A woman perished, in front of her 9 year old daughter, in the dunes near Osborne overlook. Apparently they got seperated from the group and got lost trying to get to the Glamis beach store. The Rangers found the woman dead from exposure and the daughter unconcious. They predict that she had only 1/2 hour to live. A truly tragic story, but one that needs to be told.

It needs to be told because they were not equipped for riding in 110+ degree heat in the middle of sand. Both were wearing tennis shoes and short sleave shirts. NO WATER ANYWHERE. No water bottle, no 6 pack rack. They were not lost that long, a few hours, but with no shade, no water, and no sun protection, it does not take long. My heart goes out to the family...

Please be careful this weekend, everybody needs to be around to celebrate another Independence Day.


RoostKing...

 

here is the article..... I see it took over 3 hours to get to them from the time they were reported missing.

Sunday, June 29, 2003 7:54 AM PDT

IMPERIAL SAND DUNES — An Ohio woman died from exposure here Saturday after she and her daughter got separated from their group, according to Imperial County Sheriff's Office officials.

El Centro recorded a high temperature of 110 degrees Saturday. The off-road season at the dunes slows down after spring break, when temperatures in Imperial County reach into the 90s.

Around 12:30 p.m. an 11-year-old boy reported his mother and his 10-year-old sister did not return to their campsite after a trip to the Glamis Store, county Sheriff's Sgt. Mark McNay said.

The Sheriff's aerosquadron flew over the dunes and located two people in a bowl deep in the dunes. The squadron gave the location to the Sheriff's Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement Safety Team. The team dispatched to the dunes with an emergency medical sandrail, McNay said.


McNay and his partner, county sheriff's Deputy Randy McCoy, found the woman dead at the scene at 3:56 p.m. The little girl with her was starting to fall asleep, McNay said.

"We took her to Pioneers Memorial Hospital for a checkup and possible heat stroke," he said.

The woman and girl did not appear to have water and were not dressed for hot weather, McNay said.

"They were wearing shorts and short sleeve shirts," he said.

McNay said it's a problem going out there at this time of year because one can easily get lost in the middle of the day when conditions are termed as "white-out," or no shadows.

People who get lost don't have much time to live.

"This heat can take you fast," he said. "I think we saved the little girl. In another 30 minutes she would have been dead."

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management did not have a ranger available at the station off Gecko Road near Glamis, McNay said.

 

and no ranger at Gecko.

 

Thats really sad. thanks for posting that Roost and Blue.
We need to keep people aware of the dangers of exposure, hot or cold.
Deaths make us ATVers look bad, no matter what caused them.
My thoughts are with the family.
BE SAFE THIS WEEKEND PACK LOTS OF WATER

 

Man that is tough to swallow , My heart goes out to the family and friends , Everyone Be prepaired bring water #1 and honestly Long sleeves will keep your Bidy temp down as sweat dosent evaporate as fast .

 

I'm absolutly sick that there wasn't a ranger available at the station...buts its probably hard to sit in the station when you could be out cruising in your million dollar BLM rail


Things are seriously wrong in Glamis

 

I got lost at Glamis once. It was in the middle of the night and it was my first time there. I got seperated from the group coming back from a night ride. I was new to atv-ing at the time so I really wasn't experienced enough to keep up with my friends. I lost track of them and thought I knew my way back to the campsite. I ended going in circles, once I realized I was lost I made my way up the highest dune I could find and shut-off the quad to save gas. Luckily I took my camelbak on that ride and I had a sweater with me....I was out there for about 3 hours when I heard explosions. I turned back and saw fireworks lighting up the sky. Needless to say I fired up the quad and rode like I never rode before. I got to where the fireworks were being fired and realized I was still about 2 miles from where we were camped. I just followed the road back to camp. Thank God for fireworks!!!

 

That freaks me out!! I never have been in that situation but now I know what that heat can do to you. Thanks for the info and my family's heart goes out to the little girl that survived.

 

I think they should make cell phones or 2 way radios a requirment the same as a flag. Atleast in the very hottest months.

 

This is a sad thing but the fact is we (everbody) should learn a lesson from this so it doesn't happen again.