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First responders in Suffolk, Virginia, were called to rescue an elderly couple that fell partway down a 40-foot embankment.
According to a post published on the City of Suffolk Department of Fire and Rescue Facebook page, the first responders arrived at the scene at 4:21 p.m. local time where they utilized a rope rescue and hoisted the couple up.
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Chief Michael Barakey told Newsweek a man was doing some property upkeep when he fell between 25 and 30 feet down the embankment.
"He tried to self-rescue for about eight minutes before calling for help," Barakey said, noting that the man is "very active."
His partner also tried to help him up but she fell about 20 feet down the embankment, which was what prompted him to call for help.
About 21 people responded to the call in total, including medical responders. Barakey said crews were on scene for about 30 minutes before they left.
According to Firefighter Now, rope rescues can be utilized for a number of different incidents, including rescues involving low and high angle rescues and confined space rescues.
Barakey told Newsweek that the most difficult part of a rope rescue is getting access to the individual. Once that person is in the system, responders haul the individual up to where they need to be. He said crew members are well-versed in their rope rescue training.
When the couple made it back on solid ground, they were given a medical examination.
Deputy Chief Ted Adams told Newsweek the couple was encouraged to go to the hospital, but they refused further medical treatment.
While the couple found themselves in a difficult position, Barakey said they had a few factors working in their favor, including warmer weather.
"It would've been more difficult for them had it been chillier," he said. "They were lucky they held on and the individual who called was lucky to have a cell phone on him."
If the couple was unable to hang on to the side of the steep embankment, they would have fallen into the water from a river. Barakey said there was no beachy or rocky area waiting for them at the bottom, and the water was about 45 degrees.
Just last month, responders in Maine rescued an 82-year-old man with Alzheimer's Disease from a ditch during a storm.
Newsweek reported that Trooper Tyler Harrington found Bernard Perry, who was suffering from severe hypothermia and frostbite. Harrington carried Perry to his car and waited for an ambulance to arrive.
About the writer
Catherine Ferris is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting for the U.S. Trends Team. She ... Read more