County officials call for more back-up at Redneck Yacht Club
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Another wild weekend at the Redneck Yacht Club in Charlotte County. Two people had to be flown out of the mudding amusement park with critical injuries, with the county running a total of 15 calls to the off-roading grounds over the weekend. Video by fox4now.com
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CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. - Another wild weekend at the Redneck Yacht Club in Charlotte County.
Two people had to be flown out of the mudding amusement park with critical injuries, with the county running a total of 15 calls to the off-roading grounds over the weekend.
And even though organizers pay to have a dedicated rescue unit on standby, the county's fire and EMS chief says it's just not enough.
Organizers billed it as a "Trucks Gone Wild" weekend, with truck pulls and races to rival the big 4th of July and Memorial Day weekends.
Although the Redneck Yacht Club doesn't talk crowd size, Charlotte County EMS estimates about 20,000 people showed up to play in the mud.
"When you get the large crowds is when you get the injuries," says chief Dennis Didio.
"We had trauma alerts life-flighted out of there. One was, somebody got run over by a vehicle. And second, somebody fell out of a vehicle," he adds.
Well wishes lighting up facebook for one of the men -- Hector Garcia from Sarasota.
His sister writing on the Redneck Yacht Club's wall: "My brother was one of the two flown out. He is in ICU in critical condition but stable. Please everyone keep prayers coming."
Organizers pay $175 an hour for a dedicated rescue unit with a paramedic and an EMT, but the chief says that's not enough.
"It's not, not when you have an event with 20,000 people," says Chief Didio.
We went to the Redneck Yacht Club Public Relations Director to see what organizers are doing after the dangerous weekend.
In a statement, Paul King says, "We want to work with Charlotte County in any way. If they have a new way to work together, we certainly are willing to do it."
The chief says he's going to suggest the Redneck Yacht club rent out an additional rescue unit on its next big weekend.
No word on the condition of the other person who had to be air rescued.
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