Forest rangers in New York had to carry an overheated teen hiker through waist-deep water and mud to a helicopter to be rescued last week.
According to New York Department of Environmental Conservation officials, forest rangers received a call at 6:56 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, about a 14-year-old from Camp Chingachgook who lost consciousness while hiking near the Elk Pass area of Nippletop Mountain.
A forest ranger spoke to a camp counselor on the phone and advised the counselor to move the teenager from Needham to the shade and aggressively cool off the subject with water.
New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation was approved. A NYSP pilot flew two rangers to a swamp near the campers.
Rangers carried the 14-year-old through the swamp, which at some points was waist deep water and mud, to the helicopter.
The pilot flew the patient to an ambulance staged at Marcy Field.
A forest ranger suggested the remaining campers spend the night and hike out in the morning because they were fatigued from a full day of hiking and did not have enough headlamps.
The group later safely returned to camp. Resources were clear at 8:43 p.m.
