OPP rescue woman, injured son from Algonquin park during storm
Major thunderstorms with strong winds rolled through and a tree fell on their tent, leaving the 13-year-old with serious injuries
Article content
A woman and her injured 13-year-old son were involved in a dramatic rescue from “an extremely isolated” area of Algonquin Provincial Park over the weekend.
Ontario Provincial Police said that the two had been camping “when major thunderstorms with strong winds rolled through the area Saturday night. A tree fell on their tent and the 13-year-old was left with very serious injuries and no way to get to help.”
tap here to see other videos from our team.
OPP rescue woman, injured son from Algonquin park during storm Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The mom used an ‘SOS’ signal on a device which sent heir coordinates to rescuers, with Upper Ottawa Valley OPP members getting on ATVs and heading from the nearest park entrance to their location.
The rescue team also included OPP Emergency Response Team members, Algonquin Park Rangers and the Renfrew County Paramedics Sierra Team.
”An aerial rescue wasn’t possible due to the weather, so first responders had to make a harrowing trek through roads and trails filled with downed trees and other debris and through dense brush,” OPP said in a Facebook post.
“They used hand saws to clear the way until chainsaws could arrive. It was about 25 kilometres over land. Rescuers then launched a canoe and paddled about 300 metres to the stranded mother and her seriously injured son and began immediate first aid.”
By 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, a Ministry of Natural Resources float plane was able to land on the nearby lake and transport the mother and son to hospital, where he underwent treatment for his injuries.
The rescue effort also included the MNR aviation team, OPP Communication Centres and Provincial Operations Centre, the Algonquin Park Duty Officer and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
“A special thanks to the Deep River Fire Department for providing the much-needed chain saws,” the OPP said.
“The seamless teamwork of this successful rescue is an example of the resilience and training of all involved.”
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.