Northern Farm MTB death

[arendoog]

I use the SOS app as per advice during some of the MTB events .I tried the service during Van Gaalen,s .I gave myself 4 hours on their clock to cancel the emergency .Basically if i don,t cancel after 4 hours by myself they go into action. During the last two k,s i received a call and a WA from from the emergency contacts i had entered .My emergency was activated and they called me and my contact after 4 hours .All i had to do was cancel or respond at the time .They have my details ,contact nr and my GPS location .Even if they cannot get to you ,somebody can give advice according to the emergency .Basic first aid. Airway,Breathing,Circulation applies in all emergencies .RIP young rider !

[GrahamS2]

But if you're on one of the better medical aids, they'll ship a helicopter if it's warranted... Would likely have saved a life here.

 

But a very poor show on the part of NF management. Not sure any other places would have done any better though.

It actually takes quite a lot for a helicopter to be dispatched. For one, a doctor/paramedic needs to physically assess the patient first.

 

This is a terrible tragedy. While it's not feasible for all mtb trails to provide medical evacuation capabilities, it would certainly be reasonable to expect them to have an emergency response  plan with a knowledgeable person on the other end of the phone. They should be well versed in briefing an ambulance service with gps location, directions and extraction requirements. 

[Tankman]

Dont want to start a should have, could have scenario... and I do understand that during a medical emergency 10 minutes can feel like an "over an hour and a half" exaggeration but...

 

No one thought, stuff this waiting, let us go get a car from the car park?

Or was it totally inaccessible?

[ChrisF]

Hi Guys, absolutely tragic.

 

There are 2 VOLUNTEER teams you can call. Mountain Search & Rescue is the rescue team for the Mountain Club of SA. The other is ORRU, the off road rescue unit.

 

https://mcsajohannesburg.org/search-and-rescue/

 

https://orru.co.za/

 

As volunteer rescue teams we will assist with available resources and information where possible. We work closely with medical services and have some volunteer medics. Just remember there is no guarantee anyone can get to you in time due to the nature of riding and hiking etc. but we will always assist as far as possible.

 

Peter THANK YOU for the wonderful work you and your team does !!  and welcome the Hub 

 

 

I know a few of the guys that are involved on the ORRU side in the Western Cape, and I have also assisted with recovering a stricken vehicle (though no life was in danger).  Certainly was fun being able use the winch and other gear for what it was intended ....

[Dirt Tracker]

Honestly it's not hard to work up an emergency plan or at least have a selection of key contacts available and some signage. 

 

It's a risky sport and a lot of people never really acknowledge that but there has to be equal onus on the rider and the owner of the trail centre to do their part. 

[Muttley]

I've used Namola to request assistance for a taxi accident which I witnessed - It's an amazing service. 

They call back immediately and constantly keep you updated via their in app messaging/calls.

 

I urge everyone to download it and keep it on the front screen of your phone.

[Dirt Tracker]

I've used Namola to request assistance for a taxi accident which I witnessed - It's an amazing service. 

They call back immediately and constantly keep you updated via their in app messaging/calls.

 

I urge everyone to download it and keep it on the front screen of your phone.

 

I was pretty sus' about Namola when I first heard about it as it seemed like another 'panic button' app that probably wasn't well supported and just was a short cut to your ICE contacts. 

 

Very impressed as the model seems to be all about getting the closest and best help independent of what organisation or security company you might be aligned to. I've got the app and one of the plus devices that anyone in the family can take up the mountain or somewhere they might not want need to take a phone as it's GPS / phone enabled.

 

 

 

 

[RobertWhitehead]

Downloaded, thank you 

 

I've used Namola to request assistance for a taxi accident which I witnessed - It's an amazing service. 

They call back immediately and constantly keep you updated via their in app messaging/calls.

 

I urge everyone to download it and keep it on the front screen of your phone.

[Dexter-morgan]

This is what I wear every morning and my club ride, may not have helped her but I am sure it will help in other situations and I am not punting the ICE band, just my precaution.

[Dexter-morgan]

How on earth can anyone read it with all that tippex on it!

Duh! anyone knows TIPEX does not stick on stainless steel, the person helping you can just scratch it off with their nail or something.

[Headshot]

What I think many people fail to realize is that no matter the activity, we do, harm or even death is just over the horizon. Not to be pessimistic or anything, but there have been a few recent incidents that illustrate this, the Northern Farms incident being one.

 

In Squamish BC a week or so ago, a young woman, a Canadian Ski Cross pro was killed mountain biking. She crashed into a tree and collapsed her chest apparently. The thing is that in most cases help is relatively close by and medical assistance, even in the Cape mountains is a helicopter away. I'm not sure what went wrong in the NF incident, but surely a heli should have been requested? 

 

Last weekend I rode around 125 km over two days in the Tankwa Karoo, proudly proclaimed as the driest and least populated area in SA. I can believe it. There is no cellular coverage and very little water or shade. The riding wasn't that hard, but hard enough to stress and strain the middle aged males who made up our group. Imagine a heart attack out there - no telephone and therefore no ambulance or hospital for a few hundred km. A life threatening incident out there would probably be fatal. 

[Tankman]

...

 

 I'm not sure what went wrong in the NF incident, but surely a heli should have been requested? 

 

...

 

 

No one does really, only one post from the OP with no additional info.

 

I am just not so sure about the "hour and a half" waiting time.

Was that the waiting time they were told before an ambulance could reach them?

Was that the waiting time before said tractor showed up?

 

Or was it just 10minutes that felt like an hour and a half.

 

If there was an hour and a half waiting time... after 3 anxious-nerve-wrecking minutes, fetch car, drive to Fourways myself, 20km down the road.

[V12man]

No one does really, only one post from the OP with no additional info.

 

I am just not so sure about the "hour and a half" waiting time.

Was that the waiting time they were told before an ambulance could reach them?

Was that the waiting time before said tractor showed up?

 

Or was it just 10minutes that felt like an hour and a half.

 

If there was an hour and a half waiting time... after 3 anxious-nerve-wrecking minutes, fetch car, drive to Fourways myself, 20km down the road.

I have an acquaintance who had to self extract himself from NF with a broken ankle, and drive himself to hospital - similar experience of calling in to the office and getting no/inadequate response.

 

I wasn't actually aware of this until yesterday - but in general I suspect their emergency response planning to be lacking - and access for medical services is somewhat limited there, so in my view - clearly room for improvement on the part of NF.

[The Ouzo]

What I think many people fail to realize is that no matter the activity, we do, harm or even death is just over the horizon. Not to be pessimistic or anything, but there have been a few recent incidents that illustrate this, the Northern Farms incident being one.

 

In Squamish BC a week or so ago, a young woman, a Canadian Ski Cross pro was killed mountain biking. She crashed into a tree and collapsed her chest apparently. The thing is that in most cases help is relatively close by and medical assistance, even in the Cape mountains is a helicopter away. I'm not sure what went wrong in the NF incident, but surely a heli should have been requested? 

 

Last weekend I rode around 125 km over two days in the Tankwa Karoo, proudly proclaimed as the driest and least populated area in SA. I can believe it. There is no cellular coverage and very little water or shade. The riding wasn't that hard, but hard enough to stress and strain the middle aged males who made up our group. Imagine a heart attack out there - no telephone and therefore no ambulance or hospital for a few hundred km. A life threatening incident out there would probably be fatal. 

I dont think anyone here disputes the above, what the issue seems to be, as highlighted by V12 again, is that at a paid for trail, there was not an emergency procedure in place, or if there was the person answering the phone had no clue about it.

 

If I'm riding out on my own and something happens its one thing, but if I've paid to use your facility, the very least I'd expect is an emergency plan. 

I can very well understand that there can not be medical personnel on standby at the facility, but the number for the nearest emergency room should be on speed dial.

[Wet Ears]

Was riding at NF with a mate who smashed his elbow when he went OTB - tried the office number, chatted to the security guard on the perimeter fence - no-one had any idea what to do or who to contact - I ended up cycling back to the car park and then having to drive the car along the perimeter road and get him and his bike through the fence and into the car.

 

Not ideal

[Bonus]

Over the years I've ridden back to the start area from various locations at NF to fetch the bakkie and bring someone back. Never someone I've known, but someone I've come across in trouble. Hopefully someone would do the same for me if ever I needed it.