NELSONVILLE- For the second time within days, emergency responders were summoned to assist an injured hiker in Putnam County.
Saturday’s incident was reported around 2:30 p.m., when the county’s 9-1-1 Center in Carmel received calls about a 55-year-old woman who tripped and fell, breaking her ankle.
Cold Spring Fire Department personnel, joined by members of the North Highlands Fire Department, Philipstown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, an Empress Putnam Paramedic, and New York State Parks Department staff entered a wooded area in Nelsonville that connected to the Undercliff Trail.
Rescuers drove an all-terrain vehicle as far up the steep trail as conditions allowed, then hiked the rest of the way to the woman. After securing her in a Stokes basket, they carried her through the woods to a property on Half Moon Ridge, where she was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.
Emergency personnel spent almost three hours on the call.
Fire officials advised the public: “This is shaping up to be a busy hiking season. We urge hikers to use caution and prepare before heading onto the trails. Careful planning and proper preparation reduce the likelihood that emergency assistance will be needed. Mountain rescues are time-consuming and require substantial resources.”
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