A man who fell at Scott's Run Nature Preserve near McLean was taken to a hospital by ambulance.
A man fell at Scott's Run Nature Preserve near McLean, prompting a rescue response.
Terrain and Low Water Forced a Helicopter Call
Getting the patient out wasn't straightforward. Rough terrain and low water in the river ruled out pulling the patient out by boat, so crews requested a U.S. Park Police helicopter hoist instead, per the fire department's account. Rescuers packaged the patient in a Stokes basket and carried them through the ravine to a safe landing spot at the water's edge, where the aircraft could reach them.
The man was taken to a hospital by ambulance after the fall.
A Thank-You to Mutual Aid Partners
The fire department's post thanked the U.S. Park Police Aviation Unit and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue for their assistance during the operation. No further details on the patient's name, age or condition were released.
Scott's Run's Rugged Reputation
Scott's Run Nature Preserve is known for terrain that can turn a routine hike into a hazard. Much of the trail along the river runs narrow with a steep drop-off, and hikers encounter modest cascades and a rocky water crossing around the 1.3-mile mark, according to Go Hike Virginia, which also notes the preserve has six named trails that can make navigation tricky for rescuers and visitors alike.
This wasn't the first time crews have been called to pull someone from the preserve's rocky riverbanks. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department News reported that units responded to an adult female who had fallen from rocks in Scott's Run near McLean around 11:20 a.m. on September 20.
Similar technical rescues have played out elsewhere along the Potomac corridor. In February, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to an injured hiker who fell roughly 30 feet down an embankment on the Burma Road Trail off MacArthur Boulevard in Potomac, Maryland, according to The MoCo Show. That patient, a 75-year-old man, was transported as a Priority 2 case after about 20 firefighters and rescue personnel responded with multiple units and specialized equipment to manage the difficult access.
