Technical Rescue returns to Crabtree Falls
April 8th, 2013 - At approximately 18:00 the TRT (Rope Team) of Wintergreen Rescue was requested to assist Montebello Fire & Rescue with a fall patient at Crabtree Falls.
This location is certainly not unfamiliar to either agency. As one of the tallest falls East of the Mississippi River, Crabtree attracts thousands of visitors each year. There is an “upper and lower falls,” each of which are tall and a difficult to reach. Not even ATVs can assist on calls at Crabtree. All equipment must be hiked in. Typical hikes will be 1-3 miles and require a lot of manpower.
Sadly, this hiker suffered fatal injuries when she fell. She had to be placed in a basket and hauled back up the rock face so she could be hiked to a waiting ambulance from Montebello Fire & Rescue.
The Nelson County Sheriff’s Office investigated the incident. The patient was an 18-year-old student from Liberty University.
A total of three units and approximately 10 persons responded from Montebello Fire & Rescue. A total of two units responded from Wintergreen with a total of 9 persons. The call time was approximately 3 hours.