Canby Man Falls Near River's Edge

Steep, winding trails, an injured patient, and plenty of Poison Oak made for a challenging but successful recovery.

Photos courtesy: Troy Buzalsky/Canby Fire

(CANBY) - Canby Firefighters responded to a report of a leg injury at Molalla River State Park Sunday afternoon around 4:30. The park is located on the Willamette River near the Canby Ferry crossing.

Division Chief Troy Buzalsky of Canby says that when fire crews arrived, a friend of the victim met them at the entrance to a steep and narrow trail.

He told them that he, his son, and the victim were playing fetch with their dogs and that his friend turned his ankle, most likely breaking it. Firefighters proceeded down the 500 foot long, narrow and steep trail to find the victim on the edge of the Willamette River, with a possible broken ankle.

Firefighters immediately requested additional resources to assist with what firefighters viewed as a precarious extrication.

"We considered using one of the Rescue Boats to help us get the patient off the rivers edge," said Captain Gary Lillegard. "We figured it would be quicker to just use or Stokes Rescue Stretcher and a few more people, and just carry the gentleman up the trail."

Lillegard says additional Firefighters were dispatched, and while utilizing 8 rescuers as a stretcher team, the firefighters carefully lifted and wove the 70-year old victim up and around the narrow trail system to where he could be placed in an Ambulance and transported to the hospital.

Firefighters are highly trained in all forms of reach and treat rescue techniques, according to Troy Buzalsky.

He says this rescue utilized "Low Angle" rescue techniques, and while it wasn't a dramatic vertical patient lift, "there were still many difficulties carrying the victim out of the trail system."

In addition to the steep and narrow terrain, rescuers were also exposed to Poison Oak, which not only required personal decontamination, but also decontamination of all the rescue equipment that was used in the rescue.

It took firefighters 35 minutes to access and remove the patient, who was transported to Willamette Falls Hospital for further treatment.