By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A CAL FIRE helicopter crew rescued a tree worker who suffered a medical emergency while about 75 feet up in a tree.
• The worker became ill Thursday near Santa Barbara, California, prompting a technical rescue response.
• A helicopter crew via hoist lowered a rescue technician and lifted the patient to safety before air transport.
• The worker was taken to a local hospital; CAL FIRE said the hoist rescue prevented a dangerous ground operation.
SANTA BARBARA, CA — A CAL FIRE helicopter crew rescued a tree worker who suffered a medical emergency while perched about 75 feet above ground Thursday near Santa Barbara, authorities said.
Fire officials received a call for a medical emergency involving a worker incapacitated high in a tree, prompting an aerial technical rescue response. A CAL FIRE helicopter crew deployed a rescue technician by hoist to reach the individual, according to incident reports.
After securing the worker, the helicopter crew hoisted the patient aboard and transported him to a ground ambulance waiting nearby for additional care.
Officials said the hoist rescue allowed crews to stabilize and remove the patient safely, avoiding the risks associated with lowering someone from a height via ground rigging methods.
The worker was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment; no additional condition updates were immediately available.