NORTH FORK TIMES
SURFACE CREEK NEWS
HOTCHKISS IS HOPPIN’
Stock dog trials are at the center of a busy weekend in Hotchkiss, B1
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COMING TOGETHER
PLAY ON!
Nonprofits brainstorm to solve funding, staffing challenges, C1
Delta soccer, tennis teams qualify for postseason play, B8
DELTA COUNTY
MAY 8, 2019 VOL. 136, NO. 19
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
EMS personnel train for the worst BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
In the midst of planning for a mock mass casualty exercise, personnel at Delta County Memorial Hospital found themselves faced with a reallife incident when a commercial bus rolled on Highway 133 near Paonia Reservoir, injuring 23.
The bus crash occurred at about 6:12 a.m. in the morning of Tuesday, April 30. The Colorado State Patrol reports the bus was northbound on Highway 133 near mile marker 23 when a large rock fell onto the roadway. The front and undercarriage of the bus collided with the rock, which became lodged under the bus.
The bus went off the right side of the roadway, went down a steep embankment and rolled one full revolution. The 2009 International had picked up hard rock miners from several points in Delta County, and was transporting them to the marble quarry in Marble. The bus was driven by a 57-year-old man from Olathe
Photo by Pat Sunderland
In this training exercise, emergency responders assess the injuries sustained when a helicopter crashed into a parking lot full of people.
Delta is ‘Fiercely Colorado’ BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
The city is being branded as “Delta. Fiercely Colorado,” a tag that was met with enthusiasm by citizens attending a wrap-up session for CRAFT, the Colorado Rural Academy for Tourism. Darin Hamm, the city’s new marketing coordinator, unveiled the brand’s signature look (pictured) along with the
our historic murals and statbrand statement: “No one does Colorado ues found throughout town, quite like Delta. When we we don’t wait for life to come say ‘Fiercely Colorado,’ we’re to us. “Whether it’s exploring neartalking about a heartfelt and intense passion for everything by canyons, hiking or biking Delta offers: our proud com- the extensive public lands surmunity, our beautiful state, rounding our city, or paddling our rich heritage, our near the rivers that flow through perfect year-round climate, it, you’ll be embraced by our and our abundant natural fierce love of adventure. “Strolling our authentic resources. Just like the rugged characters represented in FIERCELY COLORADO TO A3
who suffered minor injuries. The other passengers, all adult males, sustained minor to moderate injuries. Because the accident was caused by the rock, and alcohol and drugs were not a factor, the driver was not cited. The hospital received word of several injured parties, but had no idea how many patients were headed that way due to the lack of cell phone coverage in the area. Jillian Emmons, the hospital’s trauma coordinator, said the emergency room ended up receiving 23 patients, most of whom were transported to DCMH by private vehicle. “Despite the lack of communication, hospital personnel handled the situation well,” Emmons said. All the crash victims were treated within two and a half hours, and just one required transport to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction. Staff members were quick to respond from other departments and from the community. “Everyone worked well together,” Emmons said. Three days later, a mock casualty exercise took place during the Trauma Conference hosted by the hospital. Care Flight provided a helicopter which, in the scenario that played out behind the hospital, crashed into a parking lot full of people. The helicopter was carrying a patient and three flight team members. Then there were the wounded on the ground, including some that required
Montrose funeral home is facing four lawsuits STAFF REPORT
Sixty-four defendants have sued Sunset Mesa Funeral Foundation, owner Megan Hess, her parents, and multiple other parties, including Nielson GJ Investments, over alleged involvement in the sale of body parts at the Montrose funeral home and the associated Donor Services Inc. Both businesses closed in the wake of an ongoing FBI investigation, in which charges have not been filed. The multi-party litigation, Espinoza et. al., was filed over the alleged mishandling of the remains of 48 decedents. The complaint makes various claims against several defendants relating to fraud and racketeering and body “trafficking.” It and three other civil suits have alleged Sunset Mesa’s owner dismembered decedents, then sold bodies and body parts without the knowledge or consent of next of kin. The complaint alleges Nielson GJ Investments did business as Mesa Funeral Service and through that business, sent some of the plaintiffs’ deceased loved ones to Sunset Mesa for cremation, where the Delta residents embrace the “Fiercely Colorado” concept in this artwork created by Darin bodies were “carved up” and Hamm, the city’s new marketing coordinator. sold without the next-of-kin’s
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DELTA
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Health & Fitness .........C6-8 Legals ......................... D2-3 North Fork Times ........B1-4 Obituaries ...................C5-6 School ........................ A5-6 Sports ..........................B6-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-2 TV Listings ..................C4-5
extrication from a parked vehicle. The “patients” were portrayed by LPN students from the Technical College of the Rockies, who showed a real knack for moulage — the art of applying mock injuries for the purpose of training. The condition of each injured person was carefully assessed. EMS personnel employed a widely understood tag system to designate the walking wounded as “green.” Those with serious injuries received red tags, and one deceased actor received a black tag. The goal of the exercise, Emmons said, is to identify each individual’s injuries and get them where they need to go, whether it’s to the emergency room, the operating room or transferred to the nearest highest level of care. The personnel involved in the mock exercise included basic EMTs, intermediate EMTs and paramedics from Delta County Ambulance District, North Fork Ambulance District, Ouray and the West Elk Mine, as well as hospital nursing staff. “Once we got through the initial chaos, we all started to work together as a team,” Emmons said. A debriefing followed the exercise, where participants could evaluate what went well and what didn’t, to share with their respective agencies. The more mass casualty exercises of this type, Emmons said, the better everyone is able to react.
81416 COLORADO™
knowledge or consultation. Nielson in a previous filing seeking dismissal and summary judgment said the plaintiffs have no claim against it for which relief can be granted, and that any damages they may have suffered came at the hands of other parties. The company denies the allegations, as have several other defendants, including the Montrose County coroner, Montrose County, American Plastination Company, AxoGen and HopeWest. HopeWest Hospice filed for dismissal on April 29, calling the claims against it “substantially frivolous and groundless.” Dr. Thomas Canfield and the Montrose County coroner’s office filed for dismissal May 2. According to that motion, his office has been falsely linked to an alleged “scheme” to illegally obtain and dispose of body parts. Sunset Mesa owner Megan Hess, who is named along with her parents in the Espinoza litigation, had her state registrations suspended, then agreed to permanently surrender them. She denies the state’s allegations, as well as the allegations in the four lawsuits.
Stamp Out Hunger this Saturday
Bid awarded
On Saturday, May 11, postal carriers will collect non-perishable food donations placed by your mailbox or left at the post office and deliver them to the Delta Food Pantry and similar food banks throughout Delta County. To donate, just place a box or can of non-perishable food next to your mailbox before mail delivery Saturday. The carrier and food pantry volunteers will do the rest. The food is delivered to the pantry, sorted, and later distributed to the hungry in Delta. The Stamp Out Hunger national food drive is the largest one-day food drive in the nation. It has delivered more than a billion pounds of food across the nation in the past 25 years. The Delta Food Pantry has already served more than 1,500 people this year and depends on the U.S. Postal Service food drive for continued success. With 49 million people facing hunger every day in America, this drive is one way you can help those in need. Have you got a few hours to spare? Call 275-9670 to find your role in assisting the Delta Food Pantry. A financial contribution may be mailed to The Delta Food Pantry, 1140 Howard St., Delta, CO 81416.
The City of Delta has awarded the bid for abatement and demolition of West Appliance Center to Wells Excavation and Farming. The Delta firm submitted the low bid of $407,501.65. That bid was considerably higher than anticipated, but the city was able to obtain additional blight remediation funds from the Department of Local Affairs. DOLA agreed to award the city up to $600,000. A notice to proceed will be issued to Wells once the bid award is finalized later this week.