People
TRIAGE AT SUGARLOAF
Resort in Carrabassett Valley, Maine and waited
ground. [ABC News, Mar 21, 2015] Approxi-
for Hollister to join them when they suddenly
mately 200 people had to be evacuated via ropes,
heard screams and saw the ski lift gaining speed
chair-by-chair.
as it shot backwards toward the carousel at the
one of the skiers trapped on the lift was MMA
bottom. People in line around them scattered,
alumnus, Skip Strong '84, a Penobscot Bay and
fearing the chairlift riders would fal on them
River Pilot. He waited patiently on the lift for the
when the first chair hit the carousel.
rescuers to reach his chair and lower him and the
Ryan, who has his outdoor Emergency Care
others down.
certification at Sugarloaf, and Sam, who is an
An investigation revealed that a mechanical
EMR registered to practice in Maine, dashed to
failure in one of two gearboxes caused the lift to
the people on the ground. An emergency room
jerk to a stop and begin its slide backwards. Nor-
physician had already reached the first victim
mal y, a hydraulic brake should have kicked in to
Ryan Collet '15 in orange jacket, and Sam Brown '15 in black
and screamed out that he was an ER physician so
stop the lift but it also failed. Sugarloaf Mountain
jacket and red helmet assist in triage for ski lift accident
Sam should go to the next victim. Evan Gaskin,
Resort management had just had the King Pine
victims at Sugarloaf Ski Resort on March 21, 2015. Photo by
a Castine Fire and Rescue Department driver,
Lift inspected the day before the accident so
G Hoffmeister.
pitched in, as did Hollister Poole who had basic
they were as surprised by the incident as the lift
ryanCollet'15,avolunteermemberof ship'smedicaltrainingfromMMA.
passengers.
the Sugarloaf Ski Patrol, Sam Brown '15,
"Pretty much everyone who could, went into
once again, Maine Maritime Academy
Evan Gaskin '15, and Hollister Poole
`hyper-help mode'," according to Ryan. He went
students jumped in to help without hesitation to
'15 were spending Saturday, March 21, 2015
on to say, "Patient care was not too difficult but
lend their expertise. Ryan, Sam, Evan, and Hol-
skiing and hanging out with the volunteer ski pa-
getting people off the lift was a challenge." Some
lister al proved that their training and compas-
trol on Ryan's day off. The young men got in the
people were trapped 20 feet off the snow pack
sion helped mitigate a scary and very dangerous
line for the King Pine Lift at Sugarloaf Mountain
and some were trapped as high as 45 feet off the
situation.
LANCE MEADOWS '12 RETURNS
TIMBERWIND TO SEA
called Maine DaySail, LLC in response to an offer
from Captains Joe Finger and Annie Mahle who
bought Timberwind in 2014. The three captains
knew each other from the days when Lance was
a crew member aboard the Schooner Riggin
and Joe and Annie were her captains. He made
a three-year charter agreement with the owners,
spruced her up, developed a website (maineday-
sail.com), and commenced business on April 15,
2015. Timberwind can carry up to 44 passengers
and four crew on her two daily sails of two hours
Timberwind cutting the waters of Penobscot Bay. Photo by
each or on her sunset cruises. She sails from
Rocky Coast Photography.
t
Thompson's Wharf in Belfast, Maine six days a
he 96-foot schooner Timberwind has re-
week from June 21st to october 21st.
turned to work at sea thanks to the tenacity
Timberwind was built in Portland, Maine and
of alumnus Lance Meadows '12 and his
served as the Portland Pilot until 1969 when she
wife, Liz. For several years, the schooner has not
was sold and retrofitted as a windjammer for the
been used to her ful potential but Lance, after
Midcoast Maine schooner fleet. Because of her
working for Dunlap Towing in Puget Sound,
service to Casco Bay, she is a registered National
Washington captaining tandem 400-foot or 100-
Historic Landmark.
foot barges from Washington to Alaska, found
With his degree from MMA in vessel opera-
her awaiting him and his maritime business
tions and his USCG 1600-ton license, Lance is
acumen.
ideal y positioned to captain this elegant schoo-
He spent the last year forming a company
ner on the waters of Penobscot Bay.
Photo courtesy of Lance Meadows.
mainemaritime.edu
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