Hiker Miraculously Survives 10-Foot Fall in New York Mountains
A hiker is lucky to be alive after falling 10 feet and landing head-first on a pile of rocks in the New York mountains.
A call came into Hamilton County 911 about an SOS beacon in Indian Lake. It was activated on in the Blue Ridge Wilderness on the Northville Placid Trail.
A 70-year-old hiker from Pennsylvania fell while going from a foot bridge to the trail. A member of the hiking party, who is a first responder, told the 911 operator the man may have head and spinal injuries after dropping 10 feet and landing on his head.
Forest Rangers to the Rescue
Forest Rangers were called out and reached the hiker less than an hour after the 911 call came in.
Seven Rangers worked together using a backpack litter to carry the injured hiker a mile and half to the Indian Lake EMS. A LifeNet helicopter was waiting and flew the patient to the hospital.
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Hundreds of Searches & Rescue Missions
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to hundreds of hiking incidents statewide. They conducted 370 search and rescue missions in 2023 on land and in the water.
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That's not their only job. They also put out nearly 150 wildfires over 1,400 acres, took part in 52 prescribed fires, and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets and arrests.
DEC Rescues 7 Animals in 20 Days
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