Death Call Takes Crews Deep Into The Woods

Taking proper care of someone who has died can be complicated even under ordinary circumstances. In a remote, wooded part of Scioto County, it can take deputies, firefighters, EMS crews, family members, and a funeral home working together just to reach the person and bring them out respectfully. That was the situation after responders were called to the Tick Ridge area for a 64-year-old man found deceased at a cabin. The location was difficult enough to reach that emergency crews first arranged to meet a caller at Tick Ridge Freewill Baptist Church and follow him from there to the cabin. Even after they reached the property, access remained a problem. Responders reported that getting to the man was very difficult and limited, and forced entry into the cabin would be necessary. Firefighters, EMS personnel, and a Scioto County sheriff’s deputy eventually reached the residence. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Family Contacted Deputies identified and contacted the man’s next of kin, his sister. Once authorities completed what was necessary at the scene, the man was released to the funeral home chosen by his family. No suspicious circumstances were noted in the available report. Rural Calls Can Take More Work The Tick Ridge and Wheelers Mill area is made up of winding rural roads, wooded hills, scattered homes, and properties that can sit well away from the main road. That can create challenges that don’t exist when first responders are called to a home on a city street. A driveway may not accommodate an ambulance. A cabin may sit beyond where a hearse can easily travel. Crews may have to park elsewhere, hike in, use four-wheel-drive vehicles, or carry equipment over uneven ground. And when someone has died, responders still have to protect the scene, confirm the death, notify family, document what happened, and make sure the person is removed with dignity. In this case, that meant meeting at a church, navigating a hard-to-reach property, forcing entry into a cabin, contacting the man’s family, and coordinating with the funeral home. It’s a part of emergency response most people never see. But in rural Scioto County, sometimes simply getting someone home for the final time takes a whole team.

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