BEACON (30 July 2007) - A very busy day with about 9 runs included two near technical rescues. The first incident occurred upstream on the Fishkill Creek at an area known in the community as White's. The area includes cliffs as high as 60 feet and from time to time has persons injured from jumping off of them into the creek.

At about 3:17pm, Rescue 33-55 and Engine 33-11 along with EMS were dispatched for a reported person fallen 60 feet from a cliff at this location. Due to the nature of the incident, the city's technical rescue personnel were placed on stand-by and the companies made the 10 minute hike into the area.

Once crews arrived at the area, they had found the victim had fell approximately 60 feet from a cliff into the creek and had been removed by friends from the creek to the opposite shore. The opposite shore is much more accessible and the victim was able to be walked out by personnel via a stokes.

Due to the victim's injuries, a medevac was requested to transport the victim in critical condition to the area level 2 trauma center in Poughkeepsie known as Saint Francis Hospital and Trauma Center. Personnel quickly packaged the victim and then walked him out via a stokes basket to the LZ approximately 10 minutes on foot at the Groville Industrial Complex. The medevac, New York State Police Lifeguard 18, then flew the patient to the hospital.

Later in the day at about 5:30pm, another possible technical rescue was transmitted after a person saw some juveniles attempting to place a mattress into the rapids of the Fishkill Creek further downstream near the East Main St Bridge. Upon arrival, units searched the area, however were unable to find or even confirm that the juveniles did ride the mattress down the creek. The run was logged as a good intent run.

(Photos By: Jim Ruyack)

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