Today the US Dept. of the Interior’s International Technical
Assistance Program, Jordan Parks Project – USAID, Basic Search & Rescue
Training (how is that for a mouthful?) culminated with a training exercise
whereby Park Rangers from Petra and Wadi Rum Protected Area searched for,
found, and transported to safety and medical attention an overdue hiker. The
Rangers all deserve a big THANK YOU for their efforts.
The Rangers near the Byzantine Church were given information
from a “Reporting Party” that their friend was a couple of hours overdue from
his hike to the High Place of Sacrifice. The potentially missing individual (Sam
A. Roberts) is a 60+ year old man with potential health issues
(diabetes). He was last seen at the Temenos Gate, wearing a grey Hawaiian
shirt. The Rangers sprung into action with an Incident Commander & an
Operations Section Chief. Hasty search teams were sent to various locales that
a visitor might have gone to in that amount of time. One team (Rangers Haroun,
Atef & Hamoud) searched from the Church to the Treasury, to the High Place
of Sacrifice and back down in 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, the victim (Mr. SAR, shown above right, or yours truly) was in a
cave at the base of the hill & the way up Wadi Al-Farasa
towards the High Place. He had fallen twisting and blowing out his knee and was
unable to walk. (He was able to communicate with the exercise directors (Barney & Ken) via telephone. When Barney called to inform me that the teams were briefed and deployed, I answered the phone: "Phil's Man Cave, How may I direct your call?" When asked for the "Chief" I informed him that he was unavailable at present getting in touch with his Hunter-Gatherer being; would you like to leave a message?
Ranger Haroun was the 1st to locate the victim
sitting inside the shade of a cave. He quickly ascertained that he was OK with
water and food (thanks to Meme’s gift of a Cliff bar) and immediately called
his team-mates to join him, which they did within minutes. They were able to
get me out of the cave onto a natural stone bench in front of the cave’s
opening (still in the shade).
Within a short while (10 minutes) another team of
Rangers arrived with the litter and I was quickly helped into it and
transported to an area accessible for an ambulance. We then debriefed the exercise
under the shade of the large tree at the Nymphaeum. It was a job well done!
After lunch, the National Park Service instructors, Ken
Phillips & Barney Riley, presented certificates to the participants. This
Ranger remains grateful to Rangers everywhere for ALL that they do…
Bro-in-Law, Did you get really get hurt, or was this the 'training exercise?' Pat
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