his thirties or so that emminated confidence. By the next afternoon they had me sitting in a wheelchare. Now i am str crazy. No pressure is allow on my right leg for three weeks.
My final surgery should be today around 2pm.
Sounds like you'll just have to get better soon and get back in there to shoot some photos! Good luck this pm...
I talked to Scott Tuesday...let me know how that loose ground detector works
Good luck with your surgery today. I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
A SPOT 911 Message and blinking LEDs Help Save Photographer
Blog Link
The blog also has a link to Ed's Twitter account.
My SPOT has it's own special place on my backpack when I'm hiking and fanny pack when I'm shooting. I've joked that my wife only wanted me to have it so she could find my body faster to then be able to start the paper work for my life insurance. After Ed's experience I think it will be awhile before see the humor in having a SPOT.
Rod
Ed's story convinced me of its worth.
Patched Up
These physical therapy people are troublesome.
Back in my Tv photographer days at 40/29 in Fort Smith, I did many thousands of crazy stories and I would do anything to get the good shots on camera. Too many to list here, but here is one from back in the eighties of me hanging over Cedar Falls at Petit Jean. To my credit- I grew up on Mt Nebo and hanging over 100 foot drop-offs were nothing to me back then. You'll never see me doing anything like this again!!
http://www.traviswilliams.net/pdf/hard-fall-at-waterfall-has-lessons.pdf