Hit By 400-Pound Rock on the Pyramid Butte Fire

[The 2024 Summer Issue of Two More Chains focused on leadership and highlighted incidents in which firefighters who weren’t “in charge” suddenly needed to make leadership decisions and take action. This short summary of the "Pyramid Butte Fire Hit By 400-Pound Rock" incident—and its lessons—was one of these writeups that originally appeared in that Two More Chains issue.]

The 400-pound rock that hit the firefighter—who was sitting down—from behind and rolled over him.

On a late season fire on Oregon’s Mount Hood National Forest, some Warm Springs IHC crewmembers took a break in a narrow, rocky ravine that provided shelter from the cold and wind.

One of the crewmembers sat with his back to the ravine wall when a large rock (approximately 2-feet x 3-feet, weighing 400 pounds) suddenly dislodged and rolled down the ravine.

The crewmember was struck from behind as the rock rolled over him.

Two Prineville IHC members were within 30 feet of this injury incident. Sarah Cuddy, a certified Wilderness EMT, worked with her saw partner, who took over radio communications, to care for the injured firefighter.

This accident occurred close to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).

The patient was packaged and carried out on a backboard on the PCT to a helispot ¾ of a mile away. An incident helicopter was used to transport the patient to a hospital in Portland where he was treated for a skull fracture and internal bleeding.

Key Lessons

Train for emergency medical situations, including live scenarios.

Consider what you would do if someone is injured, and what the transport options are for the area in which you’re working.

Prineville IHC EMT Sarah Cuddy (in blue jacket) responds to the injured firefighter who has just been hit from behind by the 400-pound rock.