Woman transported to hospital by Life Flight after fall from trail in Ivins

ST. GEORGE — Search and rescue helicopters could be seen flying over Ivin’s Red Mountain on Monday morning in an effort to rescue a woman who fell.

Emergency personnel secure the scene during the rescue of a fallen hiker, Ivins, Utah, Dec. 5, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Emergency personnel secure the scene during the rescue of a fallen hiker, Ivins, Utah, Dec. 5, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Washington County Sheriff’s Office liaison Sgt. Darrell Cashin told St. George News a 72-year-old woman was hiking Red Mountain via the Toe Trail with a younger female when she fell approximately 20 feet, sustaining potentially severe head and back injuries.

In order to gain access to the fallen hiker, Washington County Search and Rescue crew along with Santa Clara-Ivins Fire and Rescue personnel hiked up the mountain with their equipment. Cashin said around 15 members of the search and rescue team showed up to assist.

Life Flight also was called to the scene. Unable to hoist, the crew flew up the mountain, found a place to land and let out their paramedic and nurse, who then hiked up to the fallen woman and began treatment.

As Life Flight landed on a residential roadway, 190 East and 300 North was blocked to traffic. The Utah Department of Public Safety Star 9 helicopter was then called and arrived on the scene. Cashin said an emergency medical control doctor also hiked up the mountain and began treatment.

A Life Flight helicopter prepares to land in the Ivins roadway during the rescue of a fallen hiker, Ivins, Utah, Dec. 5, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
A Life Flight helicopter prepares to land in the Ivins roadway during the rescue of a fallen hiker, Ivins, Utah, Dec. 5, 2022 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“It was really good, all these medical and rescue people came together,” he said. “It went about as smoothly as it could go with all those moving parts.”

Crews were able to stabilize the woman and Star 9 dropped down their tactical flight officer, who hoisted the woman up. Initially conscious when first responders got to her, she arrived on the ground unconscious, likely from her necessity to be intubated, authorities said.

The woman was then moved to the Life Flight helicopter and transported to the hospital. 

“There’s a backup plan always running in case the helicopters could not get her for whatever reason – how we were going to hook up ropes and get her off the mountain,” Cashin said. “Luckily, the first plan worked, but it isn’t always like that.”

In the middle of rescue measures, Cashin said a drone suddenly appeared, causing a pause in the entire operation.

“It means our helicopters can’t fly,” Cashin said. “If they hit one of those drones they can put down the bird. That could’ve impaired our ability to get this lady off the mountain and potentially save her life.”

Cashin stressed that any person caught flying a drone in a helicopter rescue situation will have their drone seized and be charged.

Search and rescue, Ivins-Santa Clara Fire and Rescue and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

This report is based on statements from police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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