POLIHALE Firefighters rescued a hiker Sunday afternoon from a cliffside near Polihale State Park.
POLIHALE — Firefighters rescued a hiker Sunday afternoon from a cliffside near Polihale State Park.
Waimea firefighters were notified of the incident shortly after 3 p.m., when a 35-year-old man reportedly fell about 12 feet off the top of a cliff, then fell another 20 feet below.
Firefighters arrived at Polihale State Park at the base of the mountain where a bystander pointed toward the location of the injured man, according to a county press release.
Rescue 3 personnel aboard Air 1 also responded to the scene, but the patient could not be airlifted out due to the unsafe location and conditions of the terrain. Rescue 3 stayed on scene to assist responding personnel.
Firefighters used rope rescue equipment to climb up the mountain where they located the man with serious injuries to his leg, chest, and back, the release said. Firefighters secured the man to a backboard and stokes litter, then safely lowered him down a 30-foot high angle cliff, then lowered him another 50 feet to the ground.
The man was carried to Air 1 at a nearby landing zone where he was airlifted to awaiting AMR medics near the park’s entrance.
Medics provided additional support, and transported the man to Wilcox Hospital for further treatment.
