The sky was clear, the air cool and filled with the rich scents of spring, the sun slowly making its way to the western horizon. Summer was preparing to make its debut.  It was a perfect day for a horseback ride.  With saddle secure, helmet secure, cell phone secure in its case and strapped to her right calf, the pair began their leisure amble across the open field toward the AirlineTrail.  Idyllic reverie was rising. She was an experienced rider and the horse had a gentle temperament.

It was 5:20pm when the page alarm went off. The message read, “Fall injury, Kenyon Rd/Airline trail.” It remains unclear exactly what happened. It is supposed as the pair neared the tree line adjacent to the Airline Trail something spooked the horse and, as the victim described it, it zigged and she zagged.  As she hit the ground with a hard thump and a crunch the horse made its way back to the barn and, what moments before was a sense of inner peace, rapidly transformed to pain and anxiety.

As the saying goes, “Thank God for small mercies.” She had landed on her left side and although any effort to get up was met with excruciating pain, she was able to reach the cell phone strapped to her right calf and call 911 and a friend. Within minutes a DEP officer as well as one of Hampton’s  volunteer EMTs was on the scene assessing, reassuring and tending to the victim. A cervical collar was put in place to protect or prevent possible further injury. HFC’s service truck hauling the trailer containing the gator arrived at the entrance to the Airline trial soon thereafter. The Gator was unloaded, firefighting equipment in the Gator bed was removed and replaced with the medical/rescue equipment And the Gator headed down the trial to the scene with the Medic and two other volunteers onboard.  KB Ambulance was by now on scene as well.

All essential and possible field care having been provided to the victim, she was carefully loaded and secure to a backboard, together they were loaded and secured in the bed of the Gator and transported to the ambulance staged at the trailhead. The victim was then transported to Windham Hospital where she was examined and treated for a broken upper left arm and multiple contusions. HFC equipment was restored to its original configuration and returned to the Fire House. The time — 6:40pm.

The following is an excerpt from the letter the victim sent to HFC.  Her expression of gratitude was appreciated and we are happy to know she is on the mend:

“ ….Thank you to the members of the Hampton Fire Department who came to my aid on May 25 when I had a horseback riding accident just off the Airline Trail….I broke my upper left arm and bruised just about everything else so I sustained a bit of trauma to say the least.

I don’t know who the handful of guys were, but they showed up on an ATV to assist the EMTs from KB Ambulance. They moved me onto a backboard with as little jostling as possible. I wasn’t able to stand on my own.  They were compassionate, polite and professional and got me to the waiting ambulance and got me off to Windham ER. It’s been four weeks and I am on the mend.  It could have been worse and I am grateful for everyone who helped out that day…please  accept my extreme gratitude for a job  well done , not just that day, but every day.

Sincerely

Donna Tommelleo”

To Donna’s credit, she was prepared and able to summon help when her peaceful outing took an unfortunate turn.  As cautionary advice to all of us who love to go off on our own and enjoy the beauty and peace of nature, having a whistle on your person as well as a cell phone is a useful survival tool. As it was it is easy to find a Donna lying in an open field – someone in the woods, off the beaten path is not such an easy find. A whistle carries further and sharper than a human voice and is not so exhausting to use. It could be the thing that saves your life – especially if there is no or poor cell service.

During the month of June HFC responded to 17 emergency dispatches, held two admin meetings, two training meeting as well as several driver qualification trainings. Its members also helped with the set-up and take down of concert equipment at the Shaboo Stage, in Willimantic. Just over 200-man hours were logged. Meetings and Trainings are held on Wednesday evenings at 7.  Join us.

And the pager sounds.

Fire House Dog