New York State Police Urgently Send Helicopter for Airlift Attempt To Save Elderly Hiker
Much of New York enjoyed the feel of a late summer day on Saturday October 12th as temperatures reached the low 70's. For one man in particular, this day turned from perfect to peril while hiking in the Hudson Valley. This hike ended with a fall and, what rescuers believe was a fractured pelvis.
See the pictures below, taken from the heroic rescue that required several New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers, local paramedics and fire personnel and even New York State Police Aviation for a hoist rescue. Here's what happened.
At approximately 2:30pm on Saturday October 12th, according to a New York State DEC press release, a man and his daughter were hiking in Essex County when the man sustained an injury. Details on how the injury occurred are not known at this time but the 911 call described a man unable to walk or even sit up.
New York State Forest Rangers responded to Woodstock, NY. and were able to reach the injured 78-year-old hiker and his daughter around 4pm. The pair were found on Overlook Mountain near Echo Lake.
New York State Aviation Pilots Leeder and Celestine were called in to help perform a hoist rescue, as seen in the pictures above. The injured man from France was carried 300 feet uphill to a suitable site for the hoist.
New York State Forest Rangers safely packed the subject to ready him for the hoist, which was successful. At 5:15pm the subject had been hoisted onto the helicopter and was flown to the hospital.