“Big Bear Fire ARV Response Capabilities”
Local Knowledge is Vital
BIG BEAR, CA/July 19, 2018-
2N90, a rocky and steep 4x4 road to Tip Top Mountain, northeast of Big Bear near Arrastre Creek is known to many locals and off-road enthusiasts. But when a 9-1-1 call came to Big Bear Fire the night of July 5, 2018, requiring them to respond to an injury at that location, the immediate question to on-duty Battalion Chief Ryan Harold was where exactly was the crew to go and how were they to get there? Harold had to rely on two things, his staff’s local knowledge and the Department’s All Response Vehicle (ARV).
Harold called on Firefighter/Paramedic Brittania Huether, a lifetime resident of Big Bear, to get herself and the rest of the responding crew safely to the incident. There was only one vehicle in the Department’s fleet that was up to the task - the Department’s 2-year’s new ARV. All four crew members Firefighter/Paramedics Brandon Medeck and John Stein, and Firefighter/EMT Dylan Unger, along with Huether boarded the ARV for a harrowing ride through the darkness to find the person in need of medical aid.
According to Fire Chief Jeff Willis, “Prior to the purchase of the ARV, this type of response would not have been possible. Even with the ARV, without the local knowledge demonstrated by the Big Bear Fire crew, the chance of a successful mission would have been questionable. Local knowledge is vital.” The crew was ultimately successful in finding the injured party. After providing medical aid the patient declined transport and the crew guided the injured party’s vehicle to a road that would take them back safely to Pioneer Town.
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Photos Attached Courtesy of Big Bear Fire Department: Firefighter/Paramedics Huether and Medeck and Firefighter/EMT Unger.
