MRF is Bringing AEDs to the Missouri River
A community effort to protect all who recreate on the Missouri River
For over a year, the Missouri River Flyfishers have been working on a project that has nothing to do with trout habitat and everything to do with protecting the people who love our rivers. Every year when the woes of winter begin to vanish and Spring emerges, our public lands and rivers bloom with anglers, hunters, hikers and more. In emergency medicine, we refer to this as “trauma season.”
In our eagerness to enjoy Montana’s outdoors, the last thing we often want to think about is life threatening emergency situations, whether they be medical emergencies or traumatic in nature. Emergency preparedness is an important reality to keep in mind while outdoors in rural Montana. The addition of publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at key Missouri River access points, starting at the Craig boat ramp, add an important link in the chain of survival in the rural areas we enjoy.
Why This Matters
Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the U.S. each year, and around 90% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital do not survive. With each minute that passes without defibrillation, survival chances drop by 7–10%.
When an AED is used within the first few minutes, survival rates can increase to 50–70% or higher.
On remote stretches of the Missouri river, EMS response time can easily exceed 30 minutes. Both ground and air ambulances responding from Great Falls or Helena come equipped with Advance Life Support Providers and top-of-the-line equipment and training. Surrounding communities, like Cascade, have incredible volunteers who respond as Quick Response Units, known as QRU’s who often arrive more quickly due to proximity to the event. While an incredible asset, these critical volunteers may not always be immediately available to respond due to work commitments or weather conditions and are often not personally equipped with AEDs. Without an AED nearby, survival odds plummet before help ever arrives.
The Missouri River Is Remote
The Missouri below Holter is one of the most heavily used blue ribbon trout fisheries in Montana. On any given day, the river hosts a variety of folks from local anglers, out-of-state visitors, professional guides and outfitters, families with children, waterfowl hunters and more.
The Craig boat ramp alone sees thousands of users each year. Yet once you launch, you are in a rural canyon environment with limited access, limited cell phone service and long EMS response times, including by air ambulance. If someone suffers cardiac arrest at a boat ramp or in the canyon, there is currently no immediately available public AED. That gap is what we’re working to close. AEDs are portable, user-friendly, voice-guided and designed for use by bystanders. You do not need medical training to use one. The device walks you through every step. The most critical factor in surviving cardiac arrest is immediate action by bystanders.
Installing AEDs at high-traffic river access points strengthens the first three links in the Chain of Survival:
Early recognition and calling 911
Early CPR
Early defibrillation
We cannot control when emergencies happen, but MRF is working to help control whether lifesaving tools are available when they do. Trout Unlimited has always stood for stewardship — not just of fisheries, but of the communities built around them. This project is about protecting the individuals and families who recreate here. It’s important to recognize that in rural Montana, we are often each other’s first responders. An AED mounted for public use at high traffic access points and boat ramps could be the difference between a tragedy and someone going home to their family. Funds raised will go toward the AED device, outdoor-rated cabinet, installation and ongoing accessibility.
How Can You Help?
Take a CPR class and encourage your kids to take it with you! Talk to your families about emergency preparedness when recreating in rural Montana. Think ahead about communication devices and how you would get a hold of emergency dispatchers if you didn’t have cell service. Make sure to bring First Aid kits and emergency prescription medications like Epi Pens or Nitroglycerin with you when you head out on your next adventure. Heading out in the boat? Practice using a water rescue throw bag! Interested in learning more about what you can do to be more prepared for an emergency? Keep reading!
We invite you to support our efforts. MRF will be hosting a Pint Night on April 13th at the Mighty Mo Brewing Co in Great Falls from 5 to 8pm. All proceeds from this event will go towards the AED project. We will have some local Paramedics available to chat about real-life scenarios in Montana and what you can do to help stay prepared. If you’re unable to attend the event in person, please consider sharing our event on social media and considering donating toward the fundraiser via the MRF website.
Every dollar brings us closer to putting lifesaving equipment where it is needed most!