North Carolina Helicopter Rescue on Grandfather Mountain Saves Injured Hiker
A coordinated, multi-agency response helped rescue a hiker who fell nearly 50 feet from Profile Trail, a famous path on Grandfather Mountain in Linville.
NCHART, a team that includes the North Carolina National Guard, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and firefighters from various agencies, responded to the emergency, according to WRAL NEWS.
Capt. Daniel Richardson, of the Raleigh Fire Department, was part of the team that flew 200 miles in a State Highway Patrol helicopter to save the 21-year-old hiker off the summit of the mountain.
While pilot Brad Jones was holding the aircraft steady, Richardson and firefighter Jason Ceisner were lowered down. The two fought through brush and connected with rescue crews on the ground to lift the injured hiker to safety.
“Time was of the essence,” said Jones.
“I was telling him everything we were doing,” Ceisner said. “I want my patient to feel as comfortable as they can be with me. They're in a very obviously bad situation.”
NCHART said that Saturday’s rescue was textbook. The hiker was transported to a hospital in Tennessee. It was the third request for NCHART this year.
“It means the world to us,” said Jones. “That's the greatest feeling you can get: to try to help somebody.”
About the Author
Ryan Baker
Associate Editor
Ryan Baker is a writer and associate editor with prior experiences in online and print production. Ryan is an associate editor for Firehouse with a master's degree in sciences of communication from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He recently completed a year of teaching Intro to Public Speaking at UW-Whitewater, as part of his graduate program. Ryan acquired his bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023 from UW-Whitewater, and operates currently out of Minneapolis, MN. Baker, also writes freelances for the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) in his free time, while also umpiring baseball for various ages across the Twin Cities Metro Area.