Potato Rescues

[hamsandwich]

Over the last few years rescues at the Perrine have gone from boat pickups to helicopter air lifts. I don't think it's the injuries getting worse its two other factors.

#1 It rare for anyone to call Don out for jump pickups anymore. There wasn't even a memorial day cookout last year. Maybe $6 a pick-up is too much for some people on vacation, or maybe its 'rebels against jump tickets' angle. That $6/jump also was part of an unofficial rescue fund. Don carries a backboard on his boats and he's helped countless people for longer than I've been jumping.

#2 St. Alphonsus stationed a life-flight helicopter at Magic Valley Regional Medical Center. Any hint of an injury in the canyon and bam, that chopper was airborne. Memorial and Labor day they could be seen circling like vultures waiting. The MVRMC was bought out by St Lukes recently and now its an Air St. Lukes chopper station 50 yards from my dz trailer but its the same story.

Now, of course I like having an airlift available when its warranted but it seems that it has become completely overused and the public perception is that BASE jumping requires an airlift from the canyon multiple times a year. The big part is that there is a perception that jumpers are uninsured jamokes and that tax payers will be left with the bill.

What can we do to remedy the perception and some of the reality?

For $50/year or $1000/lifetime PER FAMILY, you can become an Air St. Lukes member. What you get is a guarantee that they will accept as full payment whatever your insurance carrier pays them and if you have no insurance there will be no charge. Basically as a member you are guaranteed that there will be no out of pocket costs for an airlift in the coverage area.

You can apply for membership here:
http://www.stlukesonline.org/special...pply/index.php

There is reciprocity with other 'Life-flight' carriers giving you multi-state coverage show here: http://www.stlukesonline.org/special...ervicearea.php


What else?
Call Captain Don Mayes! If you want boat service while you'll be here jumping, call Don in advance (208) 731-6448.

peace.

-a

[ZegeunerLeben]

>>Sad to hear no one's using Don much anymore, I always had good fun talking to some smack to him. He always gives and good as he gets, and fished me out of the water once. Think I'll sign up for a St. Lukes membership right now.

[had_a_bad_day]

"#1 It rare for anyone to call Don out for jump pickups anymore. There wasn't even a memorial day cookout last year. Maybe $6 a pick-up is too much for some people on vacation, or maybe its 'rebels against jump tickets' angle. That $6/jump also was part of an unofficial rescue fund. Don carries a backboard on his boats and he's helped countless people for longer than I've been jumping."

"What else?
Call Captain Don Mayes! If you want boat service while you'll be here jumping, call Don in advance (208) 731-6448."



Don is a nice guy and a real character. But, it's nice to see basejujmpers leaving the DZ mentalily at the DZ. And being purist's for a change. Creating your altitude and hiking out from you altitude is a good thing. Maybe we won't be such out of shape and fat american's?

Relying on yourself is B.A.S.E. For awhile there it seemed like Twin was becomeing a little DZish. It's bad enough were spoiled with a great bridge, and landing area that are both legal.

We should become more responsible for our altitude.

Who do you respect more the guy who hiked out all of his record breaking jumps in 24 hours or the guy who used a crane? I know who i respect more. I do realise both of the above mentioned did their records for charity , so yes i do appreciate the crane stunt for what it was.


Sorry Don.

[hamsandwich]

You're right about the mentality but at least for me Twin Falls is a BASE vacation. There is no easy ride when climbing antennas wherever home is, or hiking to the top of cliffs, or even paying off security guards to use the elevator in a building.. that's all hard work man!

Before I moved here, when I came out we'd do a early morning jumping and climb out then ride the boat and then made a last load climbing out. Now that I live here, when I do make it out to jump I'll climb but when my friends are in town, especially memorial day boogies, it's great to get on the boat, crack a beer open and relax.

Taking precautions like the st lukes membership or having don around IS being RESPONSIBLE and so is owning up to pay your bill if you do get hurt without coverage.

Rock on for those that want to climb out every jump and get a charge out of it. I enjoy the feeling when you get to the top but on 100 degree days, I love hanging out on the boat with Don or Ron.

Anyway to each his/her own. I think we both want people to understand responsibility.

-a

[airdog07]

don help out lot with county and city for base jumpers , he knows ever body's name and he is a nice guy what is a $6 one hamburger, pay the man
the helicopter if I pay the monthly well it rescue me at moab?

[hamsandwich]

hey al. its just 50 yearly dude, not monthly.

They don't cover as far south as moab unfortunately. Here's the service coverage:
http://www.stlukesonline.org/special...es/aamp_06.gif

Anyway, if you keep busting those head down exits of mary's its going to be a splatula scraping you up not the helicopter!

[nicknitro71]

Taking the boat sucks, climb that damn wall.

Also Abbie, for a fraction of the price I'd land and take off your 182 in the LZ, then we tandem drop the injured party and land on the roof of the hospital, all for cost of fuel and 30 bucks for the gear rental...and maggot can be the flight attendant ready to administrate pain killers real MDs would droll over 'em.

[hamsandwich]

Fuck, why didn't i think about that? Execpt there's one problem, maggots a loser. Replace magot with one of his coke-whores and we might have a deal. in fact, we can do practice runs once a week.

[Para_Frog]

I agree with Nick. You fat fucks need to climb more.

However...giving back to the community is one of the reasons people in the right places keep fighting to keep the place legal. And Don's a good man...throw him a bone.

As far as why they send the helo everytime...that could be a simple matter of education. If we convince TF Co. dispatch that we can triage/assess better than say, drunk snowmobiling jamokes...maybe they'll hold off. I'm a member of Lifeflight and have so much insurance, they'll give refund checks out to the homeless when I break something. So I'll never get hurt.

No cook-out? WTF Yarmulhawk? Where you not at the Blondie's Patron-fest?

You were busy talking chicks into kissing each other...maybe you forgot.

[stitch]

I didn't get no helicopter ride, I got a Missouri boat ride.

[tonyg]

The dude never answers his phone. I was out there 3 times in 07. Everytime we called him we got his machine. Someone said he won't come out anymore unless it's "busy enough".. Any idea how many people have to be jumping to make it worth his while to come out?

[airdog07]

I don't know now but use to be 6-7 people
abbie I was just kidding abut moab just the jet fuel alone to moab is going to cost lot more than the hospital bill

[Mac]

I was in TF during the summer of 2002 doing my FJC, and we used the boat for the 2 weeks we were there after the course, Don rocks! He even gave me the keys to his truck to do the shuttle back and forth to the bridge from the dock, he did this on the second day we used him and we used it everyday after! Trust and friendship!

Luckily his truck sits high off the road as one day some street luge'r came screeming down the road and went under us! Now that is insane!

We met a canadian named Robin who fractured his back in the landing area when we were jumping with him, and Don picked him up and we then took him to the hospital, Don did not charge him for that ride that time

Robin, Do you still read the forums????????