In a survival story worthy of Hollywood, A Colorado firefighter is expected to recover after an ordeal he suffered while climbing.
On Wednesday, July 1, firefighters were climbing North Apostle Mountain, a 13,000-foot peak in the Sawtooth Range, when a 400-pound stone rolled and struck their foot. The firefighter, who remained unidentified until Monday, was able to free himself through “incredible determination” and “primal adrenaline”, according to one. News release From the Eagle River Fire Protection District in central Colorado.
But even after being freed from the rock, the firefighter broke his leg and was unable to free himself from the mountain. So they called for help, launching a complex rescue. The remote location, steep terrain and high altitude would have made rescue at ground level difficult. So a Black Hawk helicopter was deployed from what was called the High-Altitude Army Aviation Training Site (HAATS), which is known for training aviators for rescue operations in the mountains.
The pilot teamed up with technical rescuers from Mountain Rescue Aspen’s hoist team and headed to North Apostle Mountain. The injured firefighter remained in contact with Vail Mountain Rescue through the emergency texting feature on the iPhone, and sent location information that was relayed to the helicopter crew.
When the Black Hawk arrived, two technical rescue workers lowered themselves to the injured firefighter via a 300-foot hoist line. He amputated the broken leg and then safely lifted the injured man into the helicopter.
Honor for helicopter pilot
This extraordinary rescue was also notable because of the involvement of one of the helicopter pilots. According to local officials, this pilot responded to the rescue “during the final hours of an extraordinary military career.”
After completing the mission, he received the traditional military honor of a water cannon salute over the helicopter. The Eagle County Airport Fire Rescue Crew presented this “Salute” to commemorate his final flight before retirement.
“Our firefighter is recovering and is incredibly grateful for the skill, professionalism and compassion shown by everyone involved,” the fire department said. “Incidents like this are a powerful reminder that even people who dedicate their lives to helping others sometimes need help themselves.”
GearJunkie contacted the Eagle River Fire Protection District on Monday for an update on the firefighter’s identity and condition, but did not immediately hear back.
