SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Fire Department and Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue responded to a snowmobile accident Saturday afternoon, Dec. 21. The 27-year-old woman from Great Falls, Mont. was airlifted from the Marshall Lake area after breaking her lower leg above the boot.
The Great Falls woman was riding with her husband and 12 others on Saturday. Her husband called 9-1-1 at 2:20 p.m. to report his wife had hit a tree while riding and had broken her lower leg. While they had plenty of people, they had no way to get her out.
Seeley Lake Fire Department volunteers responded to the West Side Trailhead per the call request. However, Missoula County Sheriff’s Sergeant and Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue Incident Commander Robert Parcell asked Missoula County Dispatch if the victim was still in the woods or waiting at the trailhead. Once they realized the victim was 12 miles in, near Marshall Lake, he mobilized SSSAR.
Approximately eight SSSAR volunteers responded to the call. The Seeley Lake Fire Department ambulance staged with Federal Officer Tyler Robinson at the West Side Trailhead.
Parcell called the victim’s husband back on his cell phone to get a better location. He had a Seeley Lake Area Snowmobile trail map and was able to provide directions using trail numbers directly to their location.
Life Flight was still in route since it was a medical call initially. Since they were only a couple minutes out, Parcell asked if they could confirm the party’s location. He told the husband to add green vegetation to their fire when Life Flight was in the area to put smoke in the air.
Life Flight located the party. SSSAR rescuers continued up the West Fork of the Clearwater Road. They were more than half way in when Parcell learned that Life Flight landed and was treating the victim. At 3:50 p.m. the 27-year-old was loaded and flown to Missoula.
Parcell cancelled the SSSAR rescuers and everyone was accounted for just before 5 p.m.
“The big thing on this was they had good communication. And I’m looking at the same map he’s looking at so he could guide me by the numbers right to the point,” said Parcell. “If everyone would take in maps, knew where they were and could explain it and had good communications, it sure makes it simple. It was also daylight.”
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