Parents Come to Aid of Chaperone on Field Trip

By Nancy Gilkey, The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.

Mar. 22–Two parents who chaperoned their McGraw Elementary School fourth-graders’ field trip to the Painted Desert Trail near Martinez Lake on Tuesday helped rescue another parent who collapsed, complaining of chest pains.

When asked, the unidentified woman said she could not remember when she had last eaten and she described a “crushing” headache.

Ken Edwards, refuge manager, said he wants to let the public know the Painted Desert Trail is a nice place to visit, but people need to make sure they eat, drink and dress properly when they go out in the desert.

The woman who collapsed had to be carried off the trail by stretcher and transported by helicopter to Yuma Regional Medical Center.

“We started up a steep trail and she dropped to her knees,” said Bill Moore, one of the parents who helped Yuma Proving Ground rescue personnel and an Imperial National Wildlife Refuge park ranger carry the woman from the trail to an ambulance waiting in the trail parking lot.

After the woman fell on the trail, Moore stayed behind with her while the students and other parents carried on with the field trip.

Sue McDonald, a park ranger who was heading up the field trip, was farther up the trail and radioed Chuck and Betty Mulcahy, park volunteers helping with the field trip, who met up with Moore and the ill woman.

Art Miller, a reserve volunteer firefighter with Rural Metro station in the Foothills, was on the scene before YPG rescue personnel arrived.

The trail’s rugged terrain proved a challenge for Miller, who had to stop and rest.

“I didn’t have a chance to take any ibuprofen this morning,” he said, favoring one leg.

The park rangers jogged ahead of Miller, reaching the woman, who was short of breath.

“This is the first time in the four years that I’ve been here that someone had to be taken out of the Painted Desert Trail,” Edwards said.

The woman was later transferred to a Marine Corps rescue helicopter, which flew her to YRMC.

McDonald said she is very appreciative of the parents and everyone who helped in the rescue.

The woman’s name has not been released and her condition was unknown as of Monday evening.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.

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