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Always keep your cell phone on you: (family friend almost died... )
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| MKpacha |
crazy to hear... i grew up with this kid, practically my brother
Cellphone saves man lost in N.B. woods
TAMMY SCOTT-WALLACE/CP
Paramedics tend to Rory O’Connell, of Oakville, after the University of New Brunswick engineering student was rescued yesterday. O’Connell became lost and disoriented in extremely cold weather while hiking in the wilderness of New Brunswick’s Fundy Trail. Email story
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Oakville student, 22, survives two days in cold before contact made with father
Mar 08, 2007 04:30 AM
Dale Anne Freed
STAFF REPORTER
A frostbitten university student from Oakville, lost for two days in the New Brunswick wilderness, was rescued yesterday after a cellphone call to his father in Florida.
Rory O'Connell, 22, didn't have his bearings as temperatures plunged to -36C with the wind chill. But he still had his cellphone.
O'Connell managed to reach his dad, who then contacted RCMP at 9:30 a.m.
He told them his son was lost near Little Salmon River, and ground and rescue teams were sent out immediately.
"That cellphone saved the day," said Cpl. Tom Reid, the helicopter pilot whose team rescued O'Connell yesterday at noon.
The signal was weak, a tenuous link at best, and it was a fluke the phone even worked because "coverage is sporadic" in the area, said Cpl. Roger Gillies, the thermal imaging specialist on board.
"Radio reception there is poor, telephone reception is very poor in that area."
Police said they spoke to the University of New Brunswick survey engineering student briefly a few times by cellphone.
"He was starting to suffer from the elements so we were concerned for his safety ... and his battery was dying," said acting RCMP Sgt. John deWinter.
The man told the RCMP he'd lost his compass and his food and that he was disoriented.
"Sometimes we could make contact, and at other times not. Basically we told him to keep walking, to keep moving, to keep active," said deWinter.
He was very lucky, deWinter said.
"It's seldom, if at all, that when we're dispatched to those locations out there that we ever get any kind of radio communications," he said.
O'Connell was standing, waving both arms in the air when the helicopter crew spotted him on snowmobile Trail 41, part of the Fundy trail, said Reid. He had his tent with him.
"I got lost ... My feet are frozen. They froze yesterday (Tuesday) for three or four hours," he told Gillies as the corporal walked up the trail to escort him to the helicopter.
O'Connell told him he'd managed to thaw his feet but they immediately froze again once he started walking, said Gillies.
He was wearing hiking boots for snowshoeing.
"I'm guessing he never had the proper footwear, said Gillies.
O'Connell had been on a four- or five-day hike near the rugged Bay of Fundy coastline that separates New Brunswick from Nova Scotia.
Although he was well clothed and hooded, "the cold sneaks up on you," said Gillies.
O'Connell started out Monday, spent the night in his tent and was only about 10 kilometres south of his destination of Adair's Wilderness Lodge when he lost his way in an area where the trails merge.
Following the rescue, O'Connell was airlifted to Sussex Regional Hospital. He was later taken to Saint John Regional Hospital to be assessed by a surgeon, where he was reported to be suffering from frostbite and was listed in serious condition, police said.
His grandfather, Walter Cosman of Sussex, N.B., said that O'Connell is in good spirits but is nervous about the possibility of losing one or two toes to frostbite.
Lodge owner Larry Adair said there is an urgent need for an emergency tower and improved radio communications in the rural area, where nature lovers seek adventure year-round through sports such as snowmobiling, boating, fishing and hiking.
source: http://www.thestar.com/article/189599 |
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| TranceGrooves |
crazy story indeed. i hope his condition gets better real soon and he can go back to his normal activities.
last year my cell was not working for couple of days and i felt so lost and i live in the middle of the city. i think cell phones r one of the best inventions ever. |
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| EvilTree |
Oh dear. You should never be doing winter outdoor activities alone, (esp. in deep woods or places far away from civilization) and without proper footwear. And never lose your compass!
This dude is very, very lucky to survive.
-Yohan, the crazy winter camper |
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| *~LiSa-LoO~* |
| Glad he survived!! That would have been really scary. |
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| dance2dabeat |
| wow, I always have my cell on me these days. Glad he did that time |
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| dallastar |
| quote: | Originally posted by rabbitjoker
Crazytown. |
+1 |
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| Jem_hadar |
| quote: | Originally posted by TranceGrooves
last year my cell was not working for couple of days and i felt so lost and i live in the middle of the city. i think cell phones r one of the best inventions ever. |
God and to think, Tyler, I still dont have one or use one.
Can you imagine.
Once you become accustomed to it in your life, I imagine going back to living w/o it would be nigh impossible.
BUt I still havent become "accustomed" to one in my life, so living w/o one doesnt bother me a bit.
I have no doubt if i got one for a good while that going back to NOT having one would be impossible. |
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| Abercrombie |
OMG, I read this article in the paper this morning.
and ALWAYS wear the proper clothing when outdoors, notably warm boots. |
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| Speedy2k |
Yeah thats pretty intense! Hopefully he doesnt lose his toes.
Wonder what cellphone carrier it was :p |
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| MKpacha |
| quote: | Originally posted by Speedy2k
Yeah thats pretty intense! Hopefully he doesnt lose his toes.
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i know for sure he is loosing one big toe. talked to his dad today. |
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| Cro_Addict |
| wow what a story.. |
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