Routt County Search and Rescue and Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue crews responded in less than 30 minutes on July 17 to a biker having an allergic reaction to a bee sting on Emerald Mountain, said Routt County Search and Rescue Incident Commander Harry Sandler.

“Since we’re based in downtown Steamboat, at the base of Emerald, we can be out the door really quickly and link up with Steamboat Fire (Rescue) and their backcountry paramedics,” said Sandler. “In this case, we were able to drive quite close and then hike a short distance.”

The call for help came in at around 10 a.m. July 17 when a biker was stung by a bee and had an allergic reaction.

At the time of the call, four Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue firefighters were working on wildfire fuel mitigation in the area, said Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue Capt. Chris Welch. The firefighters were alerted to the emergency and were first to arrive on the scene.

The four firefighters got to the biker in only around 15 to 20 minutes, Welch added.

“They were able to stop what they were doing and make access to the patient, give us a patient update and start coordinating finding a helicopter landing zone,” said Welch.

First responders called a Classic Air Medical helicopter to the scene after firefighters determined the patient needed “advanced-level care,” according to Sandler.

Once the patient was stable, the crew brought the patient to the helicopter’s landing zone on a UTV — a fully enclosed, off-road-capable vehicle — to be transported to a nearby hospital.

Classic Air Medical helicopter calls are not always feasible due to weather and a lack of landing zone options, said Sandler, but first responders utilize the resource as much as possible.

“They’re definitely great if there’s a safe place for them to land,” said Sandler. “If there’s a medical need or if we need to transport rescuers quickly to a location where it’s going to take us hours to hike or ride into, we can use the helicopter to shuttle folks or help search. And the crews are top-notch.”

Welch noted that the response to this call for help went smoothly and was proud of the quick reaction times of each of the agencies.

“In general, this had a lot of moving parts,” said Welch. “A lot of different pieces worked together fairly seamlessly … Everybody worked really well together.”

As the summer continues and turns to fall, Sandler hopes outdoor recreationalists will continue to stay prepared. 

Although summer is a busy time for Routt County Search and Rescue, Sandler noted that hunting season is equally busy.

Before any trip, Sandler encourages practicing the three T’s: trip planning, training and taking the essentials.

“It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the weather for either storms or if it’s getting hot and dry,” Sandler continued. “Make sure where you’re going, what the conditions will be like, and that you’re fit enough to do that activity.”