RedactedNarrative: SYNOPSIS
  I investigated and did a boat accident report for a wakeboarding injury that occurred on Lake Powell. There were injuries to one individual being towed and no damage to the vessel. The individual was eventually transported by Classic Lifeflight for a severe leg fracture. Report was filed.
  
  INITIAL CALL
  At approximately 11:00 am on Sunday, June 28th 2020 in Bullfrog, I (Ranger 1) was contacted by NPS Dispatch advising of a boat accident with injury uplake. The accident had occurred about 10:45 am. The mechanism of injury (MOI) was a wakeboarding accident, and the patient was a 13 year old male with a possible broken leg. NPS Ranger 2 and Ranger 3 had already responded to provide medical assistance. I stated that I would respond to the Bullfrog Clinic to take the report and gather more information when the patient was closer. The injury was described as an open fracture to the leg, and the bleeding had been controlled with a towel. Ranger 2 and Ranger 3 intercepted the vessel between Buoy 109 and 110. Ranger 3 provided medical care to the injured male on the reporting party's wakeoard vessel (too unstable to move). Ranger 2 followed the vessel in th NPS patrol vessel to the main ramp, where she had requested the NPS ambulance (Medic 5) to stand by.
  
  INITAL CONTACT
  I responded to the Bullfrog Clinic and notified NPS Disptach that I would take the boat accident report. Several NPS units, and I were waiting on the arrival of the patient (from the Main Ramp). The Classic Lifeflight Crew had already landed at the helipad by the Clinic/District Ranger Office. NPS Ranger 4 and Ranger 5, transported the patient and Ranger 3 to the Bullfrog Clinic in Medic 5. Ranger 6 and Ranger 7 also assisted as well.
  
  NARRATIVE
  After the Classic Lifeflight crew started working on and treating the male patient. I interviewed the patient's mom identified as Passenger1. The patient was identified as her son, 13 year old Injured. Passenger1 stated that there was a total of 6 passengers (2 of which were being towed - Injured and 18 year old male, Passenger4. Injured and Passenger4 were both being towed at the same time and were wearing lifejackets. She stated it appeared the tow rope wrapped around Injured's foot, but she wasn't sure on how he got wrapped up in the rope. Passenger1 stated after Injured fell, he said "I need help, my bone is sticking out". She stated they got him in the boat, and tried to stabilize him and the leg. Passenger1 stated he was able to wiggle his toes, and had good color. She confirmed the operator of the vessel to be Operator. Injured's leg injury was described as a possible Tib-Fib fracture (his left foot) and it appeared "skin was holding his leg together" according to Passenger1, Injured did not lose consciousness and there were abrasions on his right leg as well. A Classic Lfielight crew member updated Passenger1 and stated they needed to stabilize and straighten Injured's leg before transport. The family requested they fly Injured to UVU (Utah Valley Hospital, in Provo, UT) and the Classic Lifeflight Crew agreed. The crew administered pain administered pain medications to Injured and secured his injured leg in an air splint.
  
  The other two passengers on board at the time were identified as Operator's wife, Owner/ Passenger5 and Passenger1's daughter Passenger3. I also interviewed and got a witness statement from the operator of the wakeboard boat identified as Operator. The wakeboard boat involved was identified as a Malibu 20 VTX. He stated they were pulling 2 wakeboarders, going approximately 17 mph (he said he had the setting on the wakeboard boat set to the beginning wakeboard setting). Operator said Passenger4 came in and slowed down, and that Injured "twisted" as he fell in the water. Injured was being towed on a short rope and Passenger4 on a long rope. Operator confirmed that Injured and Passenger4 were both wearing life jackets while wakeboarding. Operator stated they did control the bleeding with a towel, and there was a small amount of blood on the towel. They stabilized the leg for transport, and he knew a small spot of cell service to call NPS Dispatch for assistance. Operator stated the location it occurred was Buoy 112 (center of the main channel), north of Tapestry Wall.
  
  Operator said in his written statement to me "Injured was wakeboarding w/ Passenger4. We were in the bay wakeboard surfing. Passenger4 let go of the rope to be done, I backed off the throttle and all I saw was Injured fall. He came up and hollered, "I need help, my bone is sticking out".
  
  Owner/ Passenger5 said in her written statement provided to NPS Ranger 2 "Injured and Passenger4 were wakeboarding double behind the boat. Passenger4 let go and then Injured also fell and let go. Injured started screaming he needed help, his bone was poking out. We immediately jumped in to help ger Injured out of the water and his feet out of the bindings of the board. I jumped in to get his good foot out of the binding. We got him settled on the back seat of the boat and drove to a cell site location. We knew we would have service to call 911. Once we talked to 911, and knew help was on it's way, we started down the channel to meet park services".
  
  I also spoke with Passenger4 and he stated that Injured and he had been towed together for about approximately 3-5 mins. He said in his written statement provided to me, "was double wake boarding and let go because I was tired. When I looked for them, there were stopped by Injured - the other boarder - I heard yelling and was told to swim to the boat by the time I was there, he was on the swim deck wrapped in towels".
  
  I followed up with Operator on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 to make another request for his boat insurance. He stared the Injured was doing well, and went home today from the hospital. He stated that Injured went into surgery about 1700 Sunday evening (June 28th). Operator stated Injured had a couple of pins and plates put into his leg, and that there was no infection. He further stated no growth plate was damaged in the leg, and reported Injured had good circulation in the leg (which was an initial concern). See attached witness statements from the operator and others onboard, copies of the vessel registration and insurance, and a copy of the NPS Call/CAD log. 
  
  CONCLUSION
  Additional follow-up was conducted and information gathered. Based on my investigation, interviews, witness statements - it appears the injury was caused by Injured getting caught in the tow rope that Passenger4 dropped. The main accident event was "mishap of wakeboarder". Report is complete.
  
  END OF REPORT