prayers for Theo

Bettyboarder · Sat Aug 13, 11 11:27 am

Thanks for the update Levi. Tell him we are all thinking about him and if there's anything we can do please let us know.

-Nicole

broadbandito · Since 26 Apr 2005 342 Posts CSO headwaters WheatHead

Hoping for the best.

PinkyBoarder · Since 04 May 2011 45 Posts Seattle, WA

Thanks for the update, I will continue to send positive vibes and Aloha.

melokitegirl · Since 28 Oct 2008 396 Posts Where the wind blows Obsessed

Thank you hoodkiter for the update. There were a lot of people asking about him today at the event site this morning. If there is something we can do to help, please let us know.
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Sidebar thread:Read or Don't read, your choice;

Hey Inept, I have no idea who you are. But perhaps I've pissed you off some way. I do apologize if that is the case. I'm pretty opinionated & sometimes I poke a little to get a good discussion going. This situation is not the case. I am truly concerned for Theo & anyone in our wind tribe who may be hurt. Of course I send my well wishes & hope Theo recovers & is healthy. I brought up the lifeguard thing because there was no back board to help this poor kid. Time is essential in all rescue & doing it properly can make a difference. This incident provokes the thought of how to rescue in a more effective manner. Sorry to have distracted from the positive healing vibe & well wishes....

I will start a new post about a lifeguard at a later date.

lloyd · Since 16 Aug 2007 108 Posts Hood River Stoked

Being a Firefighter/EMT in Gresham, and living in Hood River, I can tell you first hand that as an emergency responder it is ALWAYS helpful to have familiarity with an area before having to respond to it. In Gresham, we call it "Pre-planning" and most of our pre-plans come as a request from the property owner/user. It can take many forms from just a simple walk through of an area all the way to a pre-drawn/thought out response. I have dealt with the Hood River Sheriff in regards to kite rescues and was surprised at how little he knew about kiteboarding and specifically how to handle a kite in the water. Kind of scary considering he's the one in the boat who is recovering the kite. I have always thought, and maybe now is the time to do something, that getting together with the Sheriff and/or the Fire Department on a regular basis (once a year or so, organized through the CGKA) so they can see kite gear, understand how the safety systems work, know how to deflate a kite, be familiar with the kite areas and their names and more importantly, as a kite boarding community we can understand what they need from us during an emergency response. For all we know, they might already have a plan for responding to the water front, but if they don't, it would be great to create one together.

On a side note, although having a backboard at the beach sounds like a good idea, I would caution anyone who is not trained in the techniques of backboarding/splinting from trying to perform the skill. Dispite honorable intentions, if not done correctly and if not done with the correct gear, the person's injuries may be compounded.

If the CGKA would like for me to be a liason with the Hood River Fire Department I will gladly fill that need. Thanks.

Claire · Since 27 Mar 2010 9 Posts Hood River Kook

My thoughts go out to Theo and the Roeseler Family for being there for him!

AAAND, in response to Lloyd's post - Great idea, Dave Smith of HRFD is a long time kiter and would be a good person to talk to in regards to setting up any kind of program with the CGKA.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Thoughts and prayers for Theo

tpcramer · Since 26 Jul 2010 71 Posts

I think part of the complication and extended response time for the HRFD in this case was the number of different accidents at very nearly the same time. I talked to the 911 disbatcher and they had no, nor did I, that at least two of the accidents were at the same time. They may have thought that both reports were for the same accident and then accidentally stood down on the second call.

I completely agree with others that more communication between kiters/ HRFD is called for so that everyone knows their responsibilities in difficult situations. Waiting for professionals can be the best course of action even when you feel that putting somebody on a backboard and carrying them to the beach is what is needed; things can go bad fast when moving folks with spinal cord injuries.

Hope your friend is moving positively Levi, hang in there.

Kraemer · Since 24 Apr 2006 1736 Posts Sky Pilot Unicorn Captain

Prayers to theo for a miraculous recovery, hard news to hear.

holly · Since 09 Jul 2006 440 Posts Hood River Obsessed

So sorry to hear about this accident I hope he recovers fully.

I work for AMR river rescue as an EMT, I would caution against having a backboard available for people to use in an emergency. If you are not properly trained you could potentially do my harm then good. The best thing you can do is give as much detail to dispatch as possible on the situation so the fire department know what they need to bring to the scene. Making sure the patient has a clear airway is also important. If the patent's airway is clear then the best thing to do is to not move them, and hold c-spine if you have been trained on how to.

johnnierhea · Since 07 Aug 2008 34 Posts san diego

I'm very sorry to hear about Theo's injuries. Does anybody know what caused the accident?

johnnierhea · Since 07 Aug 2008 34 Posts san diego

I'm very sorry to hear about Theo's injuries. Does anybody know what caused the accident?

CapKirk · Since 14 Aug 2011 1 Posts New Member

If you find yourself in this situation, it's crucial to not move the injured person. Make sure they aren't face down in the water. Make sure they have an airway. Make sure they are breathing, and if not, perform CPR. If they are bleeding and you can treat it without significantly moving the patient, do so. Otherwise, try to keep them comfortable, but DO NOT MOVE THEM. Doing so may have made his injury far worse.

Stagecoach · Since 07 May 2009 88 Posts

I'm an emergency medicine physician and have a few thoughts on the backboard issue. Since we have EMS so close given that we are basically kiting in town and also since there are not trained personnel i.e. lifeguards at the event site, I guess its not that huge of an issue not to have a backboard there. The most important things to do when someone is injured is to...

1) Get them out of the water as gently as possible
2) Send someone to call 911
3) Lay them flat on their back and don't try to transport them
4) Only try to move them if they begin to vomit by log rolling them onto their side with their spine straight
5) Apply direct pressure to any spots that are bleeding
6) Leave the wetsuit, pfd, helmet on but keep them warm with whatever you've got, another wetsuit, deflated kites, board or kite bags, etc.

Activating 911 as soon as possible is probably the biggest priority as that gets the ambulance there as well as possibly the sheriff if a boat or search and rescue is needed. So assign someone right away to make a phone call. If you're by yourself, make sure the victim is in a safe spot and then you've got to leave to make the call ASAP as there is little you can do without the help of EMS.

And take a CPR class - you just might save someone's life some day.

Best of luck to Theo and his family!

CapKirk · Since 14 Aug 2011 1 Posts New Member

If you are a regular down at the Event Site, I highly recommend taking a basic CPR class. It takes 2 or 3 hours, and will provide you enough information to possibly save a life someday.

You can get a CPR card and the training thru a local company called Gorge Rescue (google it). They have group and individual rates.

Columbia Gorge CC also can connect you with an instructor to get CPR certified. You can call 541.506.6141

Cap

hoodkiter · Since 10 Jul 2010 95 Posts Hood River, OR

Update:

Theo is breathing more on his own as the swelling in his throat subsides. Once he fully passes a breathing test, they are hoping to extubate. He still cannot feel anything below his biceps.

If anyone saw Theo's crash first hand, or would care to identify themselves as a first responder, please tell us what your saw and/or did.

Theo's family would be interested in the details of the crash and the rescue. They are also very grateful to those who helped.

tonyb · Sun Aug 14, 11 4:07 pm

Best wishes for Theo. Hopefully things stabilize soon. Take care you guys.

Tony