Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — Two hikers were rescued from the Great Smoky Mountains on Friday, taken out of the national park within hours of each other. It was the first time the team was called to action twice in one day, for separate emergencies.
The Tennessee National Guard and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency received the first report that someone needed help at around 2 p.m. on Friday.
"We had a patient up in Leconte Lodge that was having some respiratory distress. They were concerned about needing some oxygen and trying to get the patient back off the mountain," said Major Hulon Holmes, the flight facility commander who responded to both rescue missions.
That patient was taken off the mountain in a helicopter at around 4 p.m. and flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. At around 7 p.m., another call came in about a hiker in possible cardiac distress along the Alum Cave Trails.
"They, based off their assessment, realized that this could potentially be a bad situation and needed to get another extraction in. So we brought about half the same group that was on the first one and changed out some of the pilots and executed that one too," said Holmes.
That person was also taken to the UT Medical Center for treatment. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park handles most medical emergencies that happen in the mountains, but the Army National Guard team steps in for most critical cases.
"They will only call us for that life, limb or eyesight threat. If that's not the case, they will use a ground extraction and they're going to get the rangers up there to get them out," said Holmes.
While the rescue team provides its members valuable training experience — it also offers the community and invaluable service.
"The training value is incredible, and the guys love being able to provide this service to our community. It's huge," said Holmes.
Only three aircraft rescue missions were conducted by the Tennessee National Guard so far this year, and seven were conducted in the past 12 months.