Sandy Hook VFR, Botsford Fire Rescue, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps and a paramedic were dispatched at 14:41 to the Lower Paugussett State Forest for a female hiker who called for help after beginning to suffer heat symptoms. The day was hot and humid, with record breaking temperatures in the high 90s.
Sandy Hook VFR First Assistant Chief Andy Ryan was officer in command of the incident.
Firefighters initially responded to 326 Great Quarter Road, a main entry point for the forest’s Blue Trail, where they began hiking toward the hiker’s last known location. With assistance from dispatchers, the hiker’s location was later determined to be close to Lake Zoar. At that point Ryan activated the marine units from Newtown Underwater Search And Rescue and Hook & Ladder.
A CT DEEP EnCon officer also responded to the scene.
Boats went in the water from Eichler’s Cove. The woman told dispatchers she was sitting in the shade.
Her cell phone had less than a 10% charge, so she was not able to stay on the phone with dispatchers for very long. At one point the hiker told dispatchers she was feeling worse.
The command point was then relocated to Eichler’s Cove. Additional first responders and apparatus were also staged there.
At Ryan’s request and due to the weather conditions, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps sent a second rig and crew to the staging point for first responders.
NUSAR’s boat, with NUSAR team members accompanied by an NVAC crew and the medic, connected with the hiker at 15:31.
The hiker was able to walk from where she had been waiting in the shade to the boat.
Hook & Ladder followed with its boat to pick up the first responders who had hiked into the woods.
The patient and rescuers were transported by boats to the command post at Eichler’s Cove, where the patient was then evaluated. The hiker was ultimately RMA. There were no injuries to any first responders.
First responders cleared from Eichler’s Cove by 16:05.
Sandy Hook VFR First Assistant Chief Andy RYan (right, in green T-shirt) confers with NUSAR members while they and membres of NVAC and the medic oad NUSAR’s Search And Rescue 993.
Rescue 993 and its crew head toward the rendezvous point to locate and rescue the hiker.
Read more here: Hiker’s Rescue A Cautionary Tale (The Newtown Bee)
