By AKANE OTANI
An elderly woman who slipped and was unable to get up Sunday evening was rescued thanks in part to “man’s best friend,” the Ithaca Fire Department says.
The woman was walking her neighbor’s dog near 4 Schickel Rd. in the Town of Ithaca when she fell, injuring her hip. She used her cell phone to call 911, and Tompkins County Dispatchers used the GPS feature on her phone to send rescuers to her general area, according to the IFD.
The woman, unable to get up because of her injuries, let the dog go. He then barked and got the attention of paramedics and firefighters, who were able to follow the sound of his barking to find the woman, according to the IFD.
The woman was transported to Cayuga Medical Center for treatment.
“Firefighters credit the coordinated effort of the woman having a cell phone with her on the walk, dispatchers using the GPS technology from that phone and the always reliable dog barking to help get the attention of rescuers to the woman’s exact location,” IFD said in a press release.