L Roebuck
Technical Support
Caving
^V^ Just a caver
Posts: 2,023
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Post by L Roebuck on Sept 26, 2007 7:08:22 GMT -5
Rescue in Walker County's Anderson CaveSubmitted by John Mercer on September 26, 2007 - 12:00am A 29-year old man exploring some caves ended up having to be rescued by the Walker county sheriff's department. Dispatchers say the man was a half mile inside Anderson's cave when he broke his leg. Full Text
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Post by Brad Tipton on Sept 26, 2007 14:27:18 GMT -5
I haven't heard any of this. I was with Buddy and Brian at South Pittsburg Pit all evening yesterday. I guess they weren't aware either. Maybe I can get the scoop sometime today.
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Post by Sharon Faulkner on Sept 26, 2007 21:15:08 GMT -5
Thanks Brad!
Sometimes the news reports are very vague, which perhaps they are not always given much information either.
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Post by Brad Tipton on Sept 27, 2007 16:41:49 GMT -5
The word I got from Brian Krebs today was that someone had a tib/fib fracture just inside the cave entrance. That's all I know.
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Post by joe on Oct 3, 2007 15:06:59 GMT -5
I would have posted all this information earlier, but it took a while to be approved... Here's my story. Tuesday morning my two friends, Sam and Zack, and I (Joe) decided to go to Anderson Springs Cave. I had been last week but wanted to explore some more of the cave - Sam and Zack hadn't been to this cave yet. We all have been caving together for about 2 months. We hiked down from Rape Gap and got into the cave sometime around 2 p.m. When we entered the room with the large Stalagmite on your left, we went up and to the right. I remember crawling through a squeeze and entering a room that had a large chimney, this is where the accident happened. Zack went first and used a large squared boulder to get up the first part, and then I helped Sam get up, who also used the boulder as a hand hold. I followed behind and instead of using the boulder for just a hand hold, I used it as three points of contact with only my left foot using a jug on the other side of the chimney. When I pulled my weight up to grab the next right hand hold the boulder gave loose and I rode it down in a bear-hug to the floor of the cave. Thankfully the back of my butt and thigh had landed in a crack on the floor and with some struggling I was able to pull my leg out from under the boulder. I freaked out. I remember Zack ripping my pants to see the wound and looking down to see my bone and a lot of blood. We decided that Sam would stay with me and Zack would go get a rescue team, and we made sure to leave a marker so that they could quickly find us. I then had to talk Sam through some pretty gross first aid; we used our knee pads for tourniquets and my left sock as a support, but we didn't have anything to splint the leg, so every time we moved the leg I would feel the bones scraping - not fun. According to the rescue team we waited there for three hours just basically cracking jokes and eating some Cliff bars. Sam went out to make sure there were some markers to our location, basically because I was going a little stir crazy, and probably 20 minutes later the Walker County Fire/Cave Rescue team was there. They got me reheated and wrapped up and out of the cave in 2 hours, and considering that I am at least 200 lb.. that is impressive. They rolled me down the side of the mountain to the land owners pasture where we waited for about 15 minutes for the helicopter to show. I am now the proud owner of a new rod in my leg and 3 screws. I got discharged from the hospital Monday and am back home. But I'm not out of the woods yet. The major crushing wound caused some pretty serious skin damage that if it doesn't stop leaking by Friday I am going to have to have some more surgery. Walker County Rescue was amazing and fast, and I owe my life to them. Sam and Zack came through when I wholly depended on them, and I really am in debt to them - first rounds on me.
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brianc
Beginner
chech it out on the way back!
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Post by brianc on Oct 3, 2007 16:08:43 GMT -5
That must have been terrifying for all of you! I am so glad the rescue went well, and you are able to tell about it!
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Post by madratdan on Oct 3, 2007 18:39:30 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum Joe. Thanks for sharing that accident report. Get well soon and hope your recovery goes well. You'll be back to caving before you know it.
Caving in three's has it's advantages.
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Post by Brad Tipton on Oct 3, 2007 21:54:21 GMT -5
Thanks for posting your story Joe. You are lucky to have injured yourself in a county with a fine Cave Team such as Walker Co. Hope you make a speedy recovery.
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Brian Roebuck
Site Admin
Caver
Caving - the one activity that really brings you to your knees!
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Post by Brian Roebuck on Oct 4, 2007 5:23:47 GMT -5
Joe, Get well soon. Tell your caving budies they did a great job taking care of you and getting you help. I'm glad it was no worse of an injury for you. It just goes to show us all that accidents can happen to the best of us at any time. Being prepared and properly trained goes a long way to making caving much more safe and enjoyable.
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Post by Sharon Faulkner on Oct 4, 2007 8:51:12 GMT -5
Thanks for posting the details for us Joe. Seems like you all handled the incident with calm heads. Hope you are better and back out there caving soon!
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Post by joe on Oct 4, 2007 12:26:24 GMT -5
Thanks for the support guys. I have some pictures of the accident that I want to post - so if some one could help me out with that I would appreciate it.
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L Roebuck
Technical Support
Caving
^V^ Just a caver
Posts: 2,023
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Post by L Roebuck on Oct 4, 2007 15:19:19 GMT -5
Hey Joe, thanks for sharing your accident report. Wow, you are so lucky to have rode that boulder down and are here to tell the story! Get well soon and best wishes for your recovery ! Adding images is described in this thread How do I add an Image?
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Post by tncaveres on Oct 6, 2007 17:02:53 GMT -5
If you can't figure it out email them to me & I will post them for you.
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Post by tncaveres on Oct 18, 2007 16:15:55 GMT -5
Hey Joe sorry I have not been able to post your pics yet but something is wrong with my email at yahoo. It will not let me respond to anybody or download your pics. From the looks of them pics I bet that was no fun trip out of the cave. Tonight is our local training night. I am going over pt packaging with them.
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Post by joe on Oct 22, 2007 20:27:56 GMT -5
Its no big deal. I just got my stitches taken out a few days ago, and the new x-ray shows some bone re-growth. Thanks for the help.
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L Roebuck
Technical Support
Caving
^V^ Just a caver
Posts: 2,023
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Post by L Roebuck on Oct 23, 2007 7:02:41 GMT -5
Hey Joe it sounds like your on the road to recovery! Good deal!
If you need -- I am also willing to post the photos?
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L Roebuck
Technical Support
Caving
^V^ Just a caver
Posts: 2,023
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Post by L Roebuck on Oct 24, 2007 19:24:51 GMT -5
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Brian Roebuck
Site Admin
Caver
Caving - the one activity that really brings you to your knees!
Posts: 2,732
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Post by Brian Roebuck on Oct 24, 2007 19:41:21 GMT -5
Ouch! Beautiful suture work on it though! I hope it heals up soon Joe.
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Post by tncaveres on Oct 24, 2007 19:44:39 GMT -5
Good to hear your doing better Joe.
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Post by Sharon Faulkner on Oct 29, 2007 19:41:52 GMT -5
Rather painful looking...glad you're healing up.
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Post by bigchiefcaver on Nov 4, 2007 14:39:29 GMT -5
I live in the sumiton/walker county area and was wondering just where exactly this cave is? Or how to get to it?
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L Roebuck
Technical Support
Caving
^V^ Just a caver
Posts: 2,023
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Post by L Roebuck on Nov 6, 2007 7:38:17 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum bigchiefcaver! Have you contacted your local grotto yet?
Inexperienced or untrained folks might go to the cave and get hurt so we do not give out cave locations or directions on the internet.
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