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New signage helps emergency responders

Matt Stensland
The new signage on Emerald Mountain helps emergency medical services personnel to locate and reach injured bikers and other trail users. The signs also help visitors navigate through Emerald's trail system.
John F. Russell

— New trail signage on Emerald Mountain helped emergency responders rescue a mountain biker Thursday.

A 62-year-old man went over his handlebars on the Beall Trail and was able to locate one of the new signs located along the trail. On the bottom of each sign is a number that allows emergency responders to locate the person’s position.

The cyclist was complaining of severe neck pain. Routt County Search and Rescue volunteers and Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue responded to help the man near the top of the trail. He was taken by 4-wheeler to an ambulance.



Search and Rescue volunteers Russ Sanford said the new signage will be helpful.

“It’s a brilliant idea because the trail system can be kind of confusing, and tourists sometimes don’t know the name of the trail they are on,” Sanford said.



Deputy Fire Chief Chuck Cerasoli said the signs have the potential to be useful when information is relayed to dispatchers and then emergency responders.

“One issue is rarely are we going to have an incident that is right next to the sign,” Cerasoli said.

He said people still need to be able to relay some other information about their location so rescuers can respond.

The city of Steamboat Springs received a Colorado Parks and Wildlife State Trails Grant funded by Great Outdoors Colorado to install the trail signage.

All of the city-owned trails on Emerald Mountain now have a sign at the top and the bottom of each trail and at intersections. There are also maps located throughout the trail system.

To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247, email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @SBTStensland


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