Volunteer firefighters in Pawling are receiving community support after
performing a major rescue on Tuesday.
News 12 is told a woman
fell more than 50 feet while
hiking near the Cat Rocks on the Appalachian trail. Ultimately, she was rescued
by the Pawling Fire Department.
Deputy Fire Chief Chris Greene calling the rescue “one of
the toughest rescues anyone in our firehouse has ever done.”
Fire Chief Everett White, who’s led the department for a decade, tells News 12, "It's one of the most challenging rescues since I've
been chief.”
Officials described the trail the hiker fell from as a steep and
narrow one and only able to reach her by foot.
"It took a huge effort by all of our firefighters who
really left it all out there. They went above and beyond. They didn't want to
stop. They didn't want to take a rest,”
says White.
The men trekked a mile,
up 600 feet of elevation to rescue the woman. Once saved, they were
tasked with safely walking a mile back with her before she was flown to the
hospital.
"We had a job to do, and we got it done,” says Greene.
Since then, the volunteer department says they’ve received tons
of support online, and answer every call because they love what they do and the
community.
"Our guys love this town and they'll do anything they can
to help out and they showed that on Tuesday,” says White.
Although we’re told the hiker is in stable condition, law
enforcement is not releasing further information about the hiker or the
incident at this time.