Helicopters had to be used to rescue hikers in two separate incidents in New York last week.
According to New York Department of Environmental Conservation officials, the first incident began at 8:37 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22 when forest rangers received an SOS call from Garmin for a hiker with intermittent fainting spells on the Calamity Brook Trail.
Two hikers with the 76-year-old also called for help and said they had been hiking since 6:30 a.m., and the hiker was suffering from dehydration and low blood sugar.
At 11:50 p.m., four forest rangers and an Essex County Paramedic reached the subject and provided medical care and rehydration.
The rescuers stayed with the subject overnight at the Herbert Brook lean-to. At 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, a New York State Police pilot flew the patient to the hospital. Video of the helicopter rescue is available to download.
The second incident began at 12:34 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23 when rangers received a call about a hiker with an unstable ankle injury on Haystack Mountain.
New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation was approved for the rescue, and a ranger was lowered onto the mountain to tend to the patient.
At 2:25 p.m., the ranger harnessed the 25-year-old from New Jersey. Another ranger in the helicopter then hoisted the pair into the helicopter and they flew the patient to the hospital.
