Helicopter Rescues Female Hiker, Dogs from Mountain Home Creek

A rescue paramedic was lowered about 75 feet from a helicopter to save a woman and her two dogs from steep terrain in the the Mountain Home Creek area Saturday.

The woman has been hiking with her dogs and mother when she wandered off and got stuck. The mother was able to hike out and call for help. San Bernardino County Sheriff’s dispatchers received the call at 4:20 p.m.

Helicopter and ground crews began their search at for the woman. When she was located, she was in such steep terrain in dense vegetation that a decision was made to rescue her by air.

Paramedic Bernie Horak was lowered, and then hiked 15 minutes until he reached her. He managed to get the victim and her dogs to a safe location where they could be placed in harnesses and raised to the waiting chopper. The woman wasn’t hurt but complained of being extremely cold.

A roster of Saturday’s heroes who saved the woman: Deputy Paul Franklin on the ground; 40King1 helicopter with Deputies Ted Byerly and Dave Carney; AR306 helicopter with Pilot Dave Borgerd, Corporal Mike Ells, Reserve Deputies Wayne Hess and Jim Fagelson, and Rescue Paramedic Bernie Horak.

The sheriff’s department is reminding hikers to the San Bernardino Mountains to be prepared for inclement weather, even when beginning their hike in warm sunny conditions.