IVINS –Emergency responders were called out to Cougar Cliffs around 3 a.m. today when a 21-year old woman fell victim to a rappelling casualty.

St. George Police, Fire Department and Search and Rescue teams joined in the rescue effort. Capt. Sam Larson of the St. George Fire Department said that when the fire department arrived, Dixie Ambulance Care was already on scene.

“The other medics and cops that were there said she fell about 50 to 60 feet. We just assisted them in putting her on a backboard,” Larson said.

He said they found a place for Life Flight to land down underneath the cliffs about 50 yards away so they didn’t have to cart her out.  She was Life Flighted to Las Vegas.

Larson said that the woman was with a local man, that other responders on scene said she is originally from Chicago, currently a student in Logan; this has not been otherwise confirmed.

To reports that the woman had broken her legs, Larson said “both of her legs were screwed up.” He said the nurse on scene was able to get a hold of the hospital in Las Vegas and coordinate for them to be prepared for Life Flight’s arrival.

“Vegas is set up for trauma more than Dixie, so with any major trauma they ship them out to Vegas rather than bringing them in (to Dixie Regional Medical Center) and then shipping them out (again),” Larson said. “That’s the protocol.”

Neither alcohol nor mischief appeared to be a factor in the accident.  Larson said that Cougar Cliffs is a popular place to go and observed that it is Spring Break.

“Cougar Cliffs is just behind Paradise Cove off the left side of the road that goes to Ivins,” Larson said. “It’s a favorite place where people go for rappelling.”

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Copyright 2012 St. George News.