Rescue sled donated to Edwardsburg

A rescue sled that was donated to Ontwa Township will help first responders this winter.

During a snowmobile accident on a trail, or a medical emergency in a rural area, it can be difficult for police, firefighters, and paramedics to get through the snow and carry a victim to safety. 

Larry Bjork said, “If somebody's injured in the past, we've had to go with a backboard or a stokes basket and carry them out to the road to the ambulance.”

Bjork has been a paramedic and reserve officer in Edwardsburg for 20 years.

Bjork said, "The problem is it's so remote back in the back of a farmers field, or back in the back of the woods, it can be a mile and a half or two miles off the road.”

He believes this sled will save lives and be helpful if there's an accident on the snowmobile trails in Edwardsburg.

Bjork said, “It's just wide enough that it fits down all our trails but not too wide, and it's long enough that it can fit a full backboard.”

Bjork said in a trauma situation, the first hour is imperative to a patient's survival. Paramedics commonly call it the 'Golden Hour.'

Bjork said, "This will speed that up immensely and has the potential to save lives!”

A group from the Edwardsburg Snowmobile Club and Norm Krupp, the owner of Krupp's Power Sports, drove up to the Twin Lakes Fire Department in the upper peninsula to pick up the sled.

Krupp said that over 15 years ago he donated the ski's on the sled to that fire department, so it was neat to see it come back to Edwardsburg after Twin Lakes found a new one.