PAC Device Saves Hiker with Altitude Sickness in Shei-Pa Park Shortly After Inspection

A Portable Altitude Chamber (PAC) is a crucial tool for alleviating severe altitude sickness among mountaineers. Following a successful annual inspection, a PAC at one of six mountain huts and campsites along Shei-Pa's Holy Ridge was quickly put to use, successfully helping a hiker endure the wait for rescue and descend safely. The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters stated in a press release today that the Taiwan Wilderness Medical Association assisted in completing the annual PAC inspection along the Holy Ridge I-route in April. The equipment at six locations—Jiujiu Villa, Zhongba Hut, Banan Hut, Sumida Hut, Xuebei Hut, and the 369 Temporary Camp—were all confirmed to be functioning correctly. Less than two weeks after the inspection, on April 29, a 45-year-old male hiker developed severe altitude sickness near Sumida Hut. Due to adverse weather, a rescue helicopter was unable to take off for two days. The hiking team promptly used the PAC in the hut to stabilize the hiker's vital signs. Eventually, ground rescue personnel made contact and assisted, and he was successfully airlifted to safety by a rescue helicopter. The park headquarters explained that a PAC operates like a physical magic box. Using a foot pump to increase the pressure inside the bag, it can simulate the atmospheric pressure of descending 1500 to 2000 meters without any electricity, providing the patient with a sufficient amount of oxygen. These "red rescue capsules" are vital lifelines for mountaineers in low-oxygen, high-altitude environments. While they do not cure altitude sickness, they help patients survive until help arrives. There are currently 11 huts in Shei-Pa National Park equipped with PACs. The headquarters noted that each PAC unit weighs tens of kilograms and is carried up the mountains over collapsed cliffs and steep slopes through the physical effort and perseverance of volunteers. During past inspections, it was occasionally found that some hikers mistook the PAC storage containers for trash or compost bins, causing damage to the equipment. The public is urged to help protect this life-saving public property.