How first responders worked together to save the driver in Friday’s Berthoud Pass crash

On the morning of September 27th, a head-on accident occurred at Berthoud Pass. Grand County Search and Rescue, East Grand Fire Protection District, Grand County Sheriff’s Office and Grand County EMS responded to the accident, which resulted in a serious rollover.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, the two-vehicle accident occurred between Cooper Creek Way and Mary Jane Ski Area at Winter Park Resort, involving a Ram 1500 truck and a BMW SUV.

“A vehicle had breached the highway barrier and plunged approximately 50 feet into a vertical rock face before coming to rest another 50 feet in the woods,” Grand County Search and Rescue said in a news release.

Members of East Grand Fire rappelled from the wall over the cliff to the spot where the vehicle landed as search and rescue crews approached from below from U.S. Highway 40.

“Together, they quickly stabilized the driver and secured him to a stretcher for rescue,” Grand County Search and Rescue said.

Members used a stretcher, a stretcher designed to safely evacuate patients from rough terrain using materials such as ropes. Another search and rescue worker rappelled down the rock face to reach the driver and prepared the litter for extraction.

The rescue team used pick-and-pivot rope rescue technique to lift the driver back to the road surface where he was taken to the care of Grand County EMS for further medical treatment.

The driver and the people in the other vehicle suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

“This challenging operation highlights the expertise and coordination among local emergency services in responding to emergencies in difficult mountain terrain,” Grand County Search and Rescue said. “The rapid response and efficient teamwork of all agencies involved ensured the patient was safely extracted and transported for necessary treatment.”