The man somehow found himself stranded in an abandoned water tank while hiking in Topanga State Park Saturday morning, according to authorities.
Firefighters used a helicopter to rescue a man today who fell or climbed into an abandoned water tank while he was hiking in Topanga State Park, just above Pacific Palisades, a fire department spokesman said.
The drama began when a 911 call was received by the fire department at 11:53 a.m., according to fire department spokesman Erik Scott.
The 20-foot deep water tank was located on the Sullivan Ridge Fire Road, northeast of Palisades Highlands, Scott said, adding the hiker entered the area through Murphy Ranch Gate.
“Our preliminary information was that there was some wires or cables there that the hiker may have used to climb into the tank and then couldn’t get himself out,” Scott said.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, they called for a helicopter to lift the man out of the tank, Scott continued.
“He was hoisted out unhurt and brought to a polo field at Will Rogers State Park where he was met by paramedics,” Scott added. “There was no hospital transport.”
Curt Isakson is a 35 year veteran of the fire service. Curt is currently a Battalion Chief for Escambia County Fire Rescue. Previously worked 9 years with the Pensacola Fire Department where he was assigned as the Company Officer on Rescue 31. Curt’s fire service experiences started at a young age as a Junior firefighter with the Midway Fire Protection District and rose through the ranks to Captain. He has worked in volunteer, career, and combination departments.
Curt has held all ranks up to Battalion Chief and been assigned to operations, training, inspections, and was Chief of Special Operations for 7 years. Curt owns and operates County Fire Tactics that covers a very diverse range of fire service topics, as well as Firefighter Rescues, a site that documents rescues made by firefighters around the country.
He has annual contracts with numerous departments to provide standardized monthly training for these departments that respond daily together under an automatic aid agreement. Curt teaches nationally to include; FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Orlando Fire Conference, Atlanta Fire Conference, Bowling Green State University, and owns/operates the annual HROC, COBC, WOTF, CFT ODP on Pensacola Beach. He is a Florida Certified Fire Officer, Instructor, Inspector, Arson, and FLUSAR.
