Ithaca firefighters pulled a hiker out from the Lick Brook gorge trail Sunday after the man fell along the trail, rendering himself unable to walk.
A woman called Tompkins County Dispatch at 11:20 a.m. saying her hiking partner had fallen down the trail in the Town of Ithaca, according to a press release from the Ithaca Fire Department. Upon responding to the call, firefighters and Bangs Ambulance personnel found the man had injured his hip in the fall.
Rescuers used a rope system to lower themselves down, put the man in a basket and raise him up so they could transport him to a local hospital, according to the IFD. The rescue took approximately two hours.
While rescuers worked to retrieve the man, off-duty firefighters and Cayuga Heights Fire Department staff had to be called in to cover other emergency calls, according to the IFD.
The IFD issued a statement reminding community members to “always carry a cell phone, hike with a partner, stay hydrated and take note of trail markers and landmarks” when hiking on approved trails.
Akane Otani is The Sun’s managing editor. She can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter at twitter.com/akaneotani.
Original Author: Akane Otani