Emergency Transport
Rocking Z Stables
| Anyone who has spent a few years around horses has probably seen some serious injuries. It may have happened to you. The best of horses can have a bad day. Or maybe you’re riding with someone who has become a bit too complacent. We tend to trust our horses and begin to believe they would never do anything to hurt us. And then one day you're out on a trail somewhere in the middle of nowhere and something goes terribly wrong. A bicycle crosses the trail in front of you without warning, a rattle snake makes some noise in the weeds, or an aggressive dog running loose targets your horse. We all spend lots of money on our animals. Tack, shoes, board, veterinary care, grain, supplements, shampoo, conditioner, fly spray.... Lets face it, it would probably be best if you didn't add up the cost. And under no circumstances should you tell your family. This will be our little secret. An emergency medical transport by helicopter is expensive. We are not talking about hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. We are talking about tens of thousands of dollars for a seven or eight minute ride from our hill to John Muir Medical Center. If you’re thinking that you will simply refuse to go, remember that there is a good possibility that you won't be conscious. As most of you know, Maureen and I are volunteers at the fire station next door. I can tell you from experience that we make use of helicopters for a notable number of our medical transports each year. Unfortunately, when we ask our dispatch for a helicopter, we don't get to specify who will respond. Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's going to be either Calstar or Reach. If you're a member of Calstar, and Reach responds to your call, you’re out-of-luck. The good news is for $95 you and your entire family are covered by both agencies for a year. A Calstar Membership for your family is $45. A Reach Membership is $50. I know I sound like a commercial, but that's less than $8 per month. It just sounds like a really good deal for anyone who spends time around horses. Especially if you enjoy trail riding. Check with your current medical insurance provider. You may already be covered for transport by helicopter, but if you’re not, below are two links you should take a look at. |
