Easter Helicopter Rescue For Injured Hiker

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — An Easter Sunday hike went wrong for a group of friends near Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. When a young woman slid from the trail into the canyon, severely injuring her lower leg, friends called emergency for help. Orange County Fire Authority and Laguna Beach Firefighters responded for the remote rescue, with help from the Orange County Sheriff's Department Helicopter Duke, according to OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi.

"The friends called 911, as there was no way the injured woman could walk out on her own," he said. "The OCSD Duke Helicopter was able to locate her on the trail, and they directed OCFA in to lower our rescue paramedic to be able to treat the patient. They also directed the ground units who were responding."

The young woman was walking down the steep and rugged Car Wreck Trail, and somehow she slipped on a rock and severely injured her right lower leg, according to Concialdi.

"OCFA's helicopter dropped a rescue medic down to stabilize the young woman," he said. "He was able to treat her with pain medication."

Soon after, OCFA and Laguna Beach Firefighter's ground paramedics made it to her remote location, along with the with the OC Park ranger.

"They were able to help her, splint her leg, and put her on the stokes basket--a wire-litter basket where the patient can be hoisted up to the helicopter," he said. "They hoisted both the patient and the the rescue medic back on board, and flew a quick 3 minutes to Mission Hospital for further treatment."

By noon, the friends of the woman were on their way out of the canyon, and to the hospital to meet up.

It was a successful, unified effort by all teams involved, according to Concialdi.

Photos, courtesy OCFA