On September 24th, a complex rescue operation unfolded on the cliffs of San Pedro, as reported by the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). Two individuals were in urgent need of assistance near 640 W Shepard St, a location known for its treacherous landscape. According to an LAFD alert, the operation, designated as incident #1859, began at approximately 11:42 PM and involved a coordinated response from land, air, and sea units.
One of the individuals was able to ambulate and did not require significant intervention. However, the partner was in a more precarious position, necessitating the deployment of the LAFD's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team, who had to swiftly execute a technical rescue. Despite the complex circumstances, information regarding the age, gender, or injuries of the involved parties was not disclosed immediately.
The rescue efforts faced further complications due to adverse weather conditions, as an update posted by the LAFD on September 25 revealed. Poor visibility thwarted the Air Operations' ability to assist with a hoist operation. Instead, firefighters and USAR personnel had to adapt, performing a land-based technical rope rescue to safely extricate the patient from the rocky area known as Sunken City.
The situation called for firefighters to innovatively make use of their technical skills and knowledge of the terrain. Following the rescue, the ambulatory patient was evaluated by medical staff and subsequently released at the scene. The individual who required the technical rope rescue was transported to a local trauma hospital.
