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A 77-year old Glendale man was rescued after falling over 40 feet into a ravine in the Deukmeijian Wilderness Park in north Glendale, near the Angeles National Forest.

The man had been hiking alone for hours on the The Loop Trail, when he fell into a ravine and became disoriented. Although injured, he was actually very fortunate to have been able to get cell phone service, and called his wife. He knew he was near Mount Lukens but said he was disoriented and had broken his eyeglasses.

His wife called Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station at about 7:30AM and notified deputies, who called in the Sheriff's Montrose Search and Rescue Team to launch an immediate search for the injured man.

Sheriff's deputies and Glendale Police officers set up a command post near the park entrance and began a search.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's ground rescue personnel and Air-5 Rescue helicopter searched the area where the man said he believed he was located, which was east of a main trail, but they could not find him. Air-5 widened the area search and located the man west of the main trail at about 11:00AM Sunday morning.

Sheriff's Montrose Search and Rescue Team deputies hiked to the area pointed out by the pilot and tactical flight deputy, and found the injured hiker. Two Sheriff's Emergency Services Detail (Special Enforcement Bureau) paramedics were hoisted from the helicopter down to the ground where they treated the hiker's injuries, and hoisted him up into the helicopter. His injuries were minor, so he was flown to the command post and able to return home.

Meanwhile, the ground rescue team hiked back out.

"The sheriff's volunteer Search & Rescue Team members throughout the county work closely with Sheriff's Air 5 rescue helicopter deputies and Emergency Services Detail paramedics, and make rescues on a regular basis, said Sheriff's Reserve Chief Mike Leum, who was one of the rescuers.

The Air-5 Rescue helicopter crews and eight Search and Rescue teams of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department average about 350 search and rescue missions every year, making it one of the most active counties for search and rescue missions in the nation.


Captain Mike Parker
Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau - Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
(323) 267-4800
http://www.lasd.org
[email protected]
Twitter @LASD_News http://twitter.com/#!/LASD_News
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Enjoy Nature - Plan your Hike by filling out the Sheriff's Department's Hiking Plan Sheet:
Hiking/Camping is a fun way to get family and friends together to enjoy the outdoors, and to get some physical activity. However, you should always be prepared for the unexpected. You should tell family and friends what your plans are and provide a list of who will be going with you.

That’s why the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department would like to remind the residents of Los Angeles County that having a hiking / camping plan is crucial to survival in case of an emergency.

Before you leave, please fill out Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue – Hiking Plan sheet and provide to a loved one to hold onto just in case something happens to a member of your hiking/camping expedition. You can download the form by visiting

http://file.lacounty.gov/lasd/cms1_163961.pdf

If you would like more information on how to prepare for your hiking / camping trip, please visit the Center for Disease Control’s camping website at

http://www.cdc.gov/family/camping/




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