Marshlands Conservancy Hiker Rescued After Fall, Serious Head Injury

RYE, NY — The Marshlands Conservancy offers Sound Shore residents the chance to enjoy unspoiled nature surprisingly close to home, but the untamed wilderness also has sometimes unexpected perils — and challenges for rescuers when accidents happen.

Fortunately , the nearby first responders' extensive training and real world experience prepared them for just this sort of situation.

On Labor Day, at 4:46 p.m., the Rye Fire Department was dispatched to the Marshlands Conservancy on Boston Post Road following reports of a fallen hiker with a severe head injury.

RFD personnel met up with officers from Rye and Westchester County Police Departments who were already providing initial aid. The Rye Police Department had transported additional firefighters and a medic from the Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS to the scene using an inflatable boat on the Long Island Sound.

The injured hiker was treated at the scene of the accident, then placed on a backboard and secured in a stokes basket. The team carried the stokes basket up to a more accessible area of the Marshlands Conservancy, where it was loaded onto the fire department’s specially outfitted UTV. The UTV then took the injured hiker to the park's parking lot, where an ambulance was waiting.

Mutual aid from Rye Brook and Port Chester stood by in their quarters to cover any additional calls during the operation.

"These types of incidents require exceptional teamwork from multiple agencies to effectively manage the situation," Rye fire officials said in a statement about the dramatic rescue. "We would like to thank all parties involved for their dedication, coordination, and swift action in ensuring the injured hiker received prompt and comprehensive care."