El Monte Valley: On Saturday, May 1st, 2010 at 2:06 PM, the Heartland Communications Center received a call from a hiker on El Capitan Mountain requesting medical assistance for another hiker that had fallen and possibly fractured an ankle. An engine company, a rescue company, an ALS ambulance, and Battalion Chief were dispatched to the area. Arriving units established a command post at El Monte Park, and Battalion Chief Ron Laff assumed command of the incident.
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| SDFD Copter II arrives at the mountain and starts their search. |
Through cell phone communications the crews were able to establish that the victim was located halfway up the mountain in a rugged area popular with hikers. It was determined that it would take ground forces up to two hours to initiate a ground rescue, so a request was made for a helicopter with hoist capabilities.
San Diego Fire Department Copter II was dispatched from Montgomery Field and made contact with the command post. Initially the copter was having difficulty locating the victim, fortunately rescuers were able to maintain cell phone contact. Hikers were able to "talk-in" the rescuers who quickly located the patient. A paramedic was lowered into the scene where the patient was given initial care, then hoisted back up to Copter II.
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| SDFD Copter II rendezvous with Lakeside Fire units at El Monte Park |
The patient was flown to El Monte Park where he received additional care and was transported to Grossmont Hospital via Medic 3 (Lake Jennings Station).
To see some outstanding photographs taken by local photographer Ron Cook click
HERE
Photos By: Fire Chief Andy Parr, Lakeside Fire District
Submitted By: Captain Mark Grow, Lakeside Fire District
My family and I were at El Monte Park when this all happened. We had just packed up a 100+ person picnic for Shadow Mountain Community Church's choir in the same field the helicopter landed in. Needless to say, the Boy Scouts camping out at the other end of the field had a heyday watching the rescue.
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