John Jenkins, the climber from Seattle who died on Mt Hood last May after a lengthy rescue operation is the subject of a $10 million lawsuit aimed at Clackamas County, Oregon reports Oregon Live.
The deceased climber’s family filed the lawsuit on Monday in an Oregon circuit court, claiming that the emergency response was handled improperly by the county and that the rescue took too long. Jenkins ultimately died during the helicopter rescue.
“Connie Haider from the Clackamas County Sherifrs office did not call for help and told the caller to contact Timberline ski patrol despite being told the climber was a climber, not a skier and was outside the ski area.” – ESTATE OF JOHN THORNTON JENKINS by ROBERT D. JENKINS,
Jenkins suffered life threatening injuries on May 7th after tumbling approximately 600′ down Mt Hood. He was near the summit at the time of the fall. Another climber reached Jenkins within minutes of the accident and proceeded to call 9-1-1.
Family of dead Mt. Hood climber sues for $10 million for delayed helicopter rescue https://t.co/C38r4cCL9w pic.twitter.com/GnYhKWBzk0
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) May 15, 2018
The call was then transferred to the local Sheriff’s office. The Sheriff’s Office dispatcher told the group to call Timberline Ski Patrol, although the group was neither skiing nor inbounds. It would take nearly 3 hours for a helicopter to arrive on the scene.
“At 3: 11 pm the helicopter arrived at the scene. As 11 the helicopter arrived and attempted to secure plaintiff into a basket and lift him to the 12 helicopter, he stopped breathing and lost his pulse.” – ESTATE OF JOHN THORNTON JENKINS by ROBERT D. JENKINS,
Clackamas County previously countered, saying the 10-person group initially told a dispatcher they could self rescue.
Find the entire Oregon Live article here: Family of dead Mt. Hood climber sues for $10 million for delayed helicopter rescue
