Renfrew – The two occupants of an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) were transported to the trauma unit at an Ottawa hospital last Thursday afternoon after the vehicle left the Algonquin Trail, rolled, and went down a steep embankment, ejecting them.
Curtis Farrell, Deputy-Chief of the Renfrew County Paramedic Service, said the mishap occurred approximately 400 yards up the Algonquin Trail off Golf Course Road, west of Renfrew.
“It looks like they were travelling towards Golf Course Road when they lost control of the vehicle,” he said. “There were two individuals, a male and a female, who went down an embankment of roughly 40 to 50 feet.”
He said the embankment ran down to a farmer’s field, and the two occupants became caught up in a brush area on the embankment. EMS responded with their Sierra team and RAT vehicle by travelling down the trail from Golf Course Road and the Douglas Fire Department, which was called to assist with extrication and suppression, made entry to the scene through a field.
Deputy- Chief Farrell said the fire personnel ensured the ATV was stabilized and provided the initial stabilization of the patients before EMS personnel arrived.
“Once we arrived and packaged the equipment, they assisted with the extrication down the low slope where our Sierra Team was located and the ORNG aircraft,” he said.
He said the individuals sustained multiple fractures and facial lacerations, adding there was also the potential of head injuries to both individuals.
“Both patients were conscious, talking and were oriented on our arrival,” he said.
Both victims were wearing helmets. The more seriously injured of the two was airlifted to Ottawa and the second patient went to Ottawa by land ambulance.
He described the injuries as serious, and possibly life-altering, based on the age of the two individuals (60 plus).
He expressed his gratitude to Douglas firefighters saying the joint training that is done really pays off in these situations.
“Any opportunity we get to work with our allied agencies is an excellent opportunity,” he said. “We count on our local fire departments to support us with difficult extrications like this.”
