Chris Smith, a local paramedic, spoke at the Summer HRBike meeting. Below is a summary of helpful information from Chris if we find ourselves in an emergency situation.
Stay Calm – Take a deep breath to get your thoughts together before calling 911. Clearly describe where you are, the details of what happened and the status of the person injured. Stay on the line until 911 says it is okay for you to hang up.
Don’t make the situation worse – If the injured party is in harm’s way, move them to safety as gently as possible keeping their head, neck and spine in alignment. To move them put your hands under their armpits and pull them to safety. If they can move on their own, it is probably okay for them to do so.
Figure out what is different from normal – Ask the injured person where they’re hurting and tell responders everything you know about what happened. If the injured person shows signs of shock – pale, cool skin, rapid heart rate & breath – cover them up. Continue reading
Airbnb “The Inn on Creeper Way.” Bike rentals & shuttles are available in Damascus but we took our mountain bikes fitted with skinny tires, perfect for the crushed limestone surface. Our inn was right on the trail so we began there climbing 17 mi toward Whitetop. (Many riders take a 30 min. shuttle to Whitetop & coast the 17 mi downhill.) After riding to Whitetop and returning to Damascus, we headed toward Abingdon where there were fewer riders, and the landscape changed to trestles & farmland. I suggest riding the Creeper during the off-season or early in the day to avoid lots of novice riders. There were many water stops, one was Creeper Cafe home of the World Famous Chocolate Cake!