Los Alamos Rope Rescue
A 15-year-old Los Alamos girl was airlifted to an Albuquerque hospital with unknown injuries today after falling 100 feet into White Rock Canyon.
Los Alamos Fire Chief Troy Hughes did confirm that the girl was able to communicate with her rescuers.
“She fell in a difficult area so it’s not going to be easy getting her out … it’s going to take some time,” Hughes said at the scene.
The high angle rescue operation took more than two hours as firefighters battled falling rocks and gusting winds. The rescuers responded to a 911 call at 3:20 p.m. from the girl’s friends who were hiking with her in the Hells Hole portion of the canyon.
Family members began to gather at the scene. One of the two friends hiking with the girl remained in a location 25 feet above where her friend lay injured. She was later walked out safely and unharmed.
Using a series of ropes and pulleys, firefighters were lowered down to the girl. Once treated, she was placed in a gurney and hoisted by ropes a few feet at a time up to the top of the canyon where firefighters lifted her to safety. She was placed in an ambulance and driven to Overlook Park at about 6 p.m., to an awaiting CareFlight helicopter. The girl’s mother rode in the front seat with the pilot as two CareFlight medics cared for her daughter at the rear of the helicopter during the flight to Albuquerque.
High angle rescue involves unique hazards and requires special training and equipment to perform safely. Los Alamos firefighters maintain high angle rescue preparedness by training in areas such as Hells Hole because of the steepness and difficulty of the terrain.
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