HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL April 17, 2016 • 9 A long history of rescues Rangers ready for those Christmas Day 2011 was a busy day for rangers at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Holiday visitation was up and park dispatch was alerted that a hiker was in distress. At 8 p.m., a 56-year-old woman fell and broke her wrist as she stumbled over hardened and uneven pahoehoe lava flows through darkness along the park’s coast. She and a friend were hiking to see new lava enter the ocean. They were about 4 miles from the coastal ranger station at the end of Chain of Craters Road, and although they had flashlights, they were not adequate for the dark evening. The hikers did not have food, first-aid supplies or sufficient clothing for a rainy night. The woman, a local resident, was in excruciating pain from her injury. Being far from an accessible road added to her discomfort. She called 911 to request a helicopter evacuation. Because of the inclement weather, a helicopter flight was not possible. She was about to have a very long and sleepless Christmas night. Although aircraft can be a valuable asset on search-andrescue operations, the perception of their use is inaccurate. As tempting as it was during the Christmas Day search and rescue, the danger to the helicopter crew, and the visitor, far outweighed its use on such a dark and stormy night. Rangers would have to find another way to assist the injured female hiker. Like so many other dedicated National Park Service staff, Ranger John Moraes is committed to helping visitors in need, and on that Christmas night, he volunteered to leave his family and hike out to aid the injured woman. Hauling a pack of first-aid supplies, snacks, extra water and space blankets to keep warm, Moraes reached the injured woman and her friend at around 2 a.m. She was in agonizing pain. He tended to her injuries, and all three hunkered down to await daylight. At 6 a.m., Moraes slowly escorted her and her friend toward the coastal ranger station. It is said that a thousand mile journey begins with one step, and although the walk that morning was only about 4 miles, it must have felt like a thousand as the group took it one step at a time. Inch by inch, they made their way back to the paved road, over the vast stretch of black lava with the Pacific Ocean to their left. The sharp-as-glass lava rock was still wet and slippery from the rain. At 10:30 a.m., they arrived at the end of the road and an awaiting ambulance. During the past 100 years, rangers at Hawai‘i Volcanoes have rescued about 2,000 stranded, lost or injured visitors. They have used many tools to perform this service, including helicopters. In fact, the first helicopter used on a rescue mission in the National Park Service took place in Hawai‘i Volcanoes on April 27, 1949. A military officer on leave wandered along Crater Rim Trail at night near Kilauea Military Camp, unaware of the dangerous earth cracks and steep cliffs. His wife reported who are unprepared him missing after he failed to return to the camp. With the aid of an army helicopter, and Park Ranger Gordon Bender as the observer, the body of the lost visitor was located within Kilauea Caldera. Although the search and rescues had different outcomes, the fallen hiker in 1949 and the Christmas Day hiker in 2011 share similar circumstances: the danger of hiking at night in unfamiliar territory, very little equipment and a lack of proper planning. The National Park Service urges visitors to plan ahead and prepare. Fumbling around in the dark is not the time to realize your flashlight is inadequate or you do not have other important supplies. Research the area you are going to visit, understand your limitations and know the hazards and how to prepare for them to ensure your journey will be safer and more enjoyable. Visit the park’s website, www.nps.gov/havo. The website is updated regularly with valuable park information, regulations that ensure the protection of visitors and natural resources, and safe hiking tips. Backcountry permits are required for overnight hikes. This allows park staff to keep track of hikers and affords the opportunity to educate visitors about hazards. You can also get updates from park rangers at Kilauea Visitor Center and Jaggar Museum. The National Park Service has a long and proud history of aiding visitors in need within the boundaries of these special places. You can make the ranger’s job easier and maximize your enjoyment by careful, thoughtful planning and being prepared for any situation. John Broward is chief ranger for HVNP. J B The helicopter used in search of Lt. A.H. Stephens who fell to his death over the rim of Kilauea Crater, April 27, 1949
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