Things to NOT DO in the Rim Area!

As a member of the Whispering Pines Fire Department my fellow volunteer firemen and I are called upon to serve and protect the people in our communities in the Rim Area. Here is a list of a few actual accidents that happened in our area and what to NOT do, to avoid them.

1. While driving do NOT take your eyes off of the road. I know it's hard not to look at that elk or wild turkey at the side of the road but watch out for those trees along the road side. In June 2003 two men ran their car into a tree while driving down a dirt road. We had to cut up the car to get one of them out.

2. Do NOT dive from high cliffs into the river. When you come to The Rim Area and you hike up one of our rivers and find a pool of clear, clean, cool, refreshing, water, the urge to jump into the pool is irresistible! There is no rule against jumping in, but before you do, take the time to find out how deep the water is and to notice how wide the river is. In 2000 a young man jumped and missed the river knocking himself out on the other side, then sliding under the water. We were able to get to him but not before it was too late.

3. Do NOT forget to wear a helmet while driving your ATV! Our area is criss-crossed with miles and miles of ATV trails that ramble through tall pine forests, past wildlife, over mountains and through canyons and rivers. While driving through such remote vistas many drivers think that helmets are not needed because there are so few other vehicles around. In 2002 a young man went off a trail and injured his head on some big rocks on the side of the hill. He had to be air lifted to a trauma center in Phoenix.

4. Do NOT ride your ATV on unfamiliar trails at night ! Late last year two young people drove off of a ridge at night and broke many bones. One of the victims had to walk a quarter of a mile while bleeding to get help. They were air lifted to a Phoenix trauma center.

5. Do NOT hide under trees in a lightning storm! In 2001 four people were struck by lightning while hiding under a tree on a hiking trip. One person was killed. If you are caught in a lightning storm lay down in an open low area.

6. Do NOT forget to put out your campfire! It's great fun to go camping in the Rim Area and this is the destination of many people. It's a great experience to sit around a campfire at night and watch the stars. However, already in 2003 WPFD was called to put out a wildfire that was started by campers that left their campfire burning when they left!

7. If you are driving a large gasoline tanker truck through the mountains, coming up to Payson, do NOT forget to down-shift and use your transmission to slow you down before going down hills. Need I say more? There isn't much we can do afterwards except put out the fire and clean up the mess.