LAFD Air Rescue in Pacific Palisades

A weekend hike on Sullivan Fire Road in Pacific Palisades ended with a helicopter ride instead of a scenic overlook, after a hiker reported an injury and needed an aerial rescue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

LAFD Air Operations flight paramedics, working with crews from Fire Station 19, located the patient along the popular ridge route, treated them on the trail and then flew them to a nearby hospital for further care, the department said. Details on how serious the injury was or exactly how it happened were not immediately available.

Department update

The agency logged the response as Incident #0851 and labeled it “SULLIVAN IC,” noting that Air Operations was on the ground with LAFD paramedics at the patient’s side before switching into full air-ambulance mode. The department noted that the patient was being treated and air-transported to a local hospital and listed Fire Station 19 and Battalion 9 among the assigned units, according to the LAFD alerts page.

LAFD also pushed out a brief update on its X account, sharing a map of the area and a link to the incident details. The post identified FS19 on the call and largely tracked with the information posted later to the alerts system, as noted by LAFD on X.

Where this happened and why crews often hoist

Sullivan Ridge Fire Road is a paved access route into Topanga State Park that links into a web of fire roads and single-track trails above the Palisades. Sections of the route are steep, exposed and a long way from easy vehicle access, which is exactly the kind of terrain that can turn a routine rescue into a rotor-blade operation.

The county’s own trail guidance flags the area as one that demands a little respect. Hikers are warned about rattlesnakes, ticks and limited roadside parking, and the route is marked as a heavily used corridor for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians, according to the Los Angeles County trails guide.

A familiar operation in the Palisades

Hoist rescues and helicopter transports have become a familiar sight over the canyons above Pacific Palisades, where rugged terrain, heat and off-road routes frequently leave firefighters with few options other than coming in from above. Local coverage has chronicled multiple LAFD hoist operations in recent months, underscoring why Air Operations is such a regular presence over the neighborhood’s backcountry, as reported by Palisades News.

Officials regularly remind trail users to head into the Santa Monica Mountains with the basics covered: bring plenty of water, carry a map, keep a fully charged phone and let someone know your route before you set out. In an emergency, call 911, per LAFD.