Injured Hiker Rescued in Suffield Park

SUFFIELD, CT — An injured hiker was rescued from deep within Sunrise Park late Friday afternoon.

Around 2:58 p.m., Suffield police received an emergency 9-1-1 call regarding a possible injured hiker located in the park at 2075 Mountain Road. Sunrise Park consists of heavily wooded areas and hiking trails surrounding White’s Pond on the side of West Suffield Mountain. This park borders the Metacomet Trail and is a popular hiking location, Capt. Christopher McKee said.

A caller reported that while walking through the park, she encountered a woman who had sustained an ankle injury but was ambulatory and did not appear to need medical assistance. The caller walked for about an hour before returning to a parking area and discovering the injured hiker’s vehicle was still present and the injured hiker had not yet returned, McKee said.

Sgt. J. Nelson of the police department began searching the wooded areas and trails as members of the Suffield Fire Department and Suffield Volunteer Ambulance arrived on scene and began deploying special off road vehicles and equipment to rescue the victim. Nelson located the victim after searching the thickly wooded area for approximately 15 minutes. He provided medical care and comfort to the victim, who had sustained a leg injury, as he directed responding EMS, fire and police personnel to his location, McKee said.

Emergency personnel arrived at the victim’s location through the use of an off-road vehicle and then by hiking in the remainder of the way. The victim, a 50-year-old woman who does not reside in Suffield, was treated, stabilized and transported out of the wooded area to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries, McKee said.

"This rescue, which concluded just as the sun began to set, was successfully and safely conducted as a result of the joint cooperation and interoperability of Suffield’s Fire Department, Volunteer Ambulance, and Police Department," McKee said.

Photo credit: Tim Jensen