Life Flight responds to Brian Head for possible snowmobile-related back injury

The Intermountain Healthcare Life Flight helicopter was flown to Brian Head in Iron County to transport a man with possible back pain to Dixie Regional Medical Center, Brian Head, Utah, Dec. 30, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Brian Head Marshal's Office, Cedar City News / St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Intermountain Life Flight was sent to Iron County Monday to help a man who may have injured his back during a snowmobile tour near Brian Head.

The Intermountain Healthcare Life Flight helicopter was flown to Brian Head in Iron County to transport a man with possible back pain to Dixie Regional Medical Center, Brian Head, Utah, Dec. 30, 2019 | Photo courtesy of the Brian Head Marshal’s Office, Cedar City News / St. George News

According to a press release from the Brian Head Marshal’s Office, the man was riding his snowmobile with a tour group in the Dry Lakes area when he hit a large bump at high speed.

“The driver never left the snowmobile and the snowmobile never crashed,” Brian Head Public Safety Director Dan Benson said in the press release.

The tour company called 911 in order to get the man evaluated and then evacuated him from the area so he could get additional care if necessary. Brian Head marshals and EMTs responded to the area on snowmobiles.

Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, the man was subsequently flown to Dixie Regional Medical Center for continued examination.

“Because of the mechanism of injury and the remote area of the accident a Life Flight helicopter was brought in and transported the patient,” Benson said.

Such incidents like this are rare and are generally avoided through the use of proper safety equipment and supervision, he said.

“Brian Head Marshals have trained numerous recreational businesses in different aspects of safety including patient care,” Benson said. “The staff of the snowmobile company handled patient care exactly as they should have and a quick response was initiated.”

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

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