HomeMy WebLinkAboutNR013018InjuredhikersairliftedfromHanakapiaiWaimea04,
BERNARD P. CARVALHO JR.WALLACE G. REZENTES JR.
Mayor Managing Director
COUNTY OF KAUA`I
KAUA`I FIRE DEPARTMENT
News Release
For Immediate Release: January 30, 2018
ROBERT WESTERMAN, CHIEF
Tel (808) 241-4980
Fax (808) 241-6508
Injured hikers airlifted from Hanakapi`ai, Waimea
Rescuers responded to two calls of hikers in distress on Sunday near the HanakapT`ai
Trail in H5'ena, and the Waimea Canyon Trail in Waimea Valley.
Police Dispatch was notified of the first incident shortly before noon, when a 37-year-old
California woman injured her leg along the HanakapT`ai Trail.
A water safety officer responded first to the scene, and found the woman approximately
1.5 miles into the trail. He was able to splint her leg and assist her to the landing zone at
HanakapT`ai Beach, where they waited for Air 1 to arrive.
While on scene, Rescue 3 personnel safely loaded the woman into a Stokes litter and
then airlifted her to Princeville Airport, where she was treated by awaiting medics.
Shortly after 1:30 p.m. that same day, firefighters received a report of a male hiker who
injured his hip along the Waimea Canyon Trail in Waimea Valley. Waimea firefighters
responded to the call and used a Polaris utility vehicle to cross the Waimea River, and then
hiked into the valley.
Firefighters located the man, age 33 of Oahu, lying down in a dry area of the riverbed
and determined that he needed to be airlifted out of the valley.
Rescue 3 aboard Air 1 responded and short -hauled the man to a nearby landing zone
where he was transferred to awaiting medics for further treatment.