Last evening, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) teams conducted a challenging rescue operation after receiving a call about a man who had fallen over a railing and down a steep cliff in SW Portland. The incident, which unfolded in the wooded area south of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), required a rope rescue to extricate the man safely.
According to a statement by PF&R, they received the dispatch at 9:20 PM on June 6, 2024. With initial details about the man’s location being vague, rescue units deployed at both the base and at the top of the slope, coordinating their efforts to find him. Complicating the rescue, thick vegetation, and the absence of lighting obscured the victim, who used his cell phone light and shouted to attract the attention of the search teams.
Once the victim was able to provide some directional clues, including being able to see the flashing lights of command vehicles below, rescue efforts intensified as teams strategized to reach him from SW Barbur Blvd and SW Terwilliger. Despite the challenges of the terrain and darkness, rescue workers quickly sprung into action, using the single blinking light of the command rig as a point of reference.
The man was eventually located 70 feet down the slope and 20 feet below the retaining wall. He had sustained injuries requiring full assistance to be brought back up to road level. "The victim was reported to be a large individual with an injury to the hip and lower leg," the team recalled, necessitating the use of a low-angle rope system designed for such demanding rescues. During the operation, skilled firefighters used a chainsaw to clear vegetation, enabling them to hoist the victim into a rescue basket securely.
Aided by a specialized tool that prevented the rope from slipping, the responders worked tirelessly to maneuver the man up the steep incline. Once at the retaining wall, the victim was lifted using a pair of ladders to road level where an ambulance waited. The entire endeavor culminated with the successful transfer of the victim to an ambulance gurney at 10:31 PM. He was then promptly taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation; the full extent of his injuries has not been disclosed.
The rescue operation was a testament to the coordinated efforts of PF&R, the dispatchers, the Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC), and the Portland Police. The incident underlined the trials faced by rescue workers and the importance of effective communication in emergency situations.
