Emergency responders attend lift ticket training

MINERAL COUNTY—Despite early morning ground fog, Sept. 24 blossomed into gorgeous weather with blue skies and little wind— perfect weather conditions for Lift Ticket training for 15 members of Mineral County Search and Rescue, Rio Grande County Search and Rescue, Mineral County EMTs and South Fork EMTs.   
Training was provided by the flight crew of Lifeguard5 from Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango and included pilot Adam Wagner and flight nurses Ally Kauffman and Nicole Salafia. Lift Ticket training offered by Flight For Life-Colorado is required for emergency responders to be air-lifted to remote locations to assist injured, stranded, or lost individuals. The training must be updated annually in order for those first responders to remain qualified. Participants were instructed in helicopter operations and landing zone safety. Flight For Life-Colorado offers this training free of charge to attendees.
Mineral County residents and visitors to the area are urged to get search and rescue cards which are available at the sheriff’s office. The cost of the cards ($3/year) goes into a statewide search and rescue fund which helps defray some of the costs incurred by the county in conducting search and rescue operations. Anyone with a hunting or fishing license or an OHV or snowmobile registration already pays into that fund and need not purchase an additional card.


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