The manager of the U.S. South Pole station wants to be evacuated, saying she suffered a stroke more than a month ago. But U.S. polar officials say she'll have to wait until special ski-equipped airplanes can land at the frozen base several weeks from now.
The dispute between site manager Renee-Nicole Douceur, the National Science Foundation and the operator of the base, Raytheon Polar Services, has been simmering since Douceur said she suffered a stroke on Aug. 27. The physician at the U.S.-run Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station recommended her immediate evacuation. But consulting doctors hired by Raytheon and the NSF disagreed.
So sure, there are two sides of this. One is that this is surely a known risk when you work in such a remote location. This article doesn't give any real weight to that, but we should do good to remember even healthy people can take a sudden turn for the worse, and accidents happen. Though she is holding steady now, one stroke is rare. It is very possible she can have another, or a chain of them.
On the other hand, it seems likely they could do better than "a few weeks" to help someone who has had a stroke. This isn't migraines or a broken toe, we are talking brain hemorrhage. I wish there were more details available, because I'd love to know what basis Raytheon doctors used when deciding the risk was acceptable. Was it purely the risk of the people going on the rescue mission? Or is there something we don't know that makes the wait more logical?
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