Hikers Saved... But At A High Price

An Arizona Department of Public Safety emergency worker was killed Monday, the victim of an apparent rotor blade strike during a mountainside rescue attempt.

620-KTAR in Phoenix reports Bruce Harrolle (right) was assisting with the rescue of two dehydrated hikers Monday afternoon in the Bell Rock area south of Sedona, AZ. The Flagstaff-based helicopter and crew responded to a request for assistance from the Sedona Fire Department and the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office.

The 36-year-old DPS medic was reportedly able to help one of the hikers into the DPS Air Rescue Ranger Bell 407, and was attempting to guide the second into the helicopter when he was struck by a rotor.

"While they were performing the rescue, they were able to get the male subject into the helicopter," said DPS Lt. James Warriner. "While trying to put the female into the helicopter, something happened that caused the paramedic to get struck by a rotor blade, resulting in his death."

The helicopter's pilot, the only other crewmember onboard, was able to perform the rescue and fly the two hikers off Bell Rock, a large rock formation south of Sedona.

"The pilot had to leave the medic up there because he could not make a full landing and shut down the helicopter," Warriner told KPHO-5. Harrolle's body was later recovered by a ground rescue team.

The exact circumstances of the accident are unclear at this time; reports do not indicate whether Harrolle was struck by the helicopter's main rotor or tail rotor.

Warriner noted mountain rescues using helicopters are very dangerous for DPS personnel, "because typically they're working off one skid or both skids or just barely on the rocks or wherever they decide to move."

Harrolle had been with DPS nine years. His death was the first loss of a DPS officer in the line of duty in eight years, according to the radio station.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 42AZ        Make/Model: B407      Description: Bell 407
  Date: 10/13/2008     Time: 2218

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: None

LOCATION
  City: SEDONA   State: AZ   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  N42AZ, A BELL 407 ROTORCRAFT OPERATED BY THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
  SAFETY, AFTER LANDING, A PARAMEDIC ON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT WAS FATALLY
  INJURED,  AT DOME MOUNTAIN NEAR SEDONA, AZ

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Landing      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SCOTTSDALE, AZ  (WP07)                Entry date: 10/14/2008

FMI: www.azdps.gov/