Firefighters Rescue Missing Child, Injured Man at Great Falls

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Technical Rescue team responded to two emergency calls quickly at Great Falls National Park Saturday, as they happened to be on the scene training.

Firefighters received an alert that an adult man had fallen about 40 feet down the rocky edge of the Potomac River. The team immediately rescued and provided emergency care for the man, who had non-life-threatening injuries. The rescue crews took the man by boat to the U.S. Park Police helicopter to be transported to the hospital.

The team received a notification of a missing child in the park just as the man was being loaded into the helicopter. The park was crowded due to the free admission weekend and the weather, but firefighters located the young girl within 10 minutes on the park's trails. The girl was safely reunited with her family.

Image via Fairfax Fire and Rescue Department