I saved a life, today … With some help from Jon Knight, BSVFD, Casey of the USFS, PV Station, an amazing CHP helicopter pilot i think named Joe, a CHP paramedic, Danny, and a CHP patrol officer, whose name I didn’t catch. I have photos of the helicopter landing which I will upload.

There are so many technological things I am thankful for, but today it was my iPhone and my iPad. I was able to give them my GPS coordinates because of the compass app I have on my iPad – didn’t know my address, which is meaningless anyway, but had my GPS coordinates! And with the iPhone and cellular booster, I was able to talk to the helicopter pilot before he took off to tell him where the evac needed to take place. Thank you Steve Jobs.

I am pretty exhausted, so more tomorrow – plus one who wasn’t saved but passed on at age 78. The life I saved will be 51 tomorrow.

bigsurkate

Appointed appellate counsel for indigent defendants (retired.) I have lived in Big Sur since 1984, first on the north coast, and on the South Coast since 1989.

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  • How odd, & wonderful: at my library today, the empathy of one of our homeless regulars, who alerted me to another patron in medical crisis + my iPhone, with GPS coordinates + quick response from EMTs=at least a chance that the 51 yr old suffering a stroke &/or cardiac event survived. Not such a challenge as your situation, & not so demanding of clarity of mind, but a reminder that technology well used can be lifesaving. Well done, Kate. Rest.

    • Yes, odd in that we were both dealing with 51 year-olds. I don't know exactly what he was suffering from. Thank you, Leslie. I am resting and going to sleep soon, I hope.

      bigsurkate, on a mountain top in Big Sur

    • Not a hero, just helping a friend, who was in need. I should have helped before he got desperate.

      bigsurkate, on a mountain top in Big Sur

  • Excellent, Kate. Well done. And happy birthday to the man you saved. Celebrate it too, along with him.

  • Patient is not doing well. He was transferred from Mee Memorial to Natividad, and finally to Stanford.

  • My best wishes for the patient. Do you guys down in Big Sur purchase special medivac chopper insurance? I was told recently that it can exceed $20K in one pop and is not covered under standard health insurance plans. I'm not sure how true that is.

    • One can purchase insurance for $25/ year for Cal-Star. Some purchase it, some don't. In this case, it was the CHP helicopter and medic, not Cal-Star.

      The patient is in ICU in Stanford, unsure if he will make it, at this point.

      bigsurkate, on a mountain top in Big Sur

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